Pound Cake

Named because it traditionally was made with one pound each of flour, butter, and sugar, plus eggs, pound cake always is basic. A cook might add vanilla or almond extract, sour cream for dairy tang, or baking powder to lighten it up a bit, but it’s never fancy on its own. On the other hand, its sturdy nature makes it an ideal pallet for all kinds of piled-on culinary whimsy: fruits, ice cream, syrups. Torn into little pieces, it becomes an ingredient in audacious desserts. At Miss Jane’s Restaurant in Warrenton, Georgia, locals love what is billed as strawberry salad: sugared and finely chopped berries, little chunks of pound cake, and Cool Whip, all whirled together.