Light & Airy Pound Cake

I've made a few pound cakes: there was Elvis' Fave, Ina's Lemon-Yogurt, & Entenmann's Copycat, all of which were "POUND-like." It was time for something light & airy. And boy was I ever "smitten!" when Smitten Kitchen whipped this one up recently. If you've never checked out her site, please do --- she's witty, her recipes are great & her photos are fantastic --- just like this recipe!


Recipe adapted from Smitten Kitchen who adapted from James Beard’s Beard on Food

Makes one loaf cake

2 sticks of butter, at room temperature, plus more for greasing the pan
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting the pan
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Salt
4 large eggs, separated
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon Cognac [brandy works as well, as does rum, as would one teaspoon of an extract of your choice]
1 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
(instead of the lemon zest because I didnt have any, i threw in 3/4 cup of chocolate chips)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a loaf pan. Sift the flour onto waxed paper and then spoon it gently back into the sifter, adding the baking powder and a good pinch of salt. Sift the mixture twice more, each time spooning it lightly into the sifter. YES, three times!

2. Using an electric mixer, whip the egg whites until they hold soft peaks and then gradually beat in 1/2 cup of the sugar, two tablespoons at a time. Transfer to a bowl.

3. Fit the electric mixer with a paddle attachment and cream the butter until light and fluffy. Beat in the remaining six tablespoons of sugar until fluffy. Beat in the egg yolks until light and lemon-colored and then add the Cognac and zest.

4. Gradually fold the sifted flour mixture into the butter-egg mixture. Fold in the beaten egg whites just until the batter is smooth. Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake in the oven for 35 to 45 minutes or until a toothpick pierced in the center comes up clean. Cool in pan ten minutes on a rack, then cool the rest of the way out of the pan.