Tending to the Cake (recipe included)

Give me nachos with cheese over a piece of cake any day. Don't get me wrong, I like dessert. I don't order it at restaurants -- don't like it that much -- but if I am at a party and there's cake, I'll have some. Cookies, well, they're another story... But this is about a cake.

I've never been fond of cheesecake. Well, maybe once. It was a ricotta cheesecake from a local Italian restaurant called Atillio's Kitchen. The kitchen closed a couple of years ago, and reopened as a different restaurant called Atillio's Tavern in a different town. It's the same owners, and the same good food, but different menu choices. I'm not sure if they still make the cake.

Years ago, though, I made a cheesecake as a birthday cake. I can't remember if it was requested or if I just really wanted to try the recipe. Regardless, it was a total blast to make, and it tasted just like a super moist pound cake. You'd never know it was a cheesecake. It's such fun to make, even if you don't want to eat it (but you will). The fun isn't in the mixing, it's in the actual baking. Read the whole recipe and you will see what I'm talking about.

I recommend that everyone try this recipe at least once. You will be hooked and will want to make it for every special occasion that comes your way.

cream cheese pound cake
Bon Appetit magazine, December 2003
makes 1 large cake

1 c (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 8 oz. package cream cheese, room temperature
3 c sugar
1 t salt
6 lrg eggs, room temperature
4 t pure vanilla extract
3 c sifted all purpose flour

Butter and flour a 12 cup Bundt pan. Using the electric mixer, beat butter and cream cheese in a large bowl until fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add sugar and salt; beat 10 minutes, occasionally scraping down sides of the bowl. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating until blended after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Beat in flour at low speed until batter is smooth (do not over beat). Transfer batter to pan.

Place pan in cold oven. Set temperature at 200*F; bake 20 minutes.
Increase temperature to 250*F; bake 20 minutes.
Increase temperature to 275*F; bake 10 minutes.
Increase to 300*F; bake cake until tester inserted near center comes out clean, about 1 hour longer.

Cool cake in pan on rack 15 minutes. Turn cake out onto rack; cool completely. (Can be made 3 days ahead. Wrap; store at room temperature.)