Pound Cake

[Goldenbead]

The time has come again for the twins' birthday. I am going to bake the cakes. Last time I did this, two years ago, I used a pound cake recipe and I believe it made two cakes. Can anyone confirm that a pound cake recipe will indeed make two? My memory is a bit foggy!

TIA

[bino]

Absolutely!

Could probably make 12 or more, depending on the size of your baking pans......

[LtLOS]

The size simply depends on your inventory of baking pans and how full you fill them. Thinner cakes may vary the baking time your recipe states, but you can monitor this the old fashined way with a tooth pick, if come out clean it's done. The thinner the cake the shorter the time, thicker longer to cook the center.

[Tywais]

The time has come again for the twins' birthday. I am going to bake the cakes. Last time I did this, two years ago, I used a pound cake recipe and I believe it made two cakes. Can anyone confirm that a pound cake recipe will indeed make two? My memory is a bit foggy!

TIA

http://www.joyofbaking.com/PoundCake.html shows 9x5x3 inch loaf, so perhaps double the ingredients or double batches.

[cathyy]

*sigh*

A 9x5x3 pan, which is the usual pan for a pound cake, holds 135 cubic inches.

A 9-inch diameter cake pan is 1.5 inches high, so holds 42.39 cubic inches, but a standard cake makes 2 layers, so double it to 85.

An 8x8x2 pan will hold 128 cubic inches.

A 7x11x1.5 pan holds 115 cubic inches.

A 9x13x2 pan holds 234 cubic inches, but cakes are never that tall, so use 175 instead.

The answer is that a standard cake will either do two 9 inch layers or a 9x13 pan, and all other sizes don't work well. A pound cake is NOT a standard cake and really does turn out better baked in a loaf pan. The closest volume to the loaf would be the 8x8x2 pan, but only one of them unless you make it half height. Then the baking time would be hosed. You could do four 9 inch layers and make them a bit on th skimpy side and it would work. although again the baking time would be very different.

Cut the dratted loaf of pound cake in half and get two cakes that way if you must make pound cake, or use a recipe for a standard cake and get 2 9 inch layers that you can split for two double-layer cakes if you prefer.

Edited March 25, 2007 by cathyy

[Goldenbead]

Wow Cathyy, that was a very technical answer. The reason I was planning to do the pound cake is that I did it last time and I am sure it made two cakes. One round and one square. Never looked at the measurements of the pans but it worked out well as I remember.

The attraction is that I can make one cake recipe, cut it in half, flavour them differently and bake. The twins have very different tastes and it gives a bit of variety and choices for the party guests. I will give it a whirl and report back as to how it went. The next big decison is how to decorate them.

Last time I made a butterfly and a train with tracks, circus animals and lots of other bits and pieces. The twins are boy/girl so they always want different things.

Thanks to everyone that replied. Much appreciated.

[taxexile]

Can anyone confirm that a pound cake recipe will indeed make two?

Cut the dratted loaf of pound cake in half and get two cakes that way if you must make pound cake, or use a recipe for a standard cake and get 2 9 inch layers that you can split for two double-layer cakes

dont 2 pound cakes make 1 kilogram cake ?

Edited March 25, 2007 by taxexile

[cathyy]

Actually, I did the math wrong on the round pans. A 9 inch cake pan has a volume of 95 cubic inches. I used diameter instead of radius squared in a hurry. So shoot me.

The advice still stands, except that a pound cake volume should make a couple of regular round cake layers quite nicely. A round and square one will work, too.

The standard rule for changing cake pans is to use the volume of the pans to see if it will work. The closer the volumes, the bettter it will work. Just remember that the baking times can vary a LOT, so look up sdome baking times for different recipes using the size pan you intend to use for a general guide.