Honey Cardamom Pound Cake

Yield: 9†loaf

# of Servings: 8

Method: Creaming

Ingredients

1 ½ cup (6.85 oz / 194 g) cake flour, sifted
½ tsp (.05 oz / 2 g) baking powder
½ tsp, scant (.05 oz / 2 g) salt
1 tsp ground cardamom

16 tbl (8 oz / 227 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup (7 oz / 198 g) sugar
¼ cup (2.90 oz / 82 g) honey

4 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 tsp vanilla extract

¼ cup (2 fl oz) fresh orange juice
For Dairy-free:
½ cup (4 fl oz) canola oil

Optional accompaniments:

¾ cup heavy cream
¾ cup crème fr¢iche
3 tbl confectioners’ sugar sifted

Assorted fresh berries

Roasted early fall fruits, such as plums or pears

Special equipment needed:

• 9†by 5†by 2.65â€, 6-cup capacity loaf pan
• Parchment paper – cut to fit in the bottom of the loaf pan
• Hand held or counter-top mixer with whisk attachment

Pre-recipe preparations:

• Preheat oven to 325 °F
• Butter the loaf pan, place the parchment rectangle on the bottom and butter it as well. 
• Squeeze 1 or 2 oranges for the ¼ cup orange juice
• Let butter come to room temperature

Directions: 

1. Stir together the dry ingredients, set aside.
2. Cream the butter, sugar, and honey until light and fluffy, about 4 to 5 minutes.
3. If using vegetable oil, whisk the oil, sugar, and honey until combined, about 1 minute. The mixture may look grainy until the eggs are added. 
4. Mix the eggs and vanilla extract together.
5. Add the eggs in four stages to the butter mixture, allowing each addition to be thoroughly incorporated before adding the next.
6. Add the dry ingredients in three stages, alternately with the orange juice in two stages, beginning and ending with the dry. Use a plastic spatula to scrape up from the bottom to ensure a well-blended batter. 
7. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. 
8. Bake just until the middle feels firm to the touch and a cake tester comes out clean, approximately 1 hour to 1 hour 10 minutes.
9. Remove from the oven and let cool for 3 minutes.
10. Carefully remove the cake from and place on cooling rack until thoroughly cool. This, like most pound cakes, is best after they have sat for several hours or overnight. 
11. Slice and serve with fresh berries, whipped cream, roasted early fall fruits, or by itself. 

Whipped cream and crème fr¢iche:

1. In a chilled bowl, whip the cream, crème fr¢iche and sugar until just thick.  Don’t overbeat. 
2. Add another tablespoon of sugar if you prefer.