A new take on classic poundcake

Choose your density by adjusting amount of baking powder.

For a cook in the 18th century, the recipe for poundcake was obvious from its name: a pound each of butter, eggs, sugar and flour, beaten together and baked until done. Golden-topped, rich and flavored with a splash of rose water or dash of mace, it was the tight-crumbed grandparent of every butter cake we bake today.

Although the classic recipe needs no improvement, this hasn’t stopped bakers from trying their best over the past few centuries. They’ve tweaked everything from flavorings (Irish cream, peaches and dulce de leche), to texture (lightening it with baking powder or baking soda), to increasing the moistness with buttermilk, cream cheese or heavy cream.

And I kept all these variables in my head over the last few months, when I decided that this pandemic was the ideal time to come up with a poundcake recipe of my own. My loaf pan was already in near constant use, so why not give all that anxiety baking a more concrete goal?

After testing (and eating) my way through more poundcakes than I’m comfortable admitting, I started to see a pattern in the recipes I liked best.

They were all on the lighter, softer side of the poundcake spectrum, with some kind of sour or fermented element to mitigate the sweetness.

I also liked a glaze on top, preferably one with a candylike crunch that shattered when you bit it before melting sweetly on the tongue.

Gathering all these characteristics together in one loaf was the goal, and, many incarnations later, this crème fraîche poundcake is the result.

Its golden crumb is velvety moist, with a decided tang from the crème fraîche (or you can use sour cream), and a pronounced character from your choice of vanilla extract or good dark rum. I adore the rum, and have a hunch that bourbon or cognac would be excellent, too.

As for texture, you’ll notice

CRÈME FRAÎCHE POUNDCAKE

1 cup (225 grams) unsalted butter (2 sticks), at room temperature, plus more for greasing the pan

1 1/4 cups (250 grams) granulated sugar, plus more for coating the pan

1 1/2 cups (190 grams) allpurpose flour

1 1/2 tablespoons (10 grams)

cornstarch

1/2 to 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt 4 eggs, at room temperature ⅓ cup (80 milliliters) crème fraîche (or sour cream), at room temperature 1 tablespoon vanilla extract or

dark rum

For the glaze:

1 1/2 cups (185 grams) powdered

sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla extract or

dark rum

2 tablespoons crème fraîche

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Thoroughly butter a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan, including the rim. Sprinkle a little sugar into the pan, tilting to coat the bottom and sides in a thin, even layer. that, in the recipe, I give a range of amounts for the baking powder. To me, 1 teaspoon makes as perfect a poundcake as poundcake gets, a bit airier than, say,

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder and salt. (Using 1/2 teaspoon baking powder yields a dense and velvety interior, while 1 teaspoon makes the cake slightly airier and softer.)

In a large bowl using an electric mixer, either hand-held or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, beating well between additions.

With the mixer set on low speed, beat in half the flour mixture. Beat in the crème fraîche, then the remaining flour mixture, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Beat in the vanilla extract.

Scrape the mixture into the prepared pan and smooth the top. (Depending on your pan, it may fill it all the way to the top, and that is OK.) Bake until the cake is browned on top and a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 55 to 65 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool for a few minutes while you make the syrup.

In a small bowl, combine 1 cup

Sara Lee, without floating into chiffon cake territory. But if, like my husband and daughter, your poundcake desires skew denser, use 1/2 teaspoon. The difference (120 grams) of the powdered sugar, vanilla extract or rum, and 2 tablespoons water, whisking until smooth. (It should be quite thin. Add more water, if needed.) Using a long, thin paring knife, pierce the cake all over about 20 times, poking all the way through. Spoon 4 tablespoons of the syrup over the warm cake. Reserve remaining syrup in the bowl.

After the cake has cooled in the pan for an hour, run a thin metal spatula or butter knife around the edges to release them from the pan, then unmold the cake onto the rack to finish cooling.

Whisk crème fraîche and remaining 1/2 cup (60 grams) powdered sugar into the syrup until you get a thick glaze, as thick as heavy cream. Add a little more confectioners’ sugar or water if needed to get the right texture.

Pour the glaze over the top of the cake, letting it drip down the sides. Let the glaze set for at least 15 minutes before slicing. Serves 8 to 10.

Per serving, based on 8: 569 calories (percent of calories from fat, 44), 6 grams protein, 74 grams carbohydrates, 1 gram fiber, 28 grams fat (16 grams saturated), 160 milligrams cholesterol, 186 milligrams sodium. is subtle, but noticeable.

Or try it once each way and decide for yourself. Once you start such delectable tweaking, it can be hard to stop.

PHOTOS BY CHRISTOPHER SIMPSON/THE NEW YORK TIMES Crème fraîche poundcake has a moist, golden crumb, a crème fraîche tang and a texture just as light (or dense) as you like.