Even before I went gluten-free, I could not bake a good pound cake. I tried several different recipes, always imagining a slightly dense, super buttery, golden mound, only to be met with uncooked centers, poor flavor, or airy texture. Add gluten-free flours to the mix, and things got even more interesting; one inch high pound cake, anyone?
I had just given up, again, when Shirley, of Gluten Free Easily, featured a recipe she titled ‘Perfect Pound Cake’. I was skeptical; I thought that a gluten-free pound cake scarcely existed, let alone a ‘perfect’ gluten-free pound cake. Well, she just likes to prove me wrong, and this pound cake is quite perfect. So much so, that I ate half of the entire first loaf, moments after it emerged from the oven. I’ve made this at -least- a dozen times, always changing things up a bit, depending on what I have; sometimes it’s been made with pineapple coconut juice, almond flavor, walnuts, chocolate chips, rhubarb, and, on the to-do-list is cherries. Rum soaked cherries? Homemade cherry pie filling? Anyway…
Shirley originally used light olive oil, which, confession, I never have. Instead, I used a neutral oil combined with extra-virgin olive oil, and a little applesauce to lighten it up a bit.
This recipe yields two impressive loaves, one of which I often turn into banana bread (instructions below). For egg-free fans: I’ve not forgotten you, I am working on veganizing the recipe, and it’s close. Stay tuned! If you don’t have the ingredients for the variation I make, check out the original recipe, and within a short time, you too can be enjoying Perfect Pound Cake.
(Perfect?!) Pound Cake and/or Banana Pound Cake/Bread
Originally from Gluten-Free Easily’s Perfect Pound Cake
Adapted by CinnamonQuill1/2 cup canola or safflower oil
2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 Tablespoons unsweetened applesauce
1 cup raw sugar
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 eggs
1/3 cup full-fat coconut milk
1/3 cup water (OR, instead of water/coconut milk: 2/3 cup Lite coconut milk)
2 Tablespoons orange juice (secret ingredient!)3/4 cup finely ground brown rice flour
3/4 cup potato starch
3/4 cup tapioca starch
1 1/2 teaspoons xanthan or guar gum
1 scant teaspoon salt
1 1/4 teaspoon baking powderPreheat oven to 350 degrees F. Oil and sugar two loaf pans: I use two 8×4 inch pans.
In the bowl of a mixer, combine oils, applesauce, sugar/brown sugar, vanilla, eggs, coconut milk and/or water, and orange juice. Mix until sugar dissolves, slightly.
Add flours, xanthan/guar gum, salt, and baking powder.
Mix for two minutes, or until all ingredients have transformed into a well-combined batter.
Pour into prepared pans.
Bake for 50 – 55 minutes, until toothpick in the middle comes out clean. Let cool in pans 10-20 minutes, then unmold onto a cooling rack until fully cooled. Can be stored on counter, in refrigerator, or freezer (this cake actually freezes very well).
For one banana loaf (variation):
1 super-ripe banana, mashed
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2-1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)Pour half of above batter into loaf pan. To remaining batter, add banana, cinnamon, and walnuts, mixing until the banana and cinnamon are well-combined. Pour into other loaf pan. Bake as directed above.
*I usually make one pound cake and one banana loaf; I assume the above could be doubled to make two banana loaves, but I’ve never actually tried it.
That banana loaf looks awesome! I’ve been craving banana bread/cookies with chocolate chips lately so can’t wait until my bananas turn brown.
Oh, I am so happy that you posted Shirley’s Perfect Poundcake! For anyone reading this, if you only make one recipe this year, try to make it this one! It is truly so very good and after all , it is called Perfect Poundcake! My husband really loves it a lot! He just found it very hard to believe that it was gluten free since the texture was so…perfect!
Thanks also for the variation with banana, cinnamon and walnuts- I will try it too!
Kay Guest
You are SO mean! Why do I read your blog? Just as I decided I need to go on a 3 day juice fast because I’m getting so wide… Jenn. Okay, enough silliness. Is it just me or is this recipe begging for lime? You know use coconut oil rather than canola or olive to up the coconut flavor. Then, since I can’t eat eggs maybe use 3 or 4 Tbsp lime juice to mix with the 4 1/2 tsp Egg Replacer, then add maybe 1 Tbsp lime zest. I’m just trying to figure if it’ll need some applesauce or flax/chia gel to keep it moist as well. Or maybe just more coconut milk to mix with the Egg Replacer plus some lime juice and zest? You’re driving me batty but I love you anyway. Keep ‘em coming!
What do you DO with all this stuff you bake? You must have a huge extended family! Anyway, I’ve decided to replace the eggs with pineapple (whirled in food processor), add some coconut and lime zest, replace the orange juice with lime juice and finish it off with a lime glaze. I’m also going to have to up the baking powder and add 1/4 tsp of baking soda to make it rise. Only who’s going to keep me from eating it all myself? Yummy.
Wow, I am always so impressed with your baking talents! This looks so good! -Ali
Gosh this stuff looks amazing and I think I will give it a try soon!!
Hey Jenn, I saw your comment on my blog and that you are ineed of a dairy free frosting, do you know about this site? I use it ALL the time and so far everything I have made has been VERY good, haven’t tried the frosting yet though.
http://www.nourishingmeals.com/2009/02/gluten-free-vegan-sugar-free-chocolate.html
We have 4 large freezer bags full of bananas right now, just waiting for a pound cake/bread like this one. The crumb looks perfect!
This looks yummy! I have always read that pound cakes where called pound cakes because they are made with 1 pound of butter. In your recipe there is no butter, which is ideal. The ingredients are on my shopping list for this week. I must test this one out with my family especially my Mom who is the baker in the family. She loves to make pound cakes but she had to back off since she keeps claiming extra pounds each time she eats it.
Thanks for sharing.
Sandra
This made a lovely lemon pound cake (a la Starbucks). I tossed in the zest of two fat lemons and about 1/4 c. juice. Had to add a wee bit less coconut milk. Mine also baked up fine in one 9″x5″ loaf pan in about 75 minutes. It needed foil over the top about halfway through so it didn’t brown too much. I topped it with a lemon glaze after it had cooled. Fantastique! It lasted for almost three days without getting crumbly or dry (and maybe could have gone longer if we’d given it the chance).
Thank you so much for this fabulous recipe!
wow great, i tried making a lemon pound cake sometime last week (gf of course) but i live in brazil and xanthan or guar gum does not exist here, so i have to try to bake with only flours, anyways, the result was definately POUND eheh it was thick as a potato. it was ok, but not cakey. i try to use gelatin instead of the xanthan…but takes about 10 experiments to get it right
Nicely done! My son has recently become inable to eat dairy, this will be perfect for him! Pound cake has always been a favorite in our house, and this one looks wonderful.