I love the French name for pound cake – weekend cake. The English name is so prosaic, a sort of short-hand recipe. The French name is functional in the best way, evoking family meals, snacks for adventures, and impromptu gatherings with friends. It’s a simple, sturdy cake that’s welcome at almost any occasion.
Its simplicity is also what makes it so open to variation. This week’s cake has elements of a standard orange pound cake, but the flavour is deepened by the addition of bay leaves and it’s finished with an orangey, boozy glaze.
I skipped a couple of steps, based on the pre-post comments at Cook the Book Fridays, leaving off the extra bay leaves at the bottom of the pan and not piping the extra tablespoon of butter down the centre of the loaf before baking. I think it’s a lovely cake, but I’d like to know if anyone knows:
- Which side was meant to be the top of the cake? (Bay leaf pattern on top?)
- What function the piped butter serves?
I’m still munching away on this cake and I’ve shared over half of it, so it’s a substantial loaf that will get you through the weekend and give you a head start on your work week, too.
You can read through everyone’s posts here. And consider joining this community of wonderful cooks and lovely people, as we work our way through David Lebovitz‘ My Paris Kitchen.
One Wet Foot 
I can imagine the piped butter will make your cake more moist, but the leafs at the bottom aren’t really clear for me to. Maybe somebody else?
Teresa your cake is so bright and yellowish, truly a perfect. pound cake. I could not see the reason for the bay leaves at the bottom, perhaps just to be different.
Which side was meant to be the top of the cake? (Bay leaf pattern on top?) – looks like bay leaf on bottom
What function the piped butter serves? – no idea!
I loved this cake in its orange iteration and will make it again!
Lovely yellow tone of the cake. You must have gotten some very yellow organic eggs. I guess the piped butter works like the dough being scored so that air can escape in the pattern you draw. Don’t know which side should be up. If my guess is right on the first, then the bay leaves should be at the bottom.
I think a thick slice, toasted and slathered with marmalade, will be great with my morning or anytime coffee! Great post, by the Way!
I was confused about top/bottom, so left them on the bottom, but it was a pain to have to pay attention to them when slicing the cake… David says the pipe of butter was supposed to deepen the crack on top of the cake. My cake did not crack, though yours did. This is a perfect sharing cake, with a cup of tea, of course!