Good Eats (1999–2012): Season 13, Episode 9 - Food Under the Influence - full transcript

GOOD EVENING,
FELLOW AMERICAN COOKS.

SAY, I'VE GOT
A QUESTION FOR YOU.

WHAT IN THE WORLD HAPPENED
TO CAKE?

OH I DON'T MEAN FUSSY
FRENCH GATEAUS

WITH THEIR MUSHY MIDDLES,

OR AUSTRIAN TORTES

WITH ALL THEIR SUGAR DUSTED
ALMOND FLOUR PASTRINESS.

NOR DO I REFER TO THOSE
FUDGY DOORSTOPS THAT

AMERICAN PASTRY CHEFS
KEEP FOSTERING

UNDER THE FALSE MONIKER
OF FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE CAKE.

NO, I MEAN CAKE,



AS IN THE STUFF YOU GET
AT BIRTHDAY PARTIES,

AND, FOR BETTER OR WORSE,
AT WEDDINGS.

WHEN, DEAR VIEWER, WAS
THE LAST TIME YOU BAKED A CAKE

NOT FROM A BOX?

MM‐HMM, JUST AS I EXPECTED.

WELL, AMERICA, IT'S TIME
WE GOT OUR CAKE GROOVE
BACK IN GEAR.

NOW EACH OF THE 87 CARDS

IN THIS LOTTERY TICKET DRUM

BEARS THE NAME OF A CLASSIC
AMERICAN CAKE.

AND WE ARE GOING TO PULL ONE
AND WE ARE GOING TO BAKE ONE.

DRUM ROLL PLEASE.

AND TODAY'S CAKE WILL BE...

NO, SORRY I'LL PULL ANOTHER ONE.

C'MON, C'MON, GET OUT OF THERE.



AH, THERE WE GO.

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,
FATE HAS SPOKEN.

THE UBIQUITOUS ALBEIT
OFTEN IGNORED
AND SHAMELESSLY ABUSED

POUND CAKE.

ALL RIGHT, MAYBE I GAVE
FATE A HAND.

BUT BELIEVE ME COUNTRYMEN
POUND CAKE

IS THE CORNERSTONE
OF THE AMERICAN BAKERY PANTHEON,

UPON WHICH THE ENTIRETY
OF OUR NATIONAL CAKEDOM RESTS.

WELL LIKE MANY GREAT
AMERICAN TRADITIONS

POUND CAKE WAS BORN
UPON FOREIGN SHORES.

BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN IT'S NOT
RED, WHITE, BLUE, AND...



HISTORIANS AND ANTHROPOLOGISTS
GENERALLY AGREE THAT

MOST AMERICAN
BUTTER BASED CAKES,

FROM BIRTHDAY TO WEDDING
AND EVERYWHERE IN BETWEEN

DESCEND FROM ONE GREAT
MOTHER CAKE, THE POUND CAKE.

THEY ALSO AGREE THE POUND CAKE
WAS BORN IN JOLLY OLD ENGLAND,

WHICH MAKES A FAIR AMOUNT
OF SENSE.

AFTER ALL TO BAKE A CAKE
YOU NEED AN OVEN.

ROMANS BROUGHT BREAD OVENS
TO BRITANNIA

DURING THEIR STAY
ON THAT ISLAND.

SOUTH OF HADRIAN'S WALL,
OF COURSE.

AS YOU RECALL THE SCOTS
WOULD NOT BE RULED EVER.

FREEDOM!!

CONSEQUENTLY THE SCOTS
WOULD ALSO NEVER BE

REALLY FAMOUS FOR BAKING CAKES.

RETURNING CRUSADERS
LATER BROUGHT SUGAR BACK

FROM THE MIDDLE EAST,

AN EVENT WHICH WOULD
EVENTUALLY FUEL

OVERLAND AND MARITIME TRADE.

AND PERMANENTLY ALTER
THE TASTE BUDS OF ENGLISHMEN
EVERYWHERE.

SUGAR!!

THOSE FOLKS HAVE A SERIOUS
SWEET TOOTH

AND THE SWEET TEETH
TO PROVE IT.

AND LEST WE FORGET
BRITAIN WAS AND REMAINS

A LEADING PRODUCER
OF QUALITY DAIRY GOODS.

MOO!!!

