What’s your favorite Elvis story?
I can vividly remember his appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show (oh boy, does that ever date me). You see, the Ed Sullivan Show appeared on Sunday nights during the time when I was normally at church (being the good Baptist child that I was). But when you beg and plead and cry and whimper and beg and plead, you just might get to stay home and watch. As long as you agreed to never, ever beg and plead again.
Or, at least, until the Beatles appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show.
I was pretty young and wasn’t quite sure who this Elvis guy was. But I had an older cousin who was definitely “into” Elvis. She knew every word to every song and was constantly singing those to any audience she encountered.
I figured she was pretty cool so this Elvis guy must be pretty cool himself. Little did I know.
Cool was a mild way to put it, wasn’t it?
We’re celebrating his birthday today, January 8, with his favorite pound cake according to Jane and Michael Stern, authors of Roadfood.com.
We all know August 16, marks the anniversary of the death of Elvis Aaron Presley, but I am here to tell you that the King is Alive! I know because he was seen on stage with Celine Dion during an American Idol broadcast where he delivered a phenomenal performance. Certainly, it was absolutely far better than any of those Elvis impersonators could possibly do. Therefore I KNOW WITHOUT A DOUBT and will swear on my latest issue of National KnowItAll, a highly respected news magazine, that this was the REAL thing. Just to prove it to you, I have included this secretly recorded public video to prove that this actually did occur.
Enjoy it while you chow down on this absolutely delicious pound cake.
Me? I’m headed to the kitchen to cook up a batch of peanut butter cookies. I might even throw in a little bacon. The King would be so proud!
I might even put on a copy of Blue Hawaii (my favorite) to watch while making these. What about you? What’s your favorite Elvis movie?
Here are a few Elvis-inspired recipes I cooked up for a segment on THV11:
Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Roasted Banana Bread,
Elvis Banana Peanut Butter Muffins with Petit Jean Bacon,
Peanut Butter and Banana Stuffed French Toast
Elvis Presley’s Favorite Pound Cake
Notes
Spray nonstick pans with nonstick spray just before filling. Otherwise, the nonstick spray tends to puddle in the bottom of the pan.
This cake keeps well for about 5 days in an airtight container.
Adapted from Epicurious. com and Food.com.
HINT: All out of cake flour? No problem. 1 cup 1- 2 Tablespoons all-purpose + 2 Tablespoons cornstarch = 1 cup cake flour. Be sure to sift these together.
What's the difference in cake flour and all-purpose flour? Cake flour has a protein content (which becomes gluten) of about 8% which is less than all-purpose flour at 10-11%. You want a lower protein for cakes so they will be light and not tough.
I tried making this cake in a large bread pan one time, It worked but nearly as well as the tube pan. The longer cooking time required caused a heavier crust than I desired. Perhaps dividing the batter between smaller loaf pans would work, but I have not personally tried that.
Ingredients
- 3 cups granulated sugar
- 1/2 pound unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 7 eggs, at room temperature
- 3 cups cake flour, sifted with 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
- Place rack in middle of oven. Do not preheat.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together sugar and butter until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
- Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Reduce mixer speed to low.
- Gradually add in 1/2 of the flour followed by the cream; mix well.
- Add in remaining flour and vanilla, stirring to combine.
- Spray a 10-inch rube pan with Baker's Joy™. (See notes.)
- Pour batter into prepared pan.
- Place in a COLD oven and set the heat to 350°.
- Bake 60-70 minutes, until a tester inserted in cake comes out clean.
- Cool 30 minutes on a wire rack before removing from pan. Run a knife around the edges before removing
- Cool completely on a wire rack.
Don’t have an Elvis story but you did inspire me to do a PB&J recipe! Your PB Pie looks delicious!
Elvis has always been the love of my life since I was 4 years old. See my story here:
http://justjoycee.blogspot.com/2009/02/love-me-tender.html
I love peanut butter too. Great recipes, look soooo delicious!
Love the music!!!
Thank you for your visit and leaving a comment or I would never have found you, sweetpea!! I didn’t know any of this information! What a treat to learn of it………
xoxo,
Connie
One of the highlights of my life was visiting Graceland man, many years ago. Such fun.
…and Peanut Butter? Yes, please. I could (and do) eat it right out of the container. I feel deeply sorry for anyone with an allergy.
I saw him on Beale Street myself last week! I have a picture posted of the American Idol top 10 when they visited Graceland last month! Thanks for a great post and tribute to Elvis!
Sorry…forgot to say that Love Me Tender is my favorite Elvis flick. Blue Hawaii is another. My husband and I visited Kauai 20 years ago. Of course, we HAD to stay at the Coco Palms, where Blue Hawaii was filmed!
Okay, I’ll stop now!!
Thanks for hosting this, Debbie! What fun!!
My favorite Elvis movie has to be Blue Hawaii. Lots of yummy good recipes here! Thank you, thank you very much 🙂
Christi
Debbie, Hi!Thanks for the review of Elvis and his life.
and all the peanut butter recipes.
so cute
xoxo
We go through peanut butter like crazy in my house…and it’s mostly my boyfriend who eats it. He puts like an inch of it on his sandwiches!
I’ve never been to Graceland or the home where Elvis was born. Thanks for the post and tribute to Elvis.
What a great post!! I will be back for the Elvis Story!!!! Will have to get mine prepared and will Link Up!!!! this will be fun!
Can you believe I have NO favorite Elvis story. Believe it or not I never liked him as a singer. I’m un-American!! What’s wrong with me. Hugs!
Debbie, Thanks for the review of Elvis and his life…and all the peanut butter recipes.
Glad you are feeling better.
Come see me.
Barbara
Ohmygosh, those peanut butter recipes sound DESLISH! I guess I’ll just have to do a little baking this week, won’t I☺
I was living in Chattanooga when