Chestnut pound cake

A very dear friend of mine got me a package of chestnut flour as a gift – yes, we’re the kind of people who love giving/getting food as gifts. :)

I have never seen that flour around here, and the minute she gave me the package she said: “make Alice Medrich’s chestnut pound cake as soon as you can”. I did as I was told – four times already, to be honest – and I’m forever in debt with my friend: this is one of the best cakes I have ever had. EVER.

Chestnut pound cake
from Pure Dessert

1 ¾ cup + 1 tablespoon (255g) all purpose flour
1 cup (126g/4½oz) chestnut flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
4 large eggs
1 cup (226g/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
2 cups (400g) caster sugar
2/3 cup (160ml) buttermilk
1/3 cup (80ml) dark rum

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F; butter two 5-cup capacity loaf pans, line with baking paper and butter the paper as well.
Sift together three times the all purpose flour, chestnut flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt together into a medium bowl. In a small bowl, whisk the eggs lightly with a fork.
In the large bowl of a mixer, beat butter until creamy. Add the sugar in a steady stream and beat until light and fluffy. Beating constantly, add the eggs gradually to the mixture.
Stop the mixer, add 1/3 of the flour mixture, beat on low speed until flour is absorbed. Stop the mixer; add half the buttermilk and half of the rum. Repeat with half of the flour mixture, then all the buttermilk and rum. Scrape the sides of the bowl, add the remaining flour, beat until absorbed. Scrape batter to pan and bake until risen and golden and a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean (50-55 minutes).
Remove from oven, set over a wire rack and cool in the pan for 20 minutes. Carefully unmold and let cool completely over the rack.
Can be frozen for up to 3 months (wrapped airtight).

Serves 16