Pound Cake: Preheat your oven to 180 degrees C (350 degrees F) and put the middle of the oven on the oven rack. Butter or spray a 9 x 5 x 3 inch (23 x 13 x 8 cm) loaf pan with a non-stick vegetable spray. With parchment paper and butter, line the bottom of the sheet, or spray the paper.
Whisk the eggs along with the milk and vanilla extract in a cup.
Place the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar in the bowl of your electric stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or a hand mixer) and beat at low speed until well combined (about 30 seconds). Break the butter into pieces and add half of the egg mixture to the dry ingredients. Mix until the dry ingredients are moistened, at a low rpm. To develop the cake’s structure, increase the mixer speed to medium and beat for about one minute. As required, scrape down the sides and bottom of the cup. Add the remaining egg mixture, beat it in two additions to absorb the egg and reinforce the cake’s structure.
With an offset spatula or the back of a spoon, pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for about 55 to 65 minutes or until the cake is golden brown and the middle of the cake comes out clean with a toothpick inserted. Around halfway through baking, rotate your loaf pan. (The middle will split the cake.) If you notice the cake browning too much as it bakes, cover it with a piece of foil that is lightly buttered.
Remove the cake from the oven and put on a wire rack to cool for about 10 minutes. Then remove the cake from the pan and cool fully on a wire rack that is lightly buttered.
The Pound Cake can be baked and kept at room temperature for several days, refrigerated for one week, or can be frozen for two months.
Just make one loaf.
