Mini Pound Cake (Serves 2-3)

This is a recipe I just made from Debby Maugans Nakos's "Small-Batch Baking" cookbook, but it is call Presto Pound Cake in it and has variations/options. DH and I are now empty nesters with both kids off at college now and this baking book is perfect for our sweet tooth's. So quick and simple, out of the oven in about 40 mins. total time. I followed the listed ingredients and amounts, just did things a little different when mixing.

• Ready In: 40 mins
• Serves: 2-3
• Yields: 1 mini loaf

Ingredients

• 1⁄2 cup flour
• 1⁄8 teaspoon baking soda
• 1⁄8 teaspoon salt
• 3  tablespoons butter, room temperature
• 1⁄3 cup sugar
• 1  egg yolk (from large egg)
• 1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3  tablespoons buttermilk

Directions

1. She states to use one petite loaf pan (2-cup capacity, about 5 X 3 X 2 inches) and that is what I used, but feel you could also make 3 or 4 cupcakes in a pan.
2. Preheat the over to 350 degrees. Grease and lightly flour the loaf pan, tapping out the excess flour; then set it aside.
3. Put the flour, baking soda and salt in a bowl (or plastic bag that you can close and shake the ingredients to mix) and mix them well.
4. In a separate bowl, cream butter and sugar together with an electric mixer (or use a Kitchen Aid type of mixer), add egg yolk and vanilla and 1/2 of the buttermilk and the flour mixture. Beat about 45 seconds on medium until the batter is lightened and has slightly increase in volume. Add in remaining buttermilk and beat on medium until well blended, 20 seconds.
5. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan. Bake the cake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. (Mine was done at 25 mins in my convection oven).
6. Remove the pan from the oven and place it on a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes. Then remove the cake from the pan. Serve the cake warm or let it cool, upright, on the rack.