McCall’s Best Pound Cake 1963 Version is the latest pound cake recipe I’ve tested for my Pound Cake Recipes Reviewed Series. It comes from McCall’s Cooking School cookbook and came highly recommended.
This cake is tender and buttery with a classic vanilla flavor. Yes, there is a later version that I’ll be making and sharing my thoughts on it at a later day.
I have tested a lot of pound cake recipes, but have a few more to share. As well, I have made pound cakes with fruit and nuts.
McCall’s Best Pound Cake 1963 Version
If memory serves me correctly, this is the only pound cake thus far that does not contain milk, buttermilk, cream cheese, sour cream or the like. When you’re reading the ingredients below that is not an omission.
This McCall’s Best Pound Cake 1963 Version makes a tall beautiful cake. It has a nice, soft texture. It did not have that crusty outside that I prefer. (My Whipping Cream Pound Cake and Million Dollar Pound Cake have that crust top and outside if that’s what you’re looking for.) This cake has a buttery, vanilla flavor and would be great served with caramel sauce, Pecan Pie Caramel Sauce, sweetened fresh fruit, ice cream, and/or whipped cream.
I wrote a post titled Bake the Best Pound Cake. That I highly recommend you read. I put every minute tip I could think of for baking pound cakes in that post. I get a lot of comments on my pound cake recipes. The number one reason a cake doesn’t bake properly is your oven temperature is off and needs calibrating. If your desserts aren’t baking correctly according to the recipe, check this first. I have tips for that here: How to Calibrate your Oven.
McCall's Best Pound Cake 1963 Version
Ingredients
- 9 egg whites at room temperature
- 3 cups all-purpose flour sifted
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 9 egg yolks
- 2 cups butter at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla or almond extract. I used 1 teaspoon each.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Prepare a 10-inch, 12 cup bundt or tube pan with Wilton Cake Release or grease with solid vegetable shortening then flour or sugar. I dust it with granulated sugar after I grease it with Crisco shortening. The sugar doesn't leave white areas in the cake. You can also use two 9x5x3 inch loaf pans.
- In a large bowl of an electric mixer, beat egg whites on high speed until foamy. Gradually beat in 1cup sugar, 1/4 cup at a time. Beating after each addition. Continue beating until soft peaks form. Set aside.
- Sift flour with baking powder and salt. Set aside.
- In another bowl of an electric mixer, beat egg yolks on high speed with remaining sugar, butter, and vanilla (or almond) until light and fluffy. This will take about 5 minutes.
- Turn the mixer down to low speed and blend in flour mixture until smooth and well combined.
- Still on low speed, gradually beat in the egg whites until just blended. Scrap the sides of the bowl.
- Pour the batter into your prepared pan.
- Bake at 350 degrees F for 60 to 65 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the thickest part comes out clean or with dry crumbs. (My cake was cooked at 60 minutes.)
- Cool on a wire rack 20 to 30 minutes before inverting onto a serving tray.
- Cool completely before covering.
Notes
Nutrition
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Anneke says
I have been using version for years. Even have to mail one to family each year. Flavor gets better when it sits a day or 2.
Sharon says
Do you use salted or unsalted butter in your pound cake recipes? And which is better for baking in general?
Paula says
I use salted, it’s a personal preference. It is recommended by the ‘experts’ to use unsalted butter in baking though.
Lillian says
3 cups of butter, is that 6 sticks of salted butter?
Thanks…
Paula says
yes
Paula says
Correction, it’s 2 cups of butter or 4 sticks
Laurie says
3 POUNDS of butter? Just double checking.
Paula says
2 cups of butter
Linda says
Paula, How many egg whites? This recipe sounds great.
Thanks.
Wishes for tasty dishes,
Linda
Paula says
9 egg whites and 9 egg yolks
Karen Edwards says
All of the links to How to calibrate your oven take you to various places. But none to an article actually about how to do it. The link in the McAll’s pound cake takes you to Kentucky Hot Brown recipes. Can you please help by providing me with an accurate link. Love your site and your new recipes with coconut oil and almond milk. I appreciate the healthier alternatives when I can also. Il
Paula says
Hi Karen, I’m not having a problem with the links, can you check them again?