cold oven pound cake

Last year, I collected 30 recipes for a friend’s 30th birthday gift. This recipe was one of the contributions. An odd recipe, the use of a cold oven and the change of temperature midway through cooking creates a fabulous cake with the perfect combination of textures.

COLD OVEN POUND CAKE
from Cooks Illustrated

3 cups flour
½ tsp salt
1 cup skim or 1% milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
5 large eggs, room temperature, separated
16 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
½ cup vegetable shortening
3 cups sugar

ADJUST oven rack to the middle position. Do not preheat oven. Grease and flour a 12-inch tube pan or bundt pan. Whisk the flour and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk the milk, vanilla and egg yolks in a large measuring cup.

BEAT egg whites to soft peaks with an electric mixer on medium-high speed. Transfer to a bowl and set aside. Beat the butter and shortening and sugar together on medium-high speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Reduce to low speed and add the flour and milk mixture alternately, in two batches, beating after each addition until just combined. Using a rubber spatula, fold in egg whites. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and place in the cold oven.

HEAT oven to 300°F and bake 45 minutes. Increase oven temperature to 325°F and bake until a toothpick comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Cool the cake in the pan for 20 minutes, run a knife around the edge of the cake, then turn out onto a rack to cool completely, at least, 1 hour.