The greatest desserts are the ones that are a blank canvas and allow you to showcase your creativity. Enter the humble pound cake . This dessert received its moniker because its first recipe used a pound each of flour, sugar, butter, and eggs.
More often than not, this cake is baked in a loaf pan. There is nothing overly sophisticated or elegant about it, well, that is, not until Jacques Pépin transforms it into a gourmet treat using nothing more than the pound cake and jam. In a YouTube video, Pépin explains that using a favorite jam like you would your favorite buttercream frosting can give your pound cake a celebratory vibe.
What you will love about this addition is it doesn't require a lot of mixing, whipping, or blending, meaning you won't have a lot of dishes to wash. He starts by shaving off all sides of the cake so that they are nice and even. The famed French chef then turns this loaf into a multi-layer treat.
Be choosy about the jam flavor Jacques Pépin slices his poundcake up into three different layers, but you can create as many layers as you want depending on how thin or thick you want to make each cut. Frost each layer with your jam. To thin an overly thick jelly or preserves, Pépin suggests popping it in the microwave, but don't do so for too long or it will turn into a boiling and syrupy mess.
Once your chosen jam (Pépin prefers raspberry) is the consistency you want it to be, spoon some on each layer, spread it with a spatula, and stack it up like .