THIS, OF COURSE, INCLUDES
BUTTER,

WHICH DESPITE THE PROTESTATIONS
OF THE FRENCH

IS AS GOOD AS GOOD EATS GETS.

AND, OF COURSE,
EVERYONE BACK THEN
USED TO KEEP CHICKENS.

WHICH MEANT PLENTY
OF FRESH EGGS.

THE LAST REQUIRED INGREDIENT,
OF COURSE, IS FLOUR.

THE STARCH LADEN CEMENT
OF PASTRY, BREADS, BISCUITS,

MUFFINS AND, OF COURSE, CAKES.

NOW WITH THESE FOUR
PROTEIN PLAYERS IN THE PANTRY,

IT WAS SIMPLY A MATTER
OF TIME BEFORE SOME
INGENIOUS ENGLISHMAN OR WOMAN

STUMBLED ON THE FACT THAT
A POUND OF EACH
COULD BE COMBINED

TO PRODUCE A CAKE BOTH TASTY
AND ROBUST.

SWEET, BUT WITH A STIFF UPPER
LIP.

THE FACT THAT A POUND CAKE
RECIPE DIDN'T ACTUALLY

MAKE IT INTO PRINT UNTIL 1847
IS NO BIG SURPRISE,

SEEING HOW EVERYONE SHORT OF
THE VILLAGE IDIOT

COULD EASILY MEMORIZE
THE RECIPE.

LET'S SEE, THAT'S 1 POUND
OF SUGAR.

BUTTER THE SIZE
OF A BIRD'S EGG.

WHAT? YOU WANT TO PLAY
SUPER CAT?

MEOW! MEOW!

MODERN RECIPES WRITERS
CLAIMING THE CLASSIC

IS HEAVY
OR NOT SWEET ENOUGH

LIKE TO TINKER AROUND
WITH THE POUND CAKE PARTS LIST.

BUT I THINK THE PROPORTIONS
ARE JUST FINE.

THIS SKIT ON THE OTHER HAND
IS A GONER.

ALTHOUGH THE BALANCED SCALE
HINTS AT A SYMBIOTIC SYMMETRY,

TO REALLY UNDERSTAND
THE INNER WORKINGS
OF A POUND CAKE,

ONE MUST LOOK THROUGH
THE INGREDIENTS

TO THE MOLECULAR
MYSTERIES WITHIN.

SUGAR IS EASY.

IT'S 100 PERCENT SUCROSE,

THE MOST COMMON OF KITCHEN
DISACCHARIDES.

FLOUR IS COMPOSED MOSTLY

OF STARCH AND PROTEIN.

EGGS CONTAIN FAT AND PROTEIN
AND WATER,

AS WELL AS PHOSPHOLIPIDS,
WHICH ARE NATURAL EMULSIFIERS.

BUTTER CONTAINS ANYWHERE

FROM 80 TO 85 PERCENT FAT.

AND THE REST IS WATER
AND MILK SOLIDS,

INCLUDING LACTOSE OR MILK SUGAR.

THE IMPORTANT, NAY CRITICAL,
THING TO REALIZE ABOUT BUTTER

IS THAT THE FAT ACTUALLY COMES
IN THREE FORMS.

THERE IS THE CONTINUOUS PHASE,

THAT IS THE PHASE THAT
ALL THE OTHER STUFF
INCLUDING THE WATER IS FLOATING.

THEN THERE ARE GLOBULES
FROM THE ORIGINAL CREAM

THAT SURVIVE THE CHURNING
PROCESS.

AND THERE ARE FAT CRYSTALS,

WHICH WILL SOON BE
VERY IMPORTANT INDEED.

EACH OF THESE CULINARY
CHARACTERS ASSUMES

A SPECIFIC ROLE
IN THE BAKED GOOD DRAMA.

PROTEINS PLAY TOUGHENERS.

IF YOU LIKE CHEWY CRUSTY
FRENCH BAGUETTES AND THE LIKE,
THANK PROTEINS.

SUGAR AND FATS ON THE OTHER HAND
ARE TENDERIZERS,

WHICH BREAK DOWN
OR LUBRICATE TOUGHENERS

SO THAT THEY AREN'T
SO TOUGH ANYMORE.

