Piece of cake!

Some might consider them to be daunting, but pound cakes are actually quite easy and simple to bake. Here are three tasty, kosher recipes.

By ELIZABETH KURTZ, GOURMETKOSHERCOOKING.COM
Pear-Pecan Coffee Cake (photo credit: courtesy)
Pear-Pecan Coffee Cake
(photo credit: courtesy)
Some cooks are intimidated by cakes – they seem like too much work.  Some guests are intimidated by them as well – no one wants to make the first cut.  But the truth is cakes can be easy to make, taste fantastic and, with very little trouble, look like showstoppers. 
Pumpkin Cake with Tofutti Cream Cheese Icing (you can use real cream cheese but then it is no longer pareve)
2 cups sugar2 cups canned pumpkin1-1/2 cups oil4 eggs2 cups flour2 teaspoons baking soda2 teaspoons baking powder2 teaspoons cinnamon½ cup shredded coconutIcing:6 ounces tofutti cream cheese4 tablespoons margarine½ teaspoon vanilla1 cup powdered sugar
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Beat together all ingredients until well combined.  Pour into greased Bundt pan.  Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, checking after 40 minutes to make sure you don’t overcook.  Cool in pan for 10 minutes before removing to wire rack to finish cooling.  Beat together icing ingredients and spread over cake.
Pear-Pecan Coffee Cake
Streusel:
1 cup chopped pecans (better if toasted)
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/3 cup flour
¼ cup margarine
Filling:
2 pears, peeled and sliced
2 teaspoons lemon juice
½ cup margarine, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1-3/4 cups flour
¾ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 cup tofutti sour cream
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a small bowl, combine the pecans, brown sugar, cinnamon and flour.  In another bowl, place flour and margarine.  Cut in margarine until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.  Add ¾ cup of the nut mixture to the flour and margarine.  Set aside.
Toss pears with lemon juice.
In a large mixer bowl, cream together the margarine and sugar until fluffy.  Beat in eggs, one at a time.  Add vanilla.  Stir together flour, baking powder and baking soda and add to mixture alternately with the tofutti sour cream, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients.  Spread 2/3 batter in greased 9-inch spring form pan.  Top with reserved nut mixture (the one without the margarine and flour) and pears.  Cover with remaining batter and then sprinkle with topping.  Bake for 50 to 55 minutes.  Cool on wire rack for 10 minutes.  Loose and remove sides.  Continue cooling on rack.
Rum Cake
1 cup (2 sticks) margarine, at room temperature
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
3 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
¾ cup soy milk or nondairy creamer
¼ cup rum
Glaze:
¾ cup sugar
1/3 cup rum
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Cream together margarine and sugar until fluffy.  Beat in eggs, one at a time.  Stir together flour and baking powder.  Add to mixture alternately with soy milk, beginning and ending with dry ingredients.  Stir in rum.  Pour into greased 9-inch Bundt pan.  Bake for 60 to 70 minutes.  Cool in pan for 10 minutes before removing to wire rack to finish cooling.  Prepare glaze by heating sugar and rum over medium heat until sugar is dissolved.  Brush over warm cake.
More great recipes can be found at www.gourmetkoshercooking.com