Parmesan Pound Cake #3
yes...#3. i admit...i border on obsession in the pound cake department. i hope you all saw Parmesan Pound Cake #1 and Parmesan Pound cake #2. go ahead and check them out...they were also a big hit around here.
this one has a beautiful crumb with a light and airy texture. folding in the sweet meringue really sets this one apart from the others. it might not be as parmesan-ie, but it sure is a fabulous way to create a lovely light pound cake worthy of any dessert, breakfast or maybe an afternoon snack with a warm cuppa tea.
all three are different, but all three are fabulous. i would say Parmesan Pound Cake #1 IS #1 in my books, but it is a lot different than what would normally be considered a "pound cake".
this one, as you can see in the photos, resembles a good classic pound cake...tight crumb and buttery smooth.
crisp edges, warm and fluffy inside...like regular cake with pound cake texture.
with a hint of Parmesan, a little cream cheese, a splash of vanilla and the pillowy meringue folded into the batter...this makes a delicious anytime cake.
PARMESAN POUND CAKE
adapted from Cookingetcetera.com.
i changed a few things so definitely check out the original and the beautiful blog from Dhi in Pudong, Shanghai
makes 3 med. loaf pans...8x4
NOTE...the original was in grams so i weighed and measured everything out. i thought it might help a little in case you do not go by weight.
cake flour...400g or 3 cups and 3 Tbsp
salt...6g or 3/4-1 tsp
cream cheese...20g or 2 Tbsp...i used 1/4 cup
unsalted butter...250g or 2 sticks plus 1 1/2 Tbsp
sugar...160g or 3/4 cup plus 2 tsp
egg yolks...170g or i used 7 yolks from large eggs
vanilla extract 1 Tbsp
Parmesan cheese 20g...equals 3 Tbsp, but i used 1/2 cup
for the meringue to be folded in...
egg whites...250g or 7 whites
sugar ...250g or approx. 1 cup and 2 1/2 Tbsp
preheat oven to 350F and prepare loaf tins with butter and parchment
sift flour and salt in mixing bowl and set aside.
beat cream cheese, butter and sugar until fluffy. gradually add in yolks, vanilla and Parmesan cheese.
fold in flour mixture and set aside.
prepare meringue. mix egg whites until foamy, add sugar and continue whisking until fluffy with medium peaks.
put 1/3 meringue mixture into the batter and gently mix until well incorporated...then fold in the next 1/3 with a little more delicate touch and again the last 1/3 until it is well mixed, but still fluffy.
bake for 25-30 minutes...i tented the cakes after 15 minutes to prevent browning too much.
my cakes took 37-38 minutes.
remove cakes from oven and let cool completely.
i am a true believer that pound cakes are best after a good night's rest, but you'll have 3 cakes so go ahead and break into one of them...then let the other 2 rest.
i also find that if kept in the fridge, not only will they keep for over a week, but they also cut very well for a nice clean slice.
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