STARCHES AND POWDERED GOODS,
FLOURS,

CORNSTARCH, COCOA POWDER,
THAT KIND OF THING

ARE ALL DRIERS BECAUSE
THEY ABSORB MOISTENERS,

WHICH ARE ALWAYS PLAYED
BY WATER AND WATER‐TYPE LIQUIDS.

NOW ALTHOUGH TOUGH AND TENDER,
MOIST AND DRY

ARE IN FACT OPPOSITES
ON THE QUADRAPHONIC ZEN WHEEL

OF KITCHEN LIFE,

LIKE SO MANY OPPOSING FORCES
THEY CAN AND SHOULD

BALANCE EACH OTHER OUT.

IF OUR FORMULATIONS ARE CORRECT
AND OUR TECHNIQUE PRECISE

THIS IS WHAT POUND CAKE
IS ALL ABOUT.

IT'S MOIST, DRY,
TOUGH, AND TENDER,
ALL WORKING TOGETHER.

NICE, STAY.



ONE WOULD THINK THAT A CAKE
CONTAINING EQUAL DOSES
OF FOUR SIMPLE INGREDIENTS

WOULD PRODUCE THE SAME CAKE

TIME AFTER TIME,
BAKER AFTER BAKER.

ALAS, AS YOU CAN SEE,
THIS IS NOT THE CASE.

EACH OF THESE CAKES
WAS PREPARED WITH
A POUND OF BUTTER,

A POUND OF SUGAR,
A POUND OF EGGS,

A POUND OF FLOUR
AND THEY ARE ALL DIFFERENT.

THAT IS BECAUSE
THE MOST IMPORTANT INGREDIENT
IN POUND CAKE,

ISN'T AN INGREDIENT AT ALL.

IT'S TECHNIQUE.

AND TECHNIQUES CAN VERY WIDELY
DEPENDING ON THE RECIPE.

FOR INSTANCE THIS IS FROM
THE MID 18th‐CENTURY.

THIS WOULD MAKE A MODERN
BAKER'S HAIR STAND ON END.

IT'S FROM A BOOK CALLED
"THE ART OF COOKERY."

AND IT READS,
TO MAKE A POUND CAKE,

TAKE A POUND OF BUTTER
AND BEAT IT INTO

AN EARTHEN PAN WITH YOUR HAND
UNTIL IT BECOMES
A FINE, THICK CREAM.

THEN RENDER 12 EGGS,
BUT HOLD THE WHITES.

BEAT THEM WELL
AND BEAT THEM INTO THE BUTTER.

THEN BEAT IN A POUND OF FLOUR
AND A POUND OF SUGAR AS WELL,

AND A FEW CARAWAYS.

BEAT THIS ALL WELL FOR AN HOUR
WITH YOUR HAND
OR A WOODEN SPOON.

SO WHY IS POUND CAKE
SO CLASSICALLY LABOR INTENSIVE?

BECAUSE WHEN CREAMED TOGETHER
DILIGENTLY,

THE BUTTER AND SUGAR WILL
PRODUCE A LIGHT, AIRY MIXTURE,

WHICH WILL FORM THE FOUNDATION
OF A CAKE

THAT WILL RISE BEAUTIFULLY
IN HERE WITHOUT

ANY CHEMICAL LEAVENING
WHATSOEVER.

HOW? PATIENCE GRASSHOPPER.

FIRST THING, OVEN RACK MIDDLE.
SECOND THING, HEAT 350,

THIRD THING, THE PANS.

NOW IF YOU'RE GOING TO TAKE THE
CLASSICAL APPROACH IT WOULD BE
TWO 9‐BY‐5 LOAF PANS.

AND YOU'RE GONNA WANT
TO PROPERLY PREP THEM.

BUTTER ALL OVER, EDGES,
CORNERS EVERYTHING.

THEN FLOUR, I USUALLY USE
ABOUT 1/3 CUP.

WE'LL GET THE EXCESS OUT LATER.

JUST PUT IT IN ONE SIDE
AND TOP ONE PAN ON THE NEXT.

COVER WITH A LITTLE
PLASTIC WRAP TO KEEP IT SECURE

AND THEN SHAKE THE DEVIL OUT OF
IT TO DISTRIBUTE THE FLOUR.

UNWRAP AND THERE YOU HAVE IT.

