Comments on: Elvis has left the building. But the cake’s still here. http://blog.kingarthurflour.com/2008/09/08/elvis-has-left-the-building-but-the-cakes-still-here/ Hot Stuff from King Arthur's Hearth Sat, 21 Nov 2009 11:43:08 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.1 By: Sherry http://blog.kingarthurflour.com/2008/09/08/elvis-has-left-the-building-but-the-cakes-still-here/#comment-20224 Sherry Sat, 12 Sep 2009 11:18:58 +0000 http://blog.kingarthurflour.com/2008/09/08/elvis-has-left-the-building-but-the-cakes-still-here/#comment-20224 Hi PJH, Thanks for the reply! unfortunately I am working in the middle of Africa at the moment and I can't find any AP flour! (How I miss Big city where you could get everything in just 1 store!!!) Thanks for the advice , I will try with less liquid and will let u know the result!! Have a nice day, sherry <strong>Oh my goodness, Sherry - I see your dilemma. I guess our store locator won't help! Yes, try the cake flour with less water - you'll just have to experiment with what you can get there. Hopefully even if it falls, it'll be tasty enough to cut up for a trifle... PJH</strong> Hi PJH,

Thanks for the reply! unfortunately I am working in the middle of Africa at the moment and I can’t find any AP flour! (How I miss Big city where you could get everything in just 1 store!!!) Thanks for the advice , I will try with less liquid and will let u know the result!!

Have a nice day,

sherry

Oh my goodness, Sherry - I see your dilemma. I guess our store locator won’t help! Yes, try the cake flour with less water - you’ll just have to experiment with what you can get there. Hopefully even if it falls, it’ll be tasty enough to cut up for a trifle… PJH

]]> By: Sherry http://blog.kingarthurflour.com/2008/09/08/elvis-has-left-the-building-but-the-cakes-still-here/#comment-20220 Sherry Sat, 12 Sep 2009 09:45:54 +0000 http://blog.kingarthurflour.com/2008/09/08/elvis-has-left-the-building-but-the-cakes-still-here/#comment-20220 Hi there, The cake looks soooo nice!!!!! Since I don't have AP flour in the area where I live, I wonder if I am using cake flour, would I need to increase the amount of flour to be used in the recipe?? or it stays the same? and I read that you already tested the cake using cake flour and it didn't raise as high as it would otherwise be by using AP flour, do u think I should add a bit more baking power in the recipe? <strong>Sorry, Sherry, it's hard to know what this recipe will do using an unfamiliar brand/type of flour. I hate to start handing out advice when I'm unfamiliar with the flour... You say you don't have AP flour, but our AP flour is available everywhere. Please check out our <a href="http://www.kingarthurflour.com/flours/where-to-buy.html" rel="nofollow">store locator</a> for the store nearest to you. But if you have to use Swansdown or another cake flour - I'd start with a bit less liquid, maybe? I don't bake with other flours so I'm just not sure, sorry! PJH</strong> Hi there,

The cake looks soooo nice!!!!! Since I don’t have AP flour in the area where I live, I wonder if I am using cake flour, would I need to increase the amount of flour to be used in the recipe?? or it stays the same? and I read that you already tested the cake using cake flour and it didn’t raise as high as it would otherwise be by using AP flour, do u think I should add a bit more baking power in the recipe?

Sorry, Sherry, it’s hard to know what this recipe will do using an unfamiliar brand/type of flour. I hate to start handing out advice when I’m unfamiliar with the flour… You say you don’t have AP flour, but our AP flour is available everywhere. Please check out our store locator for the store nearest to you. But if you have to use Swansdown or another cake flour - I’d start with a bit less liquid, maybe? I don’t bake with other flours so I’m just not sure, sorry! PJH

]]> By: Janice http://blog.kingarthurflour.com/2008/09/08/elvis-has-left-the-building-but-the-cakes-still-here/#comment-18920 Janice Fri, 21 Aug 2009 04:50:51 +0000 http://blog.kingarthurflour.com/2008/09/08/elvis-has-left-the-building-but-the-cakes-still-here/#comment-18920 we don't use nuts in our house - would you recommend doubling the vanilla extract if I don't have beans to add like Theresa above? Thanks, can't wait to try it! <strong>You can definitely increase the vanilla to taste, Janice it won't hurt the liquid/flour balance. Enjoy - PJH</strong> we don’t use nuts in our house - would you recommend doubling the vanilla extract if I don’t have beans to add like Theresa above? Thanks, can’t wait to try it!

