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Jacques Pépin's Favorite Pound Cake

MAKE AHEAD The cake can be kept at room temperature, covered, for up to 3 days.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time1 hour 35 minutes
Total Time1 hour 50 minutes
Course: Dessert
Servings: 8 -10
Author: Hip Foodie Mom, from Food & Wine

Ingredients

For the pound cake:

  • 2 1/2 sticks unsalted butter softened
  • 1 1/4 cups sugar
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 6 large eggs
  • 1/4 cup milk at room temperature
  • 2 1/2 cups cake flour

For the chocolate ganache:

  • 16 ounces good quality chocolate milk, dark, bittersweet, whatever you prefer; chopped
  • about 1 cup heavy cream

Instructions

For the pound cake:

  • Preheat the oven to 325°. Butter or spray a 10-by-5-inch loaf pan.
  • In a bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the butter with the sugar, vanilla and salt at medium speed until fluffy, for about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, 2 at a time, beating between additions. Beat in the milk. Sift the flour over the batter and mix it in until smooth. Scrape the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the surface.
  • Bake the cake for 1 1/2 hours, until it is cracked down the center, golden on top, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for at least 10-15 minutes, then unmold the cake gently and let cool completely.

For the ganache:

  • Place the chopped chocolate pieces in a medium sized mixing bowl and set aside. Heat the heavy cream in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook until small bubbles appear on the outside edge of the cream. Pour the hot cream mixture over the chocolate. Using a wire whisk, gently stir from the middle out, until all of the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth.
  • Pour the ganache on the cooled pound cake and enjoy.