NOW IF YOU WANT TO USE
A TUBE PAN,

THAT WILL DEFINITELY HOLD
ALL OF THE BATTER.

BUT IT'S ALSO A LITTLE
COMPLICATED.

YOU'VE GOTTA BUTTER
AND FLOUR EVERYTHING.

BY THE WAY, THE FEET ARE FOR
INVERTING AN ANGEL FOOD CAKE.

WE DON'T NEED TO MESS WITH THAT
RIGHT NOW,
THE SAME AMOUNT OF FLOUR.

AND SINCE THERE'S A HOLE
IN THE MIDDLE
WE WON'T USE PLASTIC WRAP.

JUST A CLEAN TOWEL,
TAP IT ALL AROUND.

THEN REMOVE THE EXCESS
AND YOU ARE READY TO GO.

INTERESTED IN A SUCCESSFUL
POUND CAKE?

THEN I'VE GOT ONE WORD FOR YOU,
PLASTIC.

IN ORDER TO CREAM THE FAT
IN THE BUTTER

MUST BE WARM ENOUGH
TO BE MALLEABLE,

BUT NOT SO WARM
THAT ITS STRUCTURE COLLAPSES,

OR HEAVEN HELP US,
FLAT OUT MELTS.

NOW I REMOVED THIS POUND
OF UNSALTED BUTTER

FROM THE REFRIGERATOR
A FEW HOURS AGO.

AND HAVE BEEN CAREFULLY
MONITORING ITS INTERNAL
TEMPERATURE

UNTIL A FEW MINUTES AGO
WHEN IT HIT 65 DEGREES
FAHRENHEIT.

ACTUALLY ANYTHING BETWEEN 65 AND
70 WOULD BE FINE.

AND IN PARTS OF THE WORLD
THAT AREN'T HERE,

THEY CALL THAT ROOM TEMPERATURE,
NOT IN THE SOUTH.

ALL RIGHT IT'S IN THE MIXING
BOWL ALONG WITH
A POUND OF SUGAR.

AND I PUT THE SUGAR
ON THE BOTTOM SO THAT

IT DOESN'T FLY
ALL OVER THE PLACE.

I HAVE THE PADDLE IN PLACE
AND WE'RE GOING TO CREAM THAT
ON MEDIUM FOR FIVE MINUTES.

WHICH, I MIGHT ADD,
BEATS THE HECK OUT OF DOING IT
BY HAND FOR AN HOUR.

SO WHAT'S GOING ON HERE
THAT'S SO GOSH DARN IMPORTANT?

WELL, BUBBLES FOR ONE THING.

AS THE MIXER PADDLE TURNS
IT'S ACTUALLY SHOVING

ALL THOSE LITTLE JAGGED
PILLS OF SUGAR

INTO THE PLASTIC MASS
OF THE BUTTER.

OPENING UP OODLES
OF AIR POCKETS.

NOW AS THE SUGAR GRANULES
BEGIN TO DISSOLVE

IN THE WATER PHASE OF THE BUTTER
THOSE AIR POCKETS WILL REMAIN.

SUPPORTED BY GUESS WHAT?

THAT'S RIGHT,
BUTTER FAT CRYSTALS.

NOW HERE'S A FUN FACT.

NOT ALL BUTTER FAT CRYSTALS
ARE ALIKE OKAY?

NOW YOUR STANDARD
RUN‐OF‐THE‐MILL GROCERY STORE
VARIETY OF BUTTER

IS TYPICALLY CHURNED
VERY, VERY QUICKLY.

BECAUSE, OF COURSE,
TIME IS MONEY

AND THE PROCESSOR WANTS TO GET
ON WITH MAKING MORE BUTTER.

WELL, FAST CHURNING CREATES

VERY LARGE BUTTER CRYSTALS.

AND LARGE BUTTER CRYSTALS
SUPPORT

THE CONSTRUCTION
OF LARGE BUBBLES.

ALL RIGHT LARGE BUBBLES MAKE
FOR A BIG ROUGH

UNREFINED TEXTURE INSIDE
BAKED GOODS.

EUROPEAN BUTTERS ARE DIFFERENT.

THEY'RE OFTEN LAUDED FOR BEING
A LITTLE BIT MORE FATTY

THAN REGULAR BUTTER OR BECAUSE
THEY OFTEN CONTAIN LACTIC ACID.

