Jane Parker Gold Pound Cake
A vintage treat done with a zesty upgrade.
you're making mealtime meaningful.
Nostalgia hits with full force when you bite into this copycat version of the beloved Jane Parker Gold Pound Cake! A tender and melt-away cake crumb is infused with touches of lemon and vanilla, making for a perfect contrast of rich and refreshing elements!
Jane Parker was one of the two major baked goods brands, producing under the supermarket chain A&P. Alongside Anne Paige, Jane Parker churned out a variety of brownies, cookies, cupcakes, and cakes. While their most beloved is probably the Spanish Cake Bar, their pound cakes were a staple for decades of A&P history. Their lineup — which consisted of gold, silver, and marble — were essentials to have at home, as they accompanied a casual cup of coffee or were the base for a fancy berry trifle for a fancy occasion. Sitting on kitchen counters and kitchenette tables made the Jane Parker series of pound cakes an unspoken must. While Jane Parker is still in existence today, their pound cakes are a thing of the past, that is, until now. Hear this gold pound cake is here to make a comeback with this recipe.
What makes pound cakes so special is the impeccable texture. Rich, but tender, moist, but sturdy, this texture isn’t a one-and-done sort of thing. The butter and sugar need to be combined gradually before the eggs are added (again gradually).
Once the dry ingredients are properly mixed, the dry ingredients are sifted (yes, sifted) into the wet ingredients. And while we can use a mixture, folding the dry ingredients by hand will give you an amazingly tender cake crumb. Mixing with a hand or stand mixer may lead to a gummier, more bready crumb.
Pour the batter into the prepared cake can and then tap the pan against the counter, removing any air pockets. To create a nice domed top, use a rubber spatula and press the batter up the short sides of the pan, creating a concave curve. Pull out of the oven, poke holes in the cake, and pour on the lemon sugar soak.
Once cooled for thirty minutes, pull the pound cake out of the pan and spread on the glaze. While not traditional to the original pound cake, the glaze locks in the moisture, making it stay fresh for a few days.
Jane Parker’s Gold Pound Cake will have you wondering why you didn’t make this recipe sooner!
The cake is impeccably tender with little to no air pockets, making a smooth texture through and through.
The soak and glaze lock in the moisture and give the cake a melt-in-your-mouth tenderness.
While there is lemon in three parts—the sugar, soak, and the glaze — it’s not overwhelming. The lemon balances out the richness from the butter and the sweetness from the sugar.
It can be eaten elegantly with a fork or picked up as a casual handheld treat. Jane Parker Gold Pound Cake has the perfect sunny hue to cheer you up any time of the day.
Jane Parker Gold Pound Cake
Yield(s): Makes 1 9x5 loaf
30m prep time
40m cook time
30m inactive
you're making mealtime meaningful.
For the Cake:
- 2 cups cake flour (all-purpose flour is also okay)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 14 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Soak:
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
For the Glaze (optional):
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 6 tablespoons powdered sugar
To make the Cake:
- Preheat oven to 340°F and grease a 9x5 loaf pan with baking spray, line the bottom with parchment paper, set aside.
- Whisk flour and baking powder together, set aside.
- In another bowl combine the lemon zest and sugar.
- In a third bowl beat butter on a medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes until creamed and no lumps are present.
- Gradually add the lemon sugar into the butter in 4 additions, making sure the sugar is completely mixed between each addition.
- Whisk eggs and salt together. Gradually add the egg mixture into the butter-sugar mixture in 8 separate additions, making sure to mix the eggs thoroughly into the butter-sugar mixture before adding more egg. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl.
- Sift the dry ingredients into the bowl of the wet ingredients.
- Using a rubber spatula, fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, continuously folding and combining until there are no visible lumps.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Place the loaf pan on top of a towel and tap the pan against the counter, removing any air bubbles in the batter.
- Use the rubber spatula to make a concave center. Do this by pressing the batter up the short ends of the loaf pan, this helps with the rising of the batter and make a round dome. Bake for 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
To make the Soak:
- While the pound cake is still warm, use a toothpick to poke holes into the cake.
- Mix the lemon juice and sugar together and spoon it over the pound cake, letting it get into the holes. Let the pound cake rest in the pan for 30 minutes.
To make the Glaze:
- Whisk lemon juice and powdered sugar together until it is smooth and lump free.
- Remove the pound cake from the baking pan. Spoon the glaze over the top of the pound cake. Enjoy!
Recipe adapted from Cooking See.