Grandmother's Pound Cake

I've decided to challenge myself this week by limiting my cooking to items that are already in my pantry. My pantry is actually overflowing. But for some reason, I find the need to go to the grocery store every weekend even when I don't really need anything. It's a habit really and one habit that needs to be broken. So, I pulled out my cookbooks to see what I could whip up tonight. I was in the mood to bake. So, I found this recipe for Grandmother's Pound Cake. It only required five ingredients, all of which I had on hand. The recipe came from 5 Ingredients or Less by Gooseberry Patch, copyright 2002. This cookbook is perfect for a pantry challenge. I plan to cook a few more recipes from it this weekend.

Grandmother's Pound Cake

1 c. margarine

1-2/3 c. sugar

5 eggs

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

2 c. all-purpose flour

Cream margarine; blend in sugar, eggs and vanilla. Gradually mix in flour; pour into a greased and floured 9"x5" loaf pan. Bake at 300 degrees for one to 1-1/2 hours. Makes 8 to 10 servings.

Being from the south, I'm used to using salted butter in pound cakes. But, I always keep margarine in my refrigerator and was pleased to find a recipe that called for it. Using margarine makes this recipe a frugal dessert.





I also liked being able to add everything into the bowl at one time. It really sped up the process. I'll admit that I normally don't measure vanilla extract. I'm pretty generous with it!







This is so pretty that I can't even come up with words to describe it.



The cake baked for about 1 hour and 20 minutes which is typical for pound cakes. But, ovens do vary so I would start checking for doneness after about an hour. Low and slow - the secret to a good pound cake.

This pound cake would be perfect to use as a base for other desserts such as trifles or even tiramisu. The wheels are already turning in my head. But, for now, I will enjoy it in its purity.