WHICH GIVES THEM KIND OF
A YOGURTY TWANG WHICH IS NICE.

BUT WHAT'S REALLY SPECIAL
ABOUT THESE BUTTERS,

BESIDES, OF COURSE, THEIR
PRICE TAG, WHICH CAN BE
A LITTLE HIGH,

IS THAT THEY ARE SLOW CHURNED.

SLOW CHURNING CREATES SMALL
LITTLE FAT CRYSTALS.

AND SMALL FAT CRYSTALS SUPPORT,
YOU'VE GOT IT,

SMALL LITTLE BUBBLES.

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?

IT MEANS A FINER TEXTURE
IN YOUR CAKE.

SO I SUGGEST IN THIS CASE
YOU SPLURGE FOR REALLY GOOD

EUROPEAN STYLE BUTTER.

YOUR CAKE WILL THANK YOU.

NOW AS YOU CAN SEE,
WE'VE GOT A VERY LIGHT
AND FLUFFY MIXTURE HERE

BECAUSE IT'S FULL OF AIR.

NOW TURN THIS SPEED DOWN
TO LOW AND ADD THE EGGS.

OKAY, NINE OF THEM,
LARGE CHICKEN EGGS.

WE'RE GONNA ADD THEM
ONE AT A TIME,
VERY VERY SLOWLY,

ALLOWING 20 SECONDS
FOR EACH EGG TO INTEGRATE.

WHY? WELL THINK ABOUT IT.

EGGS ARE MOSTLY WATER,
BUTTER MOSTLY FAT.

WE'RE MAKING AN EMULSION HERE
AND JUST LIKE A VINAIGRETTE

YOU NEED TO DRIZZLE ONE
INTO THE OTHER VERY SLOWLY

SO THAT THEY CAN INCORPORATE.

OTHERWISE YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE
A BIG BROKEN MESS OF EGGS

FLOATING ON TOP
OF YOUR BUTTER.

TAKE YOUR TIME.

I KNOW I SAID YOU ONLY NEED
THE FOUR INGREDIENTS
TO MAKE A POUND CAKE.

AND THAT'S 100 PERCENT TRUE.

BUT ADDING JUST A LITTLE BIT
OF VANILLA AND SALT

WILL UP THE FLAVOR ANTE
CONSIDERABLY.

AND, UH, WELL, I DON'T THINK
THAT'S CHEATING NOW, IS IT?

OKAY AT THIS POINT IT'S FINALLY
TIME TO INTRODUCE THE DRY GOODS.

THAT IS THE STUFF THAT IS
GOING TO ABSORB THE MOISTURE,

I.E. THE FLOUR.

NOT ONLY FLOUR, MIND YOU,
BUT CAKE FLOUR.

WHY CAKE FLOUR?
THREE BIG FAT REASONS.

ONE, CAKE FLOUR IS MILLED
FROM LOW PROTEIN OR SOFT WHEAT.

WHEN AGITATED WITH WATER
WHEAT PROTEINS CREATE GLUTEN,

THOSE BUNGEE‐CORD‐LIKE
MOLECULAR STRUCTURES

THAT RESULT IN A GREAT DEAL
OF CHEWINESS.

NOT EXACTLY WHAT WE WANT
IN A CAKE NOW IS IT?

THE LOWER THE PROTEIN
THE LESS GLUTEN
AND THAT IS A GOOD THING.

ALSO CAKE FLOUR IS MILLED
EXTRA FINE.

LET'S TAKE A LOOK.

IF YOU COULD ENLARGE
ALL‐PURPOSE FLOUR GRANULES
ABOUT A GAJILLION TIMES,

IT'D PROBABLY LOOK A LOT
LIKE THIS.

JAGGED AND IRREGULAR IN BOTH
SIZE AND COLOR.

CAKE FLOUR ON THE OTHER HAND

IS MUCH FINER
AND MORE UNIFORM.

THESE SMALLER PIECES INTEGRATE
INTO BATTER VERY EASILY.

AND THAT MEANS LESS STIRRING
AND LESS GLUTEN PRODUCTION.

YOU'LL ALSO NOTICE
THE CAKE FLOUR IS MUCH BRIGHTER.

THAT'S BECAUSE IT'S BLEACHED.

NOT ONLY DOES THIS RESULT
IN A LIGHTER PRODUCT.

