Ivy’s Favorite Pound Cake

The secret to the best pound cake is a cold oven. I know the cardinal rule of every baking recipe is “always be sure to preheat the oven,” but this is one exception. By starting the cake in a cold oven, you end with a thick, golden, caramelized crust reminiscent of a crunchy meringue. I’ve also never met a pound cake lighter and fluffier than one that started in a cold oven. Baking it low and slow gives the leavening more time to work before the cake sets, making it taller and fluffier. Plu