Mamma's Dutch Pound Cake

I just started reading New York: The Novel by Edward Rutherfurd, an engaging historical novel about the city, and was surprised to learn that the c.1600s Dutch women settlers enjoyed freedoms that I always thought were won much later. Prenuptial agreements were commonplace in New Amsterdam (as they were in The Netherlands); women could retain their property after marriage, all women were afforded the same legal status as men and many worked in their own businesses. (Of course, that all changed when the English took over and New Amsterdam became New York.)

This is a long way to get to Mamma's Dutch Pound Cake (but not nearly as long as the 900-page novel). This is a wonderful pound cake, made using a nontraditional method, but is quick, easy and delicious.

Begin by mixing the flour, butter and sugar "like pie dough" which means cutting cold butter into the dry ingredients.  Using a food processor makes fast work of this task.  Beat the egg and add in the dry ingredients.

I made half the recipe and, following the instructions on the card, baked it in a "nut loaf pan."  Being lazy, and not wanting to create another dirty dish, I lined the pan with parchment paper.  Alternately, grease and flour the pan.

Bake for about 50 minutes.  (The DH helped himself to a slice before I could take a photo of the entire cake.)

Below is the recipe card (and below that is the method I used).

Mamma's Dutch Pound Cake

Preheat oven to 350F
Prepare a loaf pan (line with parchment or grease and flour)

2 c. flour
1/2 c. butter (one stick)
1 c. sugar
2 eggs
1/2 c. milk
1 t. baking powder
1/2 to 1 t. almond flavoring
1 t. salt

Cut cold butter into flour and sugar.
Beat the eggs and add the dry ingredients.  Mix.
Add the milk and flavoring (I used vanilla because I didn't have almond).
Bake about 50 minutes
I made a confectioners sugar icing (just mix some confectioners sugar with a liquid -- milk or lemon juice and spoon it on) to fancy it up a bit.