The poundcake made by chef Dawn Burrell gets a bit of a savory tang thanks to the soft cheddar cheese incorporated into the batter and sprinkled over the top of the cake while it bakes. It’s excellent served with tea or afternoon coffee by itself, but its Brandy Caramel Apples move it to the dessert area (add an Ice cream to push the cake to the next level). You can bake one big cake in a Bundt or tube pan or two cakes in loaf pans.
Ingredients
Cheddar Cheese Pound Cake
- 2 3/4 cups sugar, divided
- 6 ounces cheddar cheese (such as Kerrygold savory cheddar), shredded
- 1/4 cup evaporated mil
- 1 cup (8 ounces) unsalted butter, softened
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened (1 cup)
- One teaspoon of vanilla extract or vanilla paste
- Five eggs
- 3 cups about 13 ounces) all-purpose flour
- 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup shredded mild cheddar cheese, divided
Brandy Caramel Apples
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 2. Huge Pink Lady or Fuji apples, thinly cut with skins on (1 1 pound)
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- Three tablespoons brown sugar
- One teaspoon of kosher salt
- 1/2 cup (4 ounces) apple brandy
Directions
Make the Cheddar Cheese Pound Cake:
- Heat oven to 350°F. Spray baking pans using baking spray. Pour 1/4 cup sugar inside the pan and turn it over evenly over the entire interior. Set aside.
- Put shredded cheddar cheese in a food processor. The milk that evaporates is heated in a small saucepan on moderate heat until it reaches a simmer. Pour the hot milk over the cheese into a blender. Blend the cheddar mixture quickly until it becomes an even cheese sauce. Transfer the cheese mixture to an unassuming bowl and cool; place it in a bowl to cool completely.
- Use an electric hand or stand mixer with paddles, cream cheese, butter, and 2 1/2 cups of sugar until fluffy and light in a large bowl. Mix in vanilla extract or beans, and mix until thoroughly. Add eggs, one at a moment, mixing until all eggs are in the mix. After fully integrating the last egg, combine on medium for 5 minutes to let the batter aerate. Batter.
- Mix in cheese sauce and mix until well integrated. Mix baking powder, flour, and salt in a separate bowl. Add the flour mixture to the batter in three additions while mixing at a low speed in between each addition until the flour is entirely in. Add 1 cup of mild cheddar cheese you shredded into the batter and combine. Pour the cake batter into the cake pans that you have prepared, and divide it equally in the case of two loaf pans.
- If baking one big cake inside a Bundt pan and bake for 25 minutes, cook it for another 20 minutes. Remove the cake from the oven and cover it with the remaining half cup of shredded mild cheddar cheese. Bake cake again and bake for 50-60 minutes, until golden on the top and a toothpick inserted into the middle is clean. If baking two cakes using loaf pans, bake them for at least 15 minutes. Remove the cakes from the oven and spread half of the mild cheddar cheese into two portions over the top of each cake. Bake the cakes again and bake for 40 to 45 minutes until the cakes are golden on the top, and a cake tester inserted into each center emerges clean. Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool on the cooling rack for about 15 minutes. Use a knife to cut the cake from the edges of the pan. Gently transfer the cake onto an air-tight cooling rack.
Make the Brandy Caramel Apples:
Make butter melt in cast iron or heavy skillet at high temperatures. Once the butter starts bubbling, bring the apples into the skillet. Cook the apples until lightly caramelized. Mix in brown sugar and cook until the sugar has melted. Then, deglaze the pan using apple brandy. Add sugar, stirring, and cook for 3 minutes until caramel thickens. Set aside until ready for serving. Serve the Brandy Caramel Apples on top of Cheddar Cheese and Pound Cake.