IT CHANGES THE PH
OF THE GRANULES

SO THE STARCHES SWELL AND GEL
MORE EFFICIENTLY.

AND THAT TRANSLATES INTO
A LIGHTER, MORE PLEASING
TEXTURE.

INTRODUCING FLOUR TO A BATTER
CAN BE A TRICKY BUSINESS.

AND I'VE MADE MORE THAN
A FEW MAJOR MESSES IN MY TIME.

THE KEY IS TO KEEP THE SPEED
AT ITS SLOWEST.

WORK IN THREE EVEN INSTALLMENTS.

AND KEEP THE FLOUR IN A VESSEL
THAT WILL BEND TO YOUR WILL,

IF YOU GET MY DRIFT.

SO FIRST DOSE GOES IN
NICE AND SLOW.

YOU KNOW THIS WHOLE OPERATION
IS GONNA TAKE A FEW MINUTES.

JUST ONE THIRD, THERE WE GO.

ONCE IT HAS WORKED
ALL THE WAY IN,
NO MORE FLOUR SHOWING,

YOU CAN BRING THE SECOND DOSE
TO THE PARTY,
JUST TAKE YOUR TIME.

IF YOU DO IT FAST IT'LL
FLY ALL OVER THE ROOM.

WHEN THAT'S COMPLETELY
DISAPPEARED,

THEN AND ONLY THEN DO YOU BRING

THE THIRD AND FINAL DOSE
TO THE PARTY.

THERE, GET A LITTLE ON THE MIXER
IT'S NO BIG DEAL.

NICE NOW GO AHEAD
AND SCRAPE DOWN THE BOWL

BECAUSE IT PROBABLY WILL HAVE
WORKED ITS WAY UP THE SIDE.

AND THEN BEAT ON MEDIUM SPEED
FOR 30 SECONDS.

THEN YOU'LL HAVE NICE
ELASTIC AND PLASTIC BATTER
JUST LIKE THIS.

THERE THAT LOOKS PERFECT.

NOW EVEN DISTRIBUTION BETWEEN
THE TWO PANS CAN BE TRICKY.

SO USE YOUR SCALE.

PUT ON THE ONE PAN AND DO
A TARE FUNCTION AND ZERO IT OUT.

AND ADD BATTER UNTIL YOU GET
TWO POUNDS.

WHATEVER YOU'VE GOT LEFT
YOU KNOW GOES INTO
THE SECOND PAN.

YOU CAN SMOOTH OVER THE TOP
BUT DON'T GET TOO CARRIED AWAY,

BECAUSE IT'LL EVEN OUT
IN THE OVEN.

WHETHER YOU'RE TALKING
A SINGLE TWO PAN
OR DOUBLE LOAF PANS

YOU'LL BE BAKING FOR
APPROXIMATELY ONE HOUR,

OR UNTIL THE INTERIOR
OF THE CAKES

HIT 210 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT.

YOU KNOW MOST BAKING RECIPES
ARE CONCERNED WITH TIME

WHEN TEMPERATURE IS ACTUALLY
A BETTER INDICATOR.

WHY?

BECAUSE AS THE BATTER HEATS UP

THE AIR AND ALL THOSE
MICROSCOPIC BUBBLES EXPAND

FORCING THE BATTER TO RISE.

AT AROUND 140 DEGREES
WATER VAPOR FORMS

EXPANDING THE BUBBLES
EVEN FURTHER.

THEN AT 180, GIVE OR TAKE
A DEGREE OR TWO,

STARCHES SWELL AND UNDERGO
GELATION.

THAT IS THEY FORM GELS.

THAT'S WHAT STARCHES DO.

SOON AFTER, THE PROTEINS
COAGULATE,

FORMING A LATTICE‐LIKE STRUCTURE
AROUND THE BUBBLES.

THE FINAL STEP IS, OF COURSE,
BROWNING,

WHICH DOESN'T SET IN
UNTIL 200 DEGREES.

AT THIS POINT ENOUGH MOISTURE
HAS BEEN DRIVEN OUT OR ABSORBED,

THAT THE SUGARS AT THE SURFACE
CAN CARAMELIZE

AND THE PROTEINS CAN UNDERGO
THE MAILLARD REACTIONS.