You can definitely increase the vanilla to taste, Janice it won’t hurt the liquid/flour balance. Enjoy - PJH

]]> By: Theresa http://blog.kingarthurflour.com/2008/09/08/elvis-has-left-the-building-but-the-cakes-still-here/#comment-12202 Theresa Mon, 23 Mar 2009 12:34:57 +0000 http://blog.kingarthurflour.com/2008/09/08/elvis-has-left-the-building-but-the-cakes-still-here/#comment-12202 Update on the 3/19/09 post. Butter flavor mellowed after 24 hours. Vanilla bean flavor came through. The recipe is so right; it's hard to tell when the cake is done. I overbaked by maybe 2 min? I would like to add a little sour cream or increase cream cheese to the recipe for a little more moistness. Do you think 1/2 cup sour cream or total 5 ounces cream cheese would work? and when would I incorporate the sour cream? Alternate with the flour? or add it with the (recipe recommended 3 oz) cream cheese? Thanks, Theresa<b>Are you measuring your flour by the fluff, sprinkle, level method as shown on our website? If you are scooping with your cup, that could make the cake a bit dry. <a href="http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes2008/measuring-flour.html" rel="nofollow">Click here</a> to see that method.. I think adding sour cream or extra cream cheese would work, but might make it a bit heavier. I would add the sour cream with the cream cheese. Try it and let us know how it comes out. Mary @ KAF </b> Update on the 3/19/09 post. Butter flavor mellowed after 24 hours. Vanilla bean flavor came through. The recipe is so right; it’s hard to tell when the cake is done. I overbaked by maybe 2 min?

I would like to add a little sour cream or increase cream cheese to the recipe for a little more moistness. Do you think 1/2 cup sour cream or total 5 ounces cream cheese would work? and when would I incorporate the sour cream? Alternate with the flour? or add it with the (recipe recommended 3 oz) cream cheese?

Thanks, TheresaAre you measuring your flour by the fluff, sprinkle, level method as shown on our website? If you are scooping with your cup, that could make the cake a bit dry. Click here to see that method.. I think adding sour cream or extra cream cheese would work, but might make it a bit heavier. I would add the sour cream with the cream cheese. Try it and let us know how it comes out. Mary @ KAF

]]> By: Theresa http://blog.kingarthurflour.com/2008/09/08/elvis-has-left-the-building-but-the-cakes-still-here/#comment-12028 Theresa Fri, 20 Mar 2009 01:23:37 +0000 http://blog.kingarthurflour.com/2008/09/08/elvis-has-left-the-building-but-the-cakes-still-here/#comment-12028 Baked the pound cake tonight. Wonderful texture - chewy on sides, crunchy edges, crispy portions on top from the topping. Flawless texture. Too much butter. Next time I make it, I'll measure butter by volume. It got runny and I measured by weight -- 7 oz. That had to be over 2 sticks, because I don't taste vanilla. I didn't use the almond extract. Instead I used seeds from 2 vanilla beans. Husband loved the strong butter flavor. I prefer a more complex cake flavor with vanilla perfume. Once I make this adjustment I think the cake will be a keeper. It's super light. Beating the eggs so fiercely was scary. I could hear my mom, "Don't overbeat the eggs." But this technique actually lightened the cake. Trippy, huh? Can't wait to repeat the experiment. <strong>Good show, Theresa. While it's easy to over-beat egg whites, it's pretty darned hard to over-beat whole eggs, so don't fear in that regard. Good luck with your tweaks next time around- PJH</strong> Baked the pound cake tonight. Wonderful texture - chewy on sides, crunchy edges, crispy portions on top from the topping. Flawless texture. Too much butter. Next time I make it, I’ll measure butter by volume. It got runny and I measured by weight — 7 oz. That had to be over 2 sticks, because I don’t taste vanilla. I didn’t use the almond extract. Instead I used seeds from 2 vanilla beans. Husband loved the strong butter flavor. I prefer a more complex cake flavor with vanilla perfume.

