Praline Pound Cake
- Level: Intermediate
- Yield: 2 (9-inch) loaf cakes, 8 to 10 servings each
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- Nutritional Analysis
- Per Serving
- Serving Size
- 1 of 10 servings
- Calories
- 1094
- Total Fat
- 56
- Saturated Fat
- 28
- Carbohydrates
- 139
- Dietary Fiber
- 3
- Sugar
- 104
- Protein
- 13
- Cholesterol
- 268
- Sodium
- 162
- Total: 1 hr 55 min
- Prep: 25 min
- Cook: 1 hr 30 min
Ingredients
4 sticks (1 pound butter) minus 1 heaping tablespoon, cut into chips and softened
1 pound sugar (about 2 1/2 cups)
10 eggs, separated
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 pound all-purpose flour (about 3 1/2 cups)
1 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch salt
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 cup crumbled Creamy Pralines, recipe follows
2 tablespoons dark rum
Creamy Pralines:
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup (packed) light brown sugar
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
2 tablespoons butter
Pinch salt
1 1/2 cups pecan pieces
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Butter 2 (9 by 5 by 3-inch) loaf pans, using the heaping tablespoon of the butter.
- Cream the remaining butter and the sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer on low speed until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula.
- In a separate mixing bowl, beat together the egg yolks with the vanilla until light and frothy. With the electric mixer on medium-low, gradually add the egg yolk mixture to the butter and sugar mixture and mix for about 4 minutes.
- In another bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. With the electric mixer on medium speed, alternately add the flour mixture, a third at a time, and the egg whites, a third at a time, to the butter and egg mixture, beating for 2 minutes between each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as you mix. Add the lemon zest during the last 2 minutes of mixing.
- Divide the batter equally between the pans. To 1 of the cakes, add the crumbled pralines and the rum to the batter and gently stir to mix evenly; leave the other plain. Bake the plain cake for about 1 hour, the praline cake for about 1 hour and 10 minutes. Both should be golden when done and firm to the touch.
- The cakes can be stored by wrapping them in waxed paper, then plastic wrap, then in foil. They do not need to be refrigerated.
Creamy Pralines:
- In a heavy saucepan, over medium heat, combine the sugar, brown sugar, corn syrup, butter, salt and condensed milk. With a wooden spoon, stir until the sugar dissolves. Continue to cook, stirring, until smooth and light brown, about 8 minutes. Add the vanilla and pecans and continue to cook, stirring, until the mixture reaches 234 to 240 degrees F. on a candy thermometer or the soft ball stage, that is, when a bit dropped into cold water forms a soft ball that flattens. Remove from the heat and drop by the spoonful onto waxed paper. Let cool. Remove from the paper with a thin knife.