Essence of Baking

So, there I was reading this new cookbook I bought, when an idea hit
me. I, like the author also indulge in baking every weekend where
possible. The only difference is that I keep my goods largely to my
family and a few close friends. In this wondeful bible called "All
Cakes Considered", author Melissa Gray engaged in a year of project,
bringing cakes to her colleagues every Monday. Her writing is totally
reassuring as she walks you through the fundamentals of creaming,
preparing a pan and the baking process - essentially all the basics.

You may wonder, me, Jean, with all my cookbook stash should not need
another back-to-basics read right? That's where you are dead wrong.
Once in a while, there comes a gem which fits what u need at that
moment. This, fulfills all the fundamentals that I want to rehash and
run through now.

29 Apr 10 was an apt timing to embark on the first recipe - sour
cream pound cake. Other than substituting yogurt with the sour cream
and leaving out the orange essence, I followed the recipe down to the
T. My verdict - fragrant with sugar crusting and simply delicious!

Recipe
1 block SCS unsalted butter (224g) at room temperature such that it yields slightly when you press it with your finger (allow at least 1 hour for it to come to room temperature)
3 cups sugar
5 large eggs (also at room temperature)
3 cups plain flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup yogurt
1 tsp vanilla extracrt
1 tsp lemon extract

1.  Center your rack in your oven.  Make sure your 10-inch tube pan is in the middle of the oven.  Preheat to 160 deg C.

2.  Using K beater on your standmixer, beat softened butter till there are no lumps using medium speed.  Add in sugar 1/2 cup at a time, beating well for 2 mins after each addition.

3.  Prepare your tube pan while the creaming is ongoing.  Butter, flour and place a parchment paper, cut out to fit the base of the pan.  Thereafter butter and flour the parchment paper.

4.  Mix together flour, baking soda and salt in other bowl.

5.  Eggs are to be added thereafter, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. 

6.  In 1/2 cup portions and with the standmixer speed at low, mix in the flour mixture alternately with the yogurt into the mixer. Beat the batter for 2 mins for each portion.

7.  Add in vanilla essence and lemon essence, giving a brief spin between each item.  Thereafter, to make sure everything is nicely incorporated, give a final run on the standmixer for 2 mins.

8. Pour out the batter using spatula to coax it along into the tube and allow it to flow lava style from one end to the other.  Smoothen out and tap the pan at the sides to ensure any excess air bubbles are eliminated.  Allow a minumum of 1 1/2 inchspace from the brim of the pan to the top of the batter to prevent overflow. 

9.  Bake for 90 mins and no peeking by opening the pan in between till you detect the aroma which should happen around 1 hour.  Mine is an electric oven and the heavenly smells starting permeating from 55 mins and is done when a skewer came out clean after inserting in the middle of the pan at 75 mins.  It is important to know your oven and the hot sponts so that you do not overbake.

10. Allow pan to cool for 10 to 15 mins. Remove cake from pan, allow to cool before cutting and enjoy!