IN OTHER WORDS, THE CRUST
TURNS GOLDEN BROWN
AND DELICIOUS.

AND THAT MY FRIENDS LOOKS
A LITTLE BIT LIKE THIS.

NOT ONLY HAVE WE OBTAINED
GOLDEN BROWN AND DELICIOUS,

BUT OUR THERMOMETER CONFIRMS
210.5, CLOSE ENOUGH.

SO THE BAKING PHASE IS DONE.

BUT THAT DOES NOT MEAN
THAT THE CAKES ARE FINISHED.

TRUTH IS, COOLING IS AS
A CRITICAL PART OF THE PROCESS

AS THE APPLICATION OF HEAT.

YOU SEE, THE STARCHES
AND PROTEINS WON'T BE STABLE

UNTIL THE TEMPERATURE DROPS
CONSIDERABLY.

SO THINK OF THESE CAKES
AS NEWBORNS,

ALL SHINY AND NICE
AND GOLDEN BROWN
BUT VERY VULNERABLE.

SO PLACE THEM STILL IN THE PANS

ON A COOLING RACK

FOR NOT ONE SECOND LESS

THAN TEN MINUTES.

THEN RETURN AND DE‐PAN.

THEY'LL BE COOL ENOUGH
TO HANDLE BY THEN.

PLACE BACK ON THE RACK
FOR ANOTHER TEN MINUTES.

THERE YOU GO.

NOW THAT'S A MIGHTY NICE
LOOKING CAKE.

AND THE CONTRAST BETWEEN
THE CRUSTY EXTERIOR

AND THE SOFT MOIST INTERIOR
IS ESPECIALLY INTOXICATING.

BUT IT WON'T STAY THAT WAY
IF YOU DON'T STORE IT CORRECTLY.

UNLIKE MOST BAKED GOODS
POUND CAKE DOES NOT LIKE
TO BE ENTOMBED.

YOUR BEST BET IS LEAVE
ON THE CUTTING BOARD

COVERED IN A CLEAN TEA TOWEL
AND EAT IN THREE DAYS.

OR YOU CAN CUT IT,
WRAP IT AND FREEZE IT.

IN FACT ONE OF MY FAVORITE
BREAKFAST TREATS

IS TO POP A FROZEN SLICE OR TWO

DIRECTLY INTO
THE OLD TOASTER.

ONE TOAST CYCLE ON MEDIUM
WILL THAW IT OUT.

TWO TOUCHES AND YOU GET
A LITTLE TOASTY BIT OF HEAVEN.

WANT SOME? OH, C'MON,
I SAID IT WAS GOOD.

I NEVER SAID IT WAS LEAN.

OF COURSE, NOW THAT WE KNOW
THE BALANCE OF TOUGHENERS,

DRIERS, TENDERIZERS,
AND MOISTENERS REQUIRED
FOR THE JOB,

WE MIGHT JUST BE ABLE
TO HACK THIS BABY
ON THE LEAN SIDE.

OKAY, THE WAY I FIGURE IT,

IF WE WANT TO REDUCE THE EGGS
AND THE BUTTER,

WE NEED TO REPLACE THEM
WITH MORE MOISTURE,

SOME PROTEIN AND SOME TYPE
OF TENDERIZING AGENT

TO REPLACE ALL THE FAT.

THE ONLY CONCEIVABLE ANSWER
IS OF COURSE, WHOLE BUTTERMILK.

THAT IS MILK WHOSE LACTOSE
OR MILK SUGAR

HAS BEEN CONVERTED
INTO LACTIC ACID

BY THE ADDITION OF A SPECIFIC
BACTERIA.

IF WE REDUCE OUR ORIGINAL
PARTS LIST TO FOUR WHOLE EGGS

AND SAY 12 OUNCES OF BUTTER,

WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO FILL
THE CHEMICAL GAP
WITH A CUP OF BUTTERMILK.

BATTER BUILDING WILL BE SIMILAR

BUT WITH SOME IMPORTANT DETOURS.

SINCE WE'RE WORKING WITH
LESS BUTTER

WE WILL NEED MORE CREAMING
IN ORDER TO GENERATE ENOUGH
OF THOSE TINY BUBBLES.

SO BOOST THE MIXING TIME

FROM FIVE TO SIX MINUTES
ON MEDIUM.

