Sesame Pound Cake

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
4 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1/3 cup sesame seeds, toasted and divided
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
Fresh fruit (optional)

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Combine milk, vanilla extract and lemon peel; set aside.

Reserving 1 tablespoon sesame seeds, combine remaining sesame seeds with flour, baking powder and alt. Add dry ingredients to creamed mixture alternately with milk mixture; mix well. Pour into a greased and floured 9 x 5-inch loaf pan. Sprinkle with reserved sesame seeds. Bake at 325 degrees F for 60 to 70 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool in pan for 10 minutes; remove to a wire rack to cool completely. Serve with fruit if desired.

Yields 8 to 10 servings.

Rose Water Pound Cake

1 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 2/3 cups granulated sugar
5 eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon almond extract
3 tablespoons finely-ground almonds
1 teaspoon rose water
1 to 2 drops red food coloring

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease on 9-inch tube pan.

Cream butter well. In a separate bowl beat sugar and eggs together until doubled in volume. Add sifted flour and salt gradually. Fold in creamed butter thoroughly. Divide batter into two equal parts. Into one part add the almond extract and ground almonds. To the other part add the rosewater and red food coloring. Spoon batters alternately into the prepared pan. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes.

Let cake cool, then remove from pan and dust with confectioners? sugar.

Pound Cake

This is the REAL McCOY!

4 cups cake flour, sifted before measuring (1 pound)
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups butter (1 pound)
2 cups granulated sugar (1 pound)
10 eggs
2 teaspoons almond extract, vanilla extract or brandy

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease well and flour a tube cake pan.

Sift flour and salt together. Place butter and sugar in mixing bowl. Cream together until light and fluffy. Add whole eggs, one at a time. Beat thoroughly between each addition of the eggs. If an electric mixer is used, do not stop mixer while adding eggs. Add half the sifted flour and salt. Beat about 1 minute. Add remaining flour-salt mixture and flavorings. Beat about 1 minute. Use rubber spatula to collect all flour from sides of mixing bowl. Pour into prepared tube cake pan. Bake for 1 hour to 1 hour and 20 minutes, checking for doneness periodically. Remove from pan immediately after removing from oven. Cool on a cake rack.

Pineapple Supreme Pound Cake

This is a large cake that has a delicate, but firm, texture. It is a pretty cake for special occasions.

1 cup (2 sticks) butter
2 3/4 cups granulated sugar
3 cups flour, sifted
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon butter flavoring
Yellow food coloring
1/2 cup shortening
6 large eggs
1 1/2 cups crushed pineapple
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons pineapple flavoring

Cream shortening, butter and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating thoroughly after each one. Sift flour with baking powder; add alternately with pineapple and juice. Add flavorings and food coloring. Pour batter into greased and floured Bundt or tube pan. Place in cold oven. Set oven at 350 degrees F and bake for approximately 1 1/2 hours. Remove cake from pan. For best results, make Pineapple Supreme Cake Topping ahead of time and apply to cake when it comes out of oven warm.

Pineapple Supreme Cake Topping
1 cup crushed pineapple
1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
1/2 cup butter
6 whole maraschino cherries

Bring all ingredients except cherries to a simmer for 3 to 4 minutes. Apply to cake using cherries to decorate.

Peanut Butter Pound Cake

1 1/4 cups (2 1/2) sticks butter
2 cups granulated sugar
6 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup peanut butter, smooth or crunchy
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup peanuts, finely chopped (optional)

Cream butter and sugar until light yellow. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until thoroughly blended. Add vanilla extract and slowly beat in peanut butter.

Sift flour with baking powder and salt. Add flour mixture, a little at a time, until well blended.

Line a 9- or 10-inch tube pan on the bottom with wax paper. Spoon in batter and bake at 350 degrees F for 45 minutes.

Reduce heat to 325 degrees F and bake 15 to 20 minutes longer, until cake tests done.

Cool in pan on wire rack for 10 minutes, then remove from pan and cool cake completely. If desired, toward the end of baking, while cake is still soft, sprinkle about 1/3 cup finely chopped peanuts onto batter to give it a crunchy topping.

Apricot Brandy Pound Cake

1 cup butter
3 cups granulated sugar
6 eggs
3 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup sour cream
1/2 teaspoon rum flavoring
1 teaspoon orange flavoring
1/4 teaspoon almond flavoring
1/2 teaspoon lemon flavoring
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup apricot brandy

Grease and flour one (10-inch) tube pan. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Cream together butter and sugar until very light and fluffy. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating thoroughly after each.

Sift together dry ingredients. Combine sour cream, flavorings and brandy. Add dry ingredients alternately with sour cream mixture. Pour into prepared pan. Bake for 70 minutes or until done. Remove from oven and cool. This freezes well.

Orange-Coconut Pound Cake

2 cups solid shortening
3 1/3 cups granulated sugar
10 large eggs
4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon coconut extract
1 cup orange juice
1/2 teaspoon lemon extract

Cream shortening and sugar together with electric mixer until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour alternately with orange juice. Mix well after each addition. Add extracts. Pour into greased and floured tube pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 1 1/2 hours.

Icing
1/2 cup (1 stick) margarine
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
5 tablespoons orange juice
1 cup coconut

Cream margarine. Add sugar and orange juice alternately. Beat to spreading consistency. Spread on top and sides; sprinkle with coconut.