Perfect Pound Cake

TatiLu's Note:

Perfectly moist pound cake, great flavor. Takes a bit of time but is so worth it! Tested and approved! You could try to make a lower calorie version, replacing butter and margarine for lower fat products and sugar for Splenda, BUT I don't know how it turns out.

• Total Time: 1 hrs 20 mins
• Prep Time: 45 mins
• Cook Time: 35 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 16

• 2 cups flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 cup margarine
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2/3 cup orange juice or 2/3 cup apricot juice
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 teaspoons rum (optional)
• 4 large eggs, separate
• 1/3 cup raisins or 1/3 cup almonds or 1/3 cup any dried fruit

Directions:

1. Preheat oven at 350°.
2. At low speed cream butter, margarine, and sugar during 30 minutes (sound like a lot but trust me -- it's the key to the texture, meanwhile prepare the rest of the ingredients).
3. Add the yolks to the mixture one by one, until they are incorporated in the mixture.
4. In a separate bowl mix orange juice, vanilla and rum.
5. Sift flour and baking soda, together.
6. Alternating add to the mixture the flour and the juice.
7. Add about a spoonful of flour to the raisins and cut them a bit, this will avoid to have raisins only at the bottom of the cake ;-).
8. Set aside, and beat the egg whites until they are fluffy but not totally firm.
9. With a wooden spoon mix the whites into the mixture.
10. Pour into the mold (previously greased and floured) and spread it around leaving a small depression in the center, this way when it grows during baking it won't curve up.
11. Bake for 35 minutes or until it is golden and the cake has separated from the mold.
12. ENJOY!