Oranges and Lemons in My Pound Cake and My Kitchen Aid

Something Old, Something New,Something Borrowed ,Something Red...
It should've been blue...but the blue was in limited supply.But I am happy with the Red.

Kitchen Aid Teal Blue Artisan Stand Mixer

I am #Kitchen Aid-ing vicariously for 4 days.A lot of people don't understand the value of that heavy duty motor as it buzzes and whisks the butter and sugar together into submission...but me?I do!I love having the #Kitchen Aid-even if I have it for 4 days.
This is a little pampering that #Kitchen Aid is doing for those who waltz into the Regional bake offs Round. The machine stays with me till the bake offs and I use it there to create my little magic.The Teal blue was unavailable, so they sent me Red.Red is good too...Since this is the parents house, and mom has already distributed her tools a long time ago...I have limited stuff to work with.So a pound cake that needs a loaf tin was baked in her Pyrex.
No regrets.It tasted wonderful.Of butter and summer,because in lieu of vanilla, I used orange zest and lemon zest and lemon juice.Awesome.And the nuttiness of whole almonds.
This is an old recipe I used ,that used to be my mums...She picked it up from some book or magazine or whatever...she remembers not.I have tweaked it and changed it...since rum would've been a no no in a pound cake the lemon juice came in.
for the 
Oranges and Lemons in my Pound Cake and my #Kitchen Aid...
you need
1/2 cup or 110 gms Amul butter-you can use unsalted,but this is the best.1 1/2 cup plain flour100-125 mils buttermilk-or milk to which you add a spoon full of vinegar3/4 cup sugar3 eggs1 tsp baking powderzest of 1 lemon ,1 orange3-4 tbsp crushed almonds20 whole almonds, soaked, peeled and halvedjuice of 2 lemons approx 25 mils
Pre heat the oven to 180C.Start with the butter-softened. I had a 500 gms slab. And as I do with the chocolate-4 parts, each 125 gms. Just keep a wee bit and pop the rest into the Mixing bowl of the Kitchen Aid.
Add in the sugar and mix at speed 4 till the butter and sugar are blended and pale.
The best use for the butter wrapping paper. Use it to line the dish. Ideally ,it should've been a 9"*5" loaf tin, but this is hardly an ideal world.
This is a 2 quart Pyrex dish.
I also dusted the butter paper with flour.
Sift the flour and baking powder. If you like unsalted butter, add a spoonful of salt here and sift well.
The butter sugar is done. Add in the eggs one at a time. You need to scrape the sides of the bowl regularly. Add in 1/3 of the sifted flour mix.
Add in the lemon juice and a third of the buttermilk. Alternate between the flour and buttermilk. Make sure you leave atleast about 20 mils of the buttermilk. Fold in the crushed almonds now. The batter must be velvety and should not move on its own. You need to coax it and smoothen it in the dish.Layer the almonds over the top and pop the cake into the oven.
After about 50 minutes it was ready. You'll know from the wafting aromas of lemon and orange and butter...almost like a spa here...
The cake crumbs are soft but crumbly...because we reduced the butter by about 50 gms replacing it with the buttermilk.
The taste speaks of butter and oranges and lemons.
And the toasted almonds add a nice crunch. The problem with the almonds is that they dont allow you to cut a neat slice...otherwise they are Purr...fect!!!

I needed a little blue. The pictures are nothing great- I agree, but we focused on the eating bit here.
The cake was crusty and soft and awesome with tea and coffee.
And soft. This is a recipe I play with very often. I adore the taste of butter in my cake...but with all the mess of cholesterol and stuff-its better not to indulge too often.
The citrus cuts the sugar and the butter and tastes just light and airy.
But when you do...you must. This is my favorite naked cake. It needs no frosting or glaze or fruit or whatever. Just like a true friend,it shows you what it is. And at the end of one piece, you crave more.
The Kitchen Aid stand mixer is wow to work with. It reduces your work, and seems to be an effortless piece of engineering.
No wonder,all around the world, people love it.
I <3 Kitchen Aid.
This #Kitchen Aid is addictive. I want!!!
So what are you baking today???