My ‘Basic Pound Cake’ recipe requires 125g of Butter, Sugar, Eggs and Self-Raising Flour, not 1 pound of each. That’s the best amount for my cake tin. You can alter the recipe as you like. The rule of this type of cake is to maintain the 1:1:1:1 ratio. Based on the basic recipe, you can create a variety of cakes. Today I added Brandy. A lot of it. So, this cake is for grown-ups only.

Cake Tin

Standard Loaf Tin

Ingredients

125g Butter
125g (OR 1/2 cup) Caster Sugar
3 Eggs *about 125g, must be at room temperature
1 tablespoon Brandy
125g Self-Raising Flour
Extra 3 tablespoons Brandy
*Note: You can add 1/2 cup Mixed Dried Fruit to this cake. I recommend to soak the Dried Fruit in 2 tablespoons Brandy for a few days before use it.

Method
  1. Preheat oven to 170°C. Grease a loaf tin and line the base and sides with baking paper.
  2. Beat the softened Butter in a mixing bowl with a whisk until smooth. Add Sugar and beat until creamy.
  3. Add Eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. If the Eggs are not warm enough, the mixture will curdle. If that happens, try to stand the bowl in warm water, stirring constantly, for 30 seconds, then continue beating until the batter becomes smooth and creamy.
  4. Add Self-Raising Flour and 1 tablespoon Brandy, and mix with a spatula or large metal spoon until just combined. DO NOT over-mix.
  5. Spoon the mixture into the loaf tin and smooth the surface. *Note: Spread the middle part thinner and the edges thicker, so that you will have a nice centre crack.
  6. Bake in preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes or until cooked through. Brush Extra Brandy over the cake evenly. Leave the cake in the tin until completely cool.
  7. When cooled, wrap with plastic food wrap, and leave it in a cool place for at least 1 day. Then enjoy it.