The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

Looking for firm ("carve-able") pound cake, or just cake, recipe

Kroha's picture
Kroha

Looking for firm ("carve-able") pound cake, or just cake, recipe

Hello everyone, I will be making a 3-dimensional train cake for my son's and daughter's birthdays.  I have it all planned out and need to bake several pound cake in loaf pans.  The engine and the train cars will be carved out of those loaves.  I am wondering if someone has a recipe for pound cake that does not crumble or "melt in your mouth" but stays together well.  It can be another type of batter, I just need something firm and delicious.  I might make several flavors (chocolate, vanilla, whatever), so toddler-friendly variations would be fine.

Thank you in advance.

Kroha

sicilianbaker's picture
sicilianbaker

The Professional Pastry Chef has all the recipes for sponge, pound cakes that are carvable.

its worth the price the book costs, its the same recipes the professional bakerys use so they are very reliable. I won't post the recipe on here because it wouldn't be fair to the author.

 http://www.amazon.com/Professional-Pastry-Chef-Fundamentals-Baking/dp/0471359254/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1260417100&sr=8-1-spell

Nim's picture
Nim

Do post pics of the trains after you are done...It sounds exciting!

Ryeblossom's picture
Ryeblossom

Use an old-fashioned pound cake recipe. Firm and delicious.

Beat together 1 lb. butter with 1 lb. sugar. 

Add one by one 1 lb. eggs (about 8-10, depending on the size of the egg), and mix well after each addition. 

Add slowly 1 lb. all purpose flour. 

Mix well for 1 more minute. 

Bake at 350F until done (I don't remember for how long, maybe 45 minutes or so). Check with a toothpick for doneness. 

 

That's the recipe I use for birthdays. NordicWare has a cute 3D train cake pan, and the above recipe would be enough for the whole pan + 5 or 6 more carts (if I'm not mistaken). They also have a locomotive pan.

Janknitz's picture
Janknitz

the pound cake before carving. It will be much firmer (but not frozen solid)