Craving a slice of pure, buttery bliss? Get ready to master the ultimate pound cake, a deceptively simple treat that delivers maximum flavor and moistness.
We're unlocking the secrets to this classic, revealing how just four humble ingredients – butter, sugar, eggs, and flour – create baking magic.
Ingredients
To get started, you'll need a handful of ingredients to make this stuffing extra special! First, grab about 8 heaped cups of plain white bread—crust on, please—cut into 1-inch cubes. Don't overthink it; standard sandwich bread works best.
Next up, you'll need 1 pound of good-quality pork sausages. Trust me, the better the sausage, the better the stuffing! Then, 3 tablespoons of unsalted butter, because everything's better with butter!
Now, dice half an onion and slice one large celery stalk about 1/8-inch thick—we're going for a little crunch! Finally, dice one Granny Smith apple into 1/5-inch cubes—skin on to keep it real. And don't forget nuts!
Now, we're going to use exactly 1/3 cup of pecans, roughly chopped. This is going to be amazing!
Instructions
Now that we've gathered our ingredients, let's jump into making this mouthwatering stuffing! Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). This temperature is ideal for ensuring a moist pound cake.
Spread the bread cubes on a tray—a bit squished is perfectly fine. Bake for about 8 minutes—until they're lightly toasted and crispy outside, but soft inside. It's like making giant croutons! Transfer into a large bowl.
Next, cook the sausage in a skillet with a teaspoon of butter. Break it up as you go, until golden and scrumptious! Pour it over the bread—yes, *all* the yummy fat, too!
Sauté the onions in the same skillet with remaining butter until softened. Add celery and apple—cook for 3 minutes more. Simmer pecans, chicken stock, cream, sage, thyme, salt, and pepper for 2 minutes. Pour over bread!
Recipe Notes
Since we're aiming for stuffing perfection, I've got a few extra notes to share with you! You can use plain, boring white bread–it's the best! Avoid artisan breads; they're too chewy. Adding a blend of celery and onion will enhance the savory flavor.
When measuring bread, pile those cubes high! Day-old bread is good, but toasting helps either way.
Use good sausages! You'll want to see visible speckles of meat. Plain pork works great, but Italian or apple cider sausages? They're tasty too!
Chop pecans or walnuts before measuring.
You can make this ahead! Store the bread separate and combine the sausage and liquid mixture, then store it in the fridge.
Got leftovers? Stuffing muffins are genius! Mix 2 cups stuffing with an egg and a tablespoon of milk. Bake them at 350°F (180°C) for 15–20 minutes. It's like breakfast and stuffing had a baby!
Nutrition Information
Let's check out the nutrition facts, so you know what you're getting into with this scrumptious stuffing! I'm not gonna lie; it's rich, but oh-so-worth it. A serving rocks around 360 calories – about 18% of your daily intake. Not bad, right?
Now, onto the carbs. We're clocking in at 24 grams, which is 8% of your daily value. Then there's a respectable 13 grams of protein – 26%! Gotta love those sausages!
But then…the fat is 24 grams (37%), where saturated fat accounts for 9 grams and that is 56% of daily value. Cholesterol isn't skimping either at 57mg (19%). Plus, sodium, at 625mg (27%)!
Quickly, Vitamin A's at 6% and C? Merely 2%. Calcium gives 8% and Iron 11%. Keep in mind that these are estimates — it depends on your ingredients.
Short Recipe Version
Best Pound Cake
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 60 minutes
Serving size: 12
Ingredients:
1 cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions:
- Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Beat in eggs one at a time.
- Gradually add flour, alternating with milk, and mix until just combined.
- Stir in vanilla extract.
- Pour batter into a greased and floured loaf pan.
- Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Nutrition Information (per serving, estimated):
Calories: 350
Fat: 18g
Saturated Fat: 11g
Cholesterol: 120mg
Sodium: 150mg
Carbohydrates: 45g
Sugar: 30g
Protein: 4g