Ultimate Southern Pound Cake

This is the perfect cake for entertaining, Sunday suppers and special occasions. It’s unbelievably moist and great topped with vanilla ice cream and or strawberries! I could seriously eat this entire cake by myself in a short period of time. Luckily I have plenty of family and friends around so share it with.
Ingredients
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup butter flavored shortening
3 cups sugar
6 large eggs
1 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup fresh Key Lime juice – leave out the lime juice for a plain vanilla pound cake

Key Lime Glaze
1-1/2 cups powdered sugar 10x
3 tablespoons fresh Key Lime Juice – substitute milk for lime juice for plain icing or leave off the icing all together!
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Adapted from Southern Living.

Start by preheating your oven to 325° F then prepare your pan. I like to use a bundt pan with the recipe and I like using Baker’s Joy with flour. Spray your pan well to keep it from sticking.

In a bowl sift your flour, baking powder and salt then set aside.

In your mixer bowl, beat the softened butter and shortening at medium speed until creamy. Gradually and slowly add sugar, beating until light and fluffy.

Add your eggs one at a time, only beat eggs until barely blended.

Now you are ready to add the flour alternating with the milk but be sure to end with flour. Beat at low speed after adding flour or milk until combined.

Remove bowl from mixer and fold in the vanilla extract and lime juice. Fill your pan with the batter and now you are ready to bake.

Baking time will depend on your oven and the pan you use. My oven cooks fast and only took 1 hour and 2 minutes or until wooden tooth pick comes out clean. At my previous home, the oven took 1 hour and 12 minutes. Cool cake in pan on a wire rack for 10 to 15 minutes, remove from pan onto a wire rack for cooling.

Mix the Key Lime Glaze by whisking together the powdered sugar, 3 tablespoons of freshly squeezed Key Lime Juice and 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract. Drizzle over cake just before the cake is completely cooled.

This cake is delicious!

Most people can’t eat just one slice, if nothing else they ask for another to take home! Everyone will love this cake and want the recipe! 🙂

 

Do you have a favorite cake recipe? Share it with a link if you like!

I hope everyone has a great week!

 

Homemade Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

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Making Pasta Fazool

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My grandmother and grandfather wre Italian, both from Genoa, Italy. They both came to America in 1908. My grandmother made Pasta Fazool for us all the time. The Pasta Fazool was eaten before the main meal. Pasta Fazool means “pasta and beans” and one of our family favorites.

I have been making my grandmothers recipe for nearly 30 years at least 3 or 4 times a year. My children love this soup! What is it called in your family – Pasta Fagioli or Pasta Fazool?

Today, I decided to make Pasta Fazool for my wife and I. This recipe makes enough to feed 6 to 8 people so we will be having it again later in the week. It actually taste better the second day.

Ingredents
16 oz. Great Northern dried beans
8 to 10 cups water
1/4 cup olive oil or cookng oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 medium onion chopped
1 celery stalk diced
5 carrots, chopped coin size
bay leaf
12 oz can whole roma tomatoes
2-3 sliced of diced & cooked prosciutto (optional) *My children to not like me to include proscitto, so I left it out of my recipe below.
Grated Parmesan cheese

Overnight Soak
Prepare the beans the night before making your overnight soaking.

Rinse your beans!
Bagged beans are often very dirty and contain rocks, and other debris so wash them multiple times until the drained water is no longer dirty. Look for rocks as you rinse the beans. After rinsing, put rinsed beans into a large cooking pot. Remember that the beans will swell, so use a big pot. Add water, oil and salt and cover for overnight soaking.

Cut your onion, celery and carrots.

Cooking Directions after Overnight Soak
Add onion, celery, carrots and bay leaf to pot and then place the pot on the stove. If you don’t have a bay leaf it will be just as good without it. I ususally start cooking early in the morning with plans to eat that evening, cooking low and slow. Cooking low will generally take about 6-8 hours. I start the termperature at 2.0 which is low heat and adjust as needed. The trick is not to cook too fast, that will break down the beans too quickly. Don’t let them boil!

Above picture I just added the onion, celery and carrots.

After about three-four hours I check the carrots. The carrots take longer to cook. If they are cooked, I then add the can of whole tomatoes, juice and all. I cook the tomatoes for about 30 minutes, then I will cut the whole tomato in smaller pieces. Taste and add a little more salt to taste, if needed. I continue to simmer until we are ready to eat.

Roma Tomotoes

Roma tomatoes added to soup

In another pot, cook your pasta, any small pasta shell or noodle will do. It will take about 10 minutes to get the water boiling and another 8 to 9 minutes for the pasta to cook. Don’t over cook, I will cook until al dente. We keep the pasta separate from the soup since my girls prefer it without the pasta.

In the last minutes before serving, taste and add seasoning to your taste. Serve hot, adding pasta to your bowl, you will also want pepper and maybe some grated Parmesan cheese!

Enjoy! Your gonna want seconds!

Round Cutting Boards with Paddle Handle