Once I make this adjustment I think the cake will be a keeper. It’s super light. Beating the eggs so fiercely was scary. I could hear my mom, “Don’t overbeat the eggs.” But this technique actually lightened the cake. Trippy, huh? Can’t wait to repeat the experiment.

Good show, Theresa. While it’s easy to over-beat egg whites, it’s pretty darned hard to over-beat whole eggs, so don’t fear in that regard. Good luck with your tweaks next time around- PJH

]]> By: Margaret Woodside http://blog.kingarthurflour.com/2008/09/08/elvis-has-left-the-building-but-the-cakes-still-here/#comment-5708 Margaret Woodside Tue, 04 Nov 2008 15:48:10 +0000 http://blog.kingarthurflour.com/2008/09/08/elvis-has-left-the-building-but-the-cakes-still-here/#comment-5708 PJ, I have been making your recipes for years. This one is a real wonder winner! I have made it maybe 20 times since it was posted. I often make it in 2 smaller pans so I can give them to my daughter to keep one and take one to the office for her colleagues to enjoy. Since the market melt down, my daughter's job in the finance industry has become even more stressful. Elvis' favorite cake has made a lot of people less stressed! I don't know if anyone ever replied to the question about baking cakes in a convection oven but I used to bake with one in an industrial stove. It is possible to bake cakes but it takes some extra care. I found that loaf cakes just never cooked properly. Layer cakes ok if you lower the temp to the recommended level, usually around 35-50 degrees. The best results were from bundt cake pans. I was able to turn off the convection fan and that was really the best. PJ, I have been making your recipes for years. This one is a real wonder winner! I have made it maybe 20 times since it was posted. I often make it in 2 smaller pans so I can give them to my daughter to keep one and take one to the office for her colleagues to enjoy. Since the market melt down, my daughter’s job in the finance industry has become even more stressful. Elvis’ favorite cake has made a lot of people less stressed!

I don’t know if anyone ever replied to the question about baking cakes in a convection oven but I used to bake with one in an industrial stove. It is possible to bake cakes but it takes some extra care. I found that loaf cakes just never cooked properly. Layer cakes ok if you lower the temp to the recommended level, usually around 35-50 degrees. The best results were from bundt cake pans. I was able to turn off the convection fan and that was really the best.

]]> By: Aeshon Beksmit http://blog.kingarthurflour.com/2008/09/08/elvis-has-left-the-building-but-the-cakes-still-here/#comment-4596 Aeshon Beksmit Thu, 09 Oct 2008 21:08:53 +0000 http://blog.kingarthurflour.com/2008/09/08/elvis-has-left-the-building-but-the-cakes-still-here/#comment-4596 Am wondering if you used the convection oven (with fan) or simply top/bottom heat in the oven to bake this cake? or any cake in general? which would be best method to heat up/bake cakes in the oven? really need some advice on this. my cakes never turn out fully baked at the recommended baking time. im worried. <strong>Aeshon, we've never had convection ovens in our test kitchens, so I have no experience using them. Readers, does anyone have any advice for Aeshon? - PJH</strong> Am wondering if you used the convection oven (with fan) or simply top/bottom heat in the oven to bake this cake? or any cake in general? which would be best method to heat up/bake cakes in the oven? really need some advice on this. my cakes never turn out fully baked at the recommended baking time. im worried.

Aeshon, we’ve never had convection ovens in our test kitchens, so I have no experience using them. Readers, does anyone have any advice for Aeshon? - PJH

]]> By: Anne http://blog.kingarthurflour.com/2008/09/08/elvis-has-left-the-building-but-the-cakes-still-here/#comment-3702 Anne Sun, 21 Sep 2008 14:49:07 +0000 http://blog.kingarthurflour.com/2008/09/08/elvis-has-left-the-building-but-the-cakes-still-here/#comment-3702 Excellent, excellent, excellent. There is absolutely no way to miss with this one. Even my picky teenagers enjoyed it. Thank you very much. Excellent, excellent, excellent. There is absolutely no way to miss with this one. Even my picky teenagers enjoyed it. Thank you very much.

]]> By: Cindy http://blog.kingarthurflour.com/2008/09/08/elvis-has-left-the-building-but-the-cakes-still-here/#comment-3660 Cindy Sat, 20 Sep 2008 18:32:49 +0000 http://blog.kingarthurflour.com/2008/09/08/elvis-has-left-the-building-but-the-cakes-still-here/#comment-3660 Just a follow up: This has to be the BEST pound cake I've ever made--and I've made more than I can remember in my search for the perfect one! As promised, it was moist, dense, tender, with a fine crumb. I found a very inexpensive metal 9x5 inch loaf pan with a gray nonstick finish at Target. The one tiny flaw was that even when using a pan with a lighter colored nonstick finish and removing from the oven at 60 minutes (it had just reached an internal temperature of 198°), the cake's sides and bottom were overly brown--much too brown for my taste. The top of the cake, however, was perfectly golden brown. Since the top was perfect, I don't think tenting is the answer, but do you think reducing the oven temperature by 25° would solve the problem? Thank you for ending my search for the ultimate pound cake<b> You hit the nail on the head! Turning the oven done will help keep the sides and bottom from getting too brown. Mary @ King Arthur Flour </b> Just a follow up: This has to be the BEST pound cake I’ve ever made–and I’ve made more than I can remember in my search for the perfect one! As promised, it was moist, dense, tender, with a fine crumb.

I found a very inexpensive metal 9×5 inch loaf pan with a gray nonstick finish at Target. The one tiny flaw was that even when using a pan with a lighter colored nonstick finish and removing from the oven at 60 minutes (it had just reached an internal temperature of 198°), the cake’s sides and bottom were overly brown–much too brown for my taste. The top of the cake, however, was perfectly golden brown.

Since the top was perfect, I don’t think tenting is the answer, but do you think reducing the oven temperature by 25° would solve the problem?
Thank you for ending my search for the ultimate pound cake You hit the nail on the head! Turning the oven done will help keep the sides and bottom from getting too brown. Mary @ King Arthur Flour

]]> By: KT http://blog.kingarthurflour.com/2008/09/08/elvis-has-left-the-building-but-the-cakes-still-here/#comment-3656 KT Sat, 20 Sep 2008 16:25:53 +0000 http://blog.kingarthurflour.com/2008/09/08/elvis-has-left-the-building-but-the-cakes-still-here/#comment-3656 Just for the record, for high-altitude baking, it was too moist of a batter. Next time I make it I will only use 4 eggs instead of 5, since there really isn't any other way to eliminate liquid in the recipe. I ended up baking the cake 20 min longer than recommended, and it was over-baked and too brown on the outside. It still tasted great, and was nice and dense, but on the dry side. I used a 1/4 tsp of orange oil with the vanilla and it was very tasty, but next time I will use lemon oil or just vanilla, since I'm not an almond extract fan. I'm guessing that a pinch of ginger coupled with lemon oil would also create a very tasty result. Thanks for the great recipe. Everyone at our church potluck loved it. Just for the record, for high-altitude baking, it was too moist of a batter. Next time I make it I will only use 4 eggs instead of 5, since there really isn’t any other way to eliminate liquid in the recipe. I ended up baking the cake 20 min longer than recommended, and it was over-baked and too brown on the outside. It still tasted great, and was nice and dense, but on the dry side.

I used a 1/4 tsp of orange oil with the vanilla and it was very tasty, but next time I will use lemon oil or just vanilla, since I’m not an almond extract fan. I’m guessing that a pinch of ginger coupled with lemon oil would also create a very tasty result.

Thanks for the great recipe. Everyone at our church potluck loved it.

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