Cold Oven Cream Cheese Pound Cake - SuperMummy Group November 2012 (Butter)

Don't be mistaken, I'm not a mummy. Nope, not yet :) Soon soon He will bless us with one, I guess. hahaha Let's not sidetrack on this one.

This is our first challenge and yes, a butter challenge it is. I was quite sure I'm going to bake a pound cake but what kind of pound cake? Yes, there's so many different kinds of pound cake. As I was reading up on various baking techniques and ideas, I came across this peculiar recipe - cold oven cream cheese pound cake. You didn't read it wrongly, it did say 'cold oven'. I was like, does that mean the cake will baked till the oven turns cold @@ which is literally impossible right? Then when I read the recipe, it doesn't say the usual 'Preheat your oven for 10 minutes'. I was skeptical but yet interested to try since I have seen this cake in one of the past challenges for The Cake Slice.

Seriously hope my picture didn't gave you a ghoulish appearance with the unsightly cracks on top. Oh well, I need to figure out why the cake cracked so much, perhaps it is screaming for a bigger bundt tin. This is a 10 inch bundt pan by the way if you are curious. No wonder my fellow members in The Cake Slice mentioned that this is a HUGE cake.

Before I ramble on, just to let you know that I've obtained this recipe from Lauren Chattman's Cake Keeper's Cakes. Do get this book if you are interested in baking simple, nice and yet wholesome cakes that make your tasters feel at home :)

Recipe adapted from Chattman, Lauren

Ingredients:

• 3 cups flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 8 oz cream cheese, softened
• 1 1/3 cup sugar
• 6 eggs, room temperature
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract or 1 vanilla pod
• grated lemon zest of 1 lemon

Method:

1. Place your oven rack in the lower-middle position assuming you have 4 racks in your oven. Grease your bundt pan and dust with flour. 
2. Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium mixing bowl and whisk well.
3. Cream the butter, cream cheese and sugar on medium speed until fluffy for about 3 minutes before you scrape down the sides of the bowl.
4. With the mixer on medium speed, add the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition. Beat in the vanilla and lemon zest.
5. Use a spatula to fold in the flour mixture in batches and mix well.
6. Place the cake in a cold oven. Turn the oven to 180 degrees for 65 to 80 minutes and bake, without opening the oven door until the cake is golden brown and an inserted toothpick in the centre of the cake turns out clean.
7. Cool the cake in the pan for 15 minutes and then invert it onto a cooling rack. Cool completely before slicing and serving.
8. Store uneaten cake in a cake keeper or wrap in plastic wrap and store at room temperature for up to 3 days.

I'm not sure about you but my cake was already almost all eaten while warm. To be honest, I never eaten a slice of my cakes or bakes in whole but this one is definitely a keeper!! I had literally had a generous slice myself. I will definitely bake this again!