Pound cake: From British tradition to "Harry Potter" fame
There is no simpler recipe to remember than the one for pound cake, which is a classic British loaf cake. Some say this traditional English cake is the original version of what we know as a sand cake. You only need 4 ingredients to make it.
According to the original recipe, you need to add a pound of each ingredient to the cake batter. However, when you convert this to metric units, such a cake would be enormous. To prepare it, you would need about 225 grams of butter and as many as 8 eggs, because one pound is approximately 454 grams. Therefore, you can easily reduce the amount of ingredients by half. In this recipe, maintaining the correct proportions is straightforward.
Pound cake from "Harry Potter"
J.K. Rowling mentions the traditional British loaf cake in the last, seventh part of "Harry Potter." The cake appears in a passage about an interview with Rita Skeeter, which Harry reads in the newspaper:
"In person, Rita Skeeter is much warmer and softer than her famously ferocious quill-portraits might suggest. Greeting me in the hallway of her cozy home, she leads me straight into the kitchen for a cup of tea, a slice of pound cake and, it goes without saying, a steaming vat of freshest gossip" – Rowling J. K. (2007). In Memoriam, in: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.
However, the true history of the pound cake recipe dates back to the early 18th century, and at that time, no leavening agents were added to the cake. It wasn't until the 19th century that people started enriching the recipe with baking powder and other additives to improve the cake's texture. The traditional bake is somewhat heavy, but the British don't mind. They love to serve the cake, just like scones, with thick sweet cream, butter, honey, or homemade preserves.
The evolution of the traditional British loaf cake recipe
Depending on the region, you can find different variations of the British loaf cake, such as those with fruits, almonds, or candied citrus peel. Across the ocean, the version made with sour cream is very popular, resulting in a much more delicate and creamy taste.
Pound cake recipe
I reduced the original proportions by half.
Ingredients:
- 200g plain flour,
- 200g sugar,
- 4 eggs,
- 200g softened butter.
Instructions:
- Place the softened butter in a bowl. Use a mixer to cream it with the sugar until fluffy.
- Gradually add one egg at a time.
- Finally, mix in the sifted flour.
- Pour the batter into a buttered pan and place it in the oven, preheated to 180°c, for 40 minutes.
- Use a wooden skewer to check if the cake is baked through. Remove and leave to cool.
