Don't Mess Around with Pound Cake

It's a sacred art and the use of margarine is a crime in at least six states.

Now, let me tell you something every Southern cook knows deep down in her soul: you don’t mess around with pound cake.

Pound cake is not a trend. It doesn’t need a drizzle of lavender syrup, a sprinkle of Himalayan sea salt, or to be served in a Mason jar with a paper straw stuck in it. Pound cake is a traditional, plain, and simple dessert. It was born back when recipes were easy to remember: a pound of butter, a pound of sugar, a pound of flour, and a dozen eggs. That’s it.

No shortcuts, no substitutions, no almond flour, and heavens above — no margarine - EVER.

In fact, margarine in a pound cake is a crime in at least six Southern states. The recipes we treasure are more than instructions on how to mix flour and sugar - they are heirlooms, stitched together with the lives of those who came before us. They remind us that before Instagram feeds and Food Network, there were flour-dusted aprons, cast-iron skillets seasoned by time, and a circle of women who understood that feeding people was the highest form of love.

Every good church cookbook has at least three variations of pound cake, and they all begin with, “Grease and flour your pan well.” That pan, by the way, is a Bundt pan older than your firstborn child. It has dings, scratches, and the occasional mysterious dent, but it turns out miracles every time.

And when that pound cake comes out of the oven? That golden dome is like a crown. The scent of butter and sugar fills the whole house. You slice it thick — never thin — because this isn’t diet food, this is hospitality on a plate.

I’ll tell you the truth: pound cake is so sacred that when one shows up at a funeral, it’s really the highest expression of sympathy. It says, “I may not know what to say, but I do know pound cake makes any crisis just a little better.”

So take it from me — don’t mess around with pound cake. Respect it, serve it proudly, and for heaven’s sake, don’t ever forget the real butter. I still hear my mother’s voice: “Don’t open that oven door yet.”

Southern women laugh loud, love hard, and take our pound cakes seriously. It’s part of the code.

One more thing: And let me tell you — hospitality isn’t just something we practice, it’s who we are. We are porch-sitting, football-watching, fried chicken-devouring women who have a knack for making strangers feel like family — and family feel like they better behave - or else.”

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I’m sharing my Pumpkin Pound Cake and Apple Cake recipes in this newsletter - heirlooms and treasured keepsakes. (see below)

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Pumpkin Pound Cake with Spiced or Bourbon Glaze

North Carolina’s Our State magazine featured this one year, and I fell in love with its moist, pumpkin flavor, complemented by a decadent bourbon glaze. Fabulous! I said good-bye to pumpkin pie.

Chef’s Note: Simply replace the milk in the glaze with bourbon for a whole new, exciting flavor.

For the cake:

1 cup unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
2 cups sugar
6 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups flour
¼ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 cup pumpkin puree

For the glaze:

1 tablespoon whole milk (or bourbon)
1 cup powdered sugar
½ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon grated nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground cloves

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Beat butter in a large bowl and gradually add sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, whisking well between each addition. Add vanilla extract.

Sift together flour, baking soda, and spices in a bowl. Add to the egg mixture, one third at a time, alternating with pumpkin.

Spoon batter into a greased 10-inch bundt pan. Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until golden brown and firm. Allow the cake to cool for 10 minutes before turning it out onto a plate.

Whisk together milk (or bourbon), sugar, and spices. Slowly pour the glaze evenly over the cake. Serve warm and enjoy!

Chef’s Note: Be sure all ingredients are at room temperature before you begin.

We’d love to hear what you're preparing for Thanksgiving. Join the chat! We’ll exchange tips and share recipes.

My favorite Apple Cake, shared by the incredible Minette Rushing of Savannah.

Savannah Apple Cake with Salted Caramel Frosting

I’ve spent countless hours trying to find “the recipe” for a special occasion.

Minette Rushing, a renowned expert in the field and owner of Custom Cakes, Inc. from Burnside Island in Savannah, has already done the work..

3 cups peeled and finely chopped Granny Smith apples

2 cups sugar

3 eggs

1 1/2 cups vegetable oil

1/4 cup orange juice

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

1 cup shredded coconut - unsweetened

1 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 325*. Generously grease a tube pan.

Mix well with the sugar, eggs, oil, orange juice, flour, baking soda, kosher salt, cinnamon, and pure vanilla extract. Fold in the apples, coconut, and pecans into the batter. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until a tester comes out clean, about 1 1/2 hours. Frost the top of the cake when cooled.

Salted Caramel Frosting:

1 1/2 sticks butter

3/4 cup light brown sugar

1/3 cup half and half

pinch of cream of tartar

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

2 1/4 cups confectioners’ sugar

1 tablespoon whole milk (if the mixture is too thick)

In a saucepan, combine the butter, brown sugar, half and half, and cream of tartar over medium to low heat, stirring with a wooden spoon. Once the butter is melted and the sugar is dissolved, bring the mixture to a boil. Stir for 2 -3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in salt. Allow the mixture to cool completely.

Once cooled, reserve 1 tablespoon. Set aside. Combine the cooled caramel mixture with the confectioner’s sugar with an electric mixer until combined. Continue to add the confectioner’s sugar, one cup at a time. Stir in milk until you achieve a creamy consistency.

Spread frosting on the cooled cake and drizzle with reserved caramel. Sprinkle a little kosher salt or Fleur De Sel lightly before serving.