Gluten Free Pound Cake

One of my Facebook friends requested a recipe for a gluten-free pound cake. This recipe is my first attempt. I love pound cake and have not made one or tasted one in years. It rose perfectly. This one came out just a tad grainy (not as bad once it cools) because of the 1/4 cup brown rice flour I added. Next time I will substitute the brown rice flour for additional tapioca flour. That should make it nice and starchy like a good pound cake. I will also use regular sugar instead of the organic evaporated sugar. It really gives it a different taste. At 1 hour the cake was not done baking. I left it in for 10 minutes longer, but I suggested 1 hour to 1 hour 5 minutes total. It did not make the cake dry, but the outside was a little harder than I wanted. I fixed that later by adding foil to the top while cooling. The steam softened it right up. Not bad for attempt number one. My suggested changes are below. I was trying to go a little healthier, but it did not work as planned. I am posting this one because I thought someone may have a chance to experiment with this recipe before I do.

Ingredients

• 2 sticks butter (Use unsalted if you wish to make a low sodium version.)
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 5 large egg yolks
• 5 large egg whites (room temperature)
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup corn starch (or potato starch, if you’re corn-free.)
• 1-1/4 cup tapioca flour
• 1/4 cup potato flour
• 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
• 1/2 teaspoon gluten free baking powder (Featherweight makes a gluten-free, corn-free baking powder.)

Directions

1. In a large mixing bowl, cream butter, sugar and salt, scraping sides as needed.
2. Add one egg yolk at a time until well blended and creamy, scraping sides as needed.
3. Add vanilla and mix thoroughly.
4. Add flours to a separate bowl.
5. Sift in baking powder.
6. Sift all ingredients together and whisk together.
7. Add flour mixture about 1/4 cup at a time into batter until each is well blended.
8. Preheat oven to 325°F.
9. In a separate bowl beat egg whites until they become foamy – not stiff.
10. Fold the egg whites into the batter. Do not beat them into the batter.
11. Butter a loaf pan; and pour batter into it, and even out the top.
12. Bake for 1 hour and 5 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean anywhere, but do not test the center. That should remain sticky.
13. Allow to cool until you can comfortably hold baking pan with hands. With a butter knife loosen the edges and shake a bit to loosen, if necessary. Place on cooling rack to fully cool before slicing.

Optional Additions

• You can add lemon zest, (grated lemon rind). The zest from one lemon will add flavor, but you can turn this into a lemon pound cake by adding 1/4 to 1/3 cup, which would take about 6 lemons.
• Add pineapple chunks for a new twist.

Tips

• Do not substitute margarine for butter.
• If your butter is not softened when mixing with sugar and salt, it may take longer to cream.
• If you beat the egg whites too long and they become stiff you will produce a lighter cake.

Enjoy!

UPDATE: June 4, 2010 comment left on my old blog:

“The cake is “too die for”… and to combat my over zealous eating the whole thing at once problem…. I let it cool, cut it into slices, wrapped it up tight in freezer paper, then ziplocked each slice individually air tight…. for treats later. I made a little glaze to drizzle on the top and it was not Starbucks but it was better!!!! Thank you again!!!!”