OF COURSE, WHEN THAT'S NICE
AND FLUFFY

WE'LL SAVE TIME WITH THE EGGS
BECAUSE THEY'RE ONLY FOUR
OF THEM.

BUT THEY DO NEED TO BE
INTRODUCED VERY SLOWLY
JUST AS BEFORE.

WHEN THEY'RE ALL IN
IT WILL BE THE SAME
TEASPOON OF VANILLA EXTRACT,

THE SAME 1/2 TEASPOON
OF KOSHER SALT.

THEN RETURN TO MEDIUM SPEED
FOR 30 SECONDS.

NOW WE'RE READY TO GO SLOW
AND WITH THE FIRST INSTALLMENT
OF FLOUR

FOLLOWED BY HALF OF
THE BUTTERMILK.

NOW AT ANY POINT WHEN THINGS
START CLIMBING UP
THE SIDE OF THE BOWL,

STOP AND SCRAPE IT DOWN,
ESPECIALLY IF THERE'S A LOT
OF DRY FLOUR UP THERE.

THEN WE BRING THE SECOND DOSE
OF FLOUR, VERY NICE.

WORK IT IN 100 PERCENT.

AND THE FINAL DOSE
OF THE BUTTERMILK.

THAT ALLOWS US TO FINISH,
OF COURSE, WITH THE FINAL THIRD
OF THE FLOUR.

ALWAYS BEGIN AND END
WITH THE DRY INGREDIENTS.

BEAT FOR 30 SECONDS ON MEDIUM
AND YOU ARE READY TO PAN UP.

NICE PLASTIC AND ELASTIC,
JUST WHAT WE WANT.

BAKING IS STILL ROUGHLY
AN HOUR

WITH A THERMAL TARGET
OF 210 DEGREES.

NOW IF YOU WATCH CLOSELY
YOU'LL NOTICE A LAG TIME

BETWEEN THE SETTING OF THE CAKE
AND THE BROWNING PHASE.

THAT'S BECAUSE ACIDIC
INGREDIENTS LIKE BUTTERMILK

ACCELERATE SETTING,

WHICH MEANS LESS MOISTURE LOSS.

BUT ACIDS ALSO SLOW BROWNING.

SO WE'RE GOING TO INCREASE
THE HEAT TO 375 DEGREES

IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE
GOLDEN BROWN AND DELICIOUS.

VOILA.

A TENDER GOLDEN CAKE
WITH A SURPRISINGLY TART TWIST.

IS IT POUND CAKE?

NO, NOT STRICTLY SPEAKING,
BUT IT IS GOOD EATS.

WITH ALL THE CALORIES YOU SAVED
YOU COULD MAKE A GLAZE.

GO ON MAKE IT.

FIRST THING YOU'LL NEED TO DO
IS GENERATE A TEASPOON

OF ORANGE OR LEMON ZEST.

THEN POUR ON 2 1/2 TABLESPOONS
OF FRESHLY SQUEEZED ORANGE
OR LEMON JUICE.

ADD IN A PINCH OF SALT
AND THEN START WORKING IN

SIX OUNCES BY WEIGHT
OF POWDERED SUGAR.

GO SLOWLY, IT'S ALMOST LIKE
BUILDING YOUR OWN BATTER HERE.

SO JUST WORK IT IN,
WORK IT IN UNTIL IT LOOKS LIKE

VERY, VERY THICK MILK,
THERE YOU GO.

YOU'RE GOING TO NEED
TO USE THIS QUICKLY
BEFORE IT STARTS TO DRY.

THERE.

SINCE IT MAKES QUITE A MESS
I LIKE TO DO THIS
OVER A COOLING RACK

SO THE EXCESS CAN DRIP AWAY,

WHICH IT ALWAYS DOES.

LET IT SET FOR 30 MINUTES

AND YOU WILL HAVE MADE
"GOOD EATS" GREAT.

AND SO WE SEE,
FELLOW COUNTRYMEN,

THAT WHAT WAS BORN
OF ENGLISH INGENUITY

REACHES ITS FULL FRUITION

WITH THE HELP
OF AMERICAN KNOW‐HOW

AND FLAT‐OUT DESSERT
SELF‐DETERMINATION.

NOW GO FORTH AND BAKE,

WHILE I ENJOY MY "GOOD EATS."