As HalfPInt notes, pound cake relies on eggs as leavening and - even when perfectly made - is often dense or heavy.
About a hundred years after the classic pound cake recipe was developed, baking powder was made, sold and incorporated into baking recipes. There are now pound cake variations by flavor and/or proportions that retain much of the original flavors and textures, but are lighter, moister and/or fluffier in texture.
If you want to try some of those - in addition to the QuartreQuarts cake - have a look at recipes by bakers and writers you like and respect. Here are a links to some I like.
Sohla El Waylly, a vanilla version, here are food52 https://food52.com/recipes/84768-best-pound-cake-recipe
Rose Levy Beranbaum, White Spice Pound Cake from The Cake Bible https://www.realbakingwithrose.com/blog/2008/10/25/happy_20th_birthday_dear_cake
Anna Olson, Lemon Pound Cake https://annaolson.ca/project/lovely-lemon-pound-cake/
Non-rise might be caused by the egg whites being either under beaten or over mixed into the batter. Since there is no baking powder in the recipe, the beaten eggs whites are the only leavener here. I was taught (thank you, Martha) to take a 1/3 of beaten whites and mix thoroughly (no need to be gentle here), to lighten up the batter. Then GENTLY fold in the remaining whites, taking care not to overmix. A few streaks or small blobs of egg white is ok.
Uncooked bottom indicates that the cake did not bake long enough. If the top of the cake starts to brown too quickly, loosely cover with foil and bake until toothpick or tester comes out with a few dry crumbs.
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About a hundred years after the classic pound cake recipe was developed, baking powder was made, sold and incorporated into baking recipes. There are now pound cake variations by flavor and/or proportions that retain much of the original flavors and textures, but are lighter, moister and/or fluffier in texture.
If you want to try some of those - in addition to the QuartreQuarts cake - have a look at recipes by bakers and writers you like and respect. Here are a links to some I like.
Sohla El Waylly, a vanilla version, here are food52
https://food52.com/recipes/84768-best-pound-cake-recipe
Rose Levy Beranbaum, White Spice Pound Cake from The Cake Bible
https://www.realbakingwithrose.com/blog/2008/10/25/happy_20th_birthday_dear_cake
Anna Olson, Lemon Pound Cake
https://annaolson.ca/project/lovely-lemon-pound-cake/
Uncooked bottom indicates that the cake did not bake long enough. If the top of the cake starts to brown too quickly, loosely cover with foil and bake until toothpick or tester comes out with a few dry crumbs.