"Never, ever underestimate the importance of having fun." If I had to describe the trip up to Door County, Wisconsin this past weekend with friends in just one word, it would have to be fun! So much fun, too much fun, much needed fun! We kicked off our adventure by stopping for an amazing lunch at Whistling Straits, a highly rated picturesque links style golf course on the shores of Lake Michigan and host of several major golf tournaments. With sunny, blue skies and temperatures in the upper 40s, lower 50s, it was unseasonably weather perfect for spending time in northern Wisconsin during the off (tourist) season. The days and one night were spent outdoors exploring new places and going to back to some familiar favorites. There was the first time trip taking the ferry to Washington Island, hiking new trails in the Ridges Sanctuary, and star gazing on a private beach in Newport State Park, one of 48 parks in the world earning the Dark Sky Park distinction. Along with making the obligatory trip back to Cave Point and having the Swedish pancake breakfast one morning at Al Johnson's, it was an absolutely unparalleled return trip to Door County. Our gorgeous rented condo directly overlooking the bay was akin to staying in a five star hotel (and we all unanimously agreed we will never stay anywhere else). For three consecutive nights the sunsets were nothing short of heart racing and show stopping. Not even being able to get a cup of coffee on Washington Island ("we don't open until May 1st") or being able to browse in some art galleries ("we don't open until May 1st") actually added some memorable amusement. Maybe it was Jonathan Heatt who said it best,"I had too much fun was no one's last regret ever."
With the exception of eating out twice and getting a carryout pizza one night, we dined in by cooking all of our other meals. From our nightly charcuterie boards, to the homemade quiche for breakfast, to the Baked Ziti and Sausage Casserole for dinner, to the homemade Artisan Bread, to great bottles of wine, we definitely indulged our inner foodie selves. The proverbial icing on the cake may have been enjoying Ham, Brie, and Arugula sandwiches slathered with apricot preserves and dijon mustard on brioche rolls while making the trip back home.
Speaking of cake, this Funfetti Pound Cake is destined to bring some fun into your life! And as one of my friends said 'everyone should have a Funfetti pound cake for their birthday'! But I don't want you to wait until a special occasion to make it. In other words, don't delay experiencing any fun!
This is probably the best place to admit this was a perfectly imperfect cake. And yet, I am still sharing the recipe with you. Even if that means sharing photos of a cake I didn't unmold perfectly and used eggs with deep marigold colored yolks. So why would I do such a borderline blogging reckless thing? Because I am just a girl who wants you to have some fun, sooner rather than later! But I also want to take the opportunity to share some Funfetti Pound Cake don'ts. Like don't forget to prepare the pan with both butter and flour, to wait 20 minutes before unmolding, and to not use marigold colored eggs.
A friend had recently shared a recipe for her friend's grandmother's pound cake. With the Raspberry Buttermilk Pound Cake with Vanilla Glaze, being the only one other pound cake on the blog, I couldn't wait to try a new pound cake recipe. In typical fashion, I couldn't leave well enough alone. So I decided to add jimmies to the batter to create this Funfetti Pound Cake as I wanted it to be one both kids and adults alike would be drawn to.
Traditionally pound cake is made with only four ingredients, using the one pound each of butter, sugar, flour, and eggs formula. But over the years, a multitude of variations to this classic cake have ranged from using both all-purpose and cake flours, to adding in sour cream or beating in cream cheese, to using both whole eggs and egg yolks, to using vanilla, almond extracts, cognac, or grated lemon zest, to using either baking powder or baking soda. This Funfetti Cake is made with only all-purpose flour, six whole eggs (divided), granulated sugar, unsalted butter, Kosher salt, baking soda, buttermilk, vanilla, and let's not forget the jimmies (aka sprinkles).
I used organic eggs with deep marigold colored yolks when I made this cake. While it created a more golden cake, I definitely think I will use less golden egg yolks the next time. There are six large eggs used in this cake recipe. However, they are not added in whole. The eggs are separated. The yolks get beaten into the batter, while the egg white are beaten to the soft peaks and then folded into the batter. The result is a lighter in texture, more open crumbed pound cake.
The volume of batter for this cake requires two things: a 12 cup capacity bundt pan and a baking time longer than an hour. The key to a great, moist pound cake is in not over baking it. The baking time for this cake ranges from 60-70 minutes. However, I recommend you begin checking for doneness at the 60 minute mark and continuing to check every five minutes until it's done. Using a long wooden skewer is a good way to check for doneness. If there are no crumbs on the skewer, you may have over baked it. But if there are a few moist crumbs on the skewer, your cake is ready to be removed from the oven. Remember, your cake will continue to bake in the pan for the twenty minutes you let it sit before it's removed.
The goal of unmolding the cake perfectly begins with always buttering (or generously vegetable spraying) and lightly flouring your bundt pan. Even if it's a non-stick bundt pan. And it ends with giving your bundt pan about 20 minutes of cooling time before unmolding. Take it from me, if you try to unmold it too soon or let the cake cool completely in the pan, you will have unmolding issues.
A light dusting of confectionary sugar and a dollop of lightly sweetened freshly whipped cream are two fun finishing touch options! In spite of an imperfectly unmolded pound cake, it has the kind of sweetness, airiness, moistness, and ligthtness a great pound cake should have. Most importantly, it's pound cake destined to bring some fun into your life!
Recipe
Funfetti Pound Cake
Serves 10-12
Ingredients
3 cups (360g) all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 pound (454g) unsalted butter
3 cups (600g) granulated sugar
6 large eggs, separated
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup buttermilk, well shaken before measured
3/4 cup (138g) jimmies (use ice cream sprinkles)
Optional: Confectionary sugar for dusting and/or lightly sweetened freshly whipped cream
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F). Generously butter and lightly dust a 12 cup capacity bundt pan. Set aside.
2. Sift together the flour, baking soda, and kosher salt. Then sift a second time. Set aside.
3. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy (approximately 4-5 minutes).
4. Beat in the vanilla.
5. Beat on the egg yolks one at a time until well blended.
6. Using either an electric mixer or another standing mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. Set aside.
7. Add in the flour mixture and buttermilk in six additions, beginning with the flour and ending with the buttermilk (F-B-F-B-F-B).
8. Fold in the whipped egg whites and jimmies just until the batter is smooth.
9. Pour the batter into the prepared bundt pan. Place the bundt pan on a large baking pan and place in the oven.
10. Bake for 65-70 minutes or until done. Start checking for doneness at 60 minutes.
11. Place the bundt pan on a cooling rack. Let the cake rest for 20 minutes. Then carefully invert onto a cake platter or cake stand.
12. Let the cake cool completely before dusting with the confectionary sugar. Serve with a side of lightly sweetened freshly whipped cream.
Notes: (1) I used this 12 cup capacity Nordic Ware 75th anniversary bundt pan for this pound cake. (2) You can make this pound cake without the jimmies/sprinkles and serve it with fresh berries, grilled peaches, whipped cream and/or ice cream. (3) I used the jimmies typically used to sprinkle on ice cream.
Whistling Straits Golf Club, Sheboygan, WI (April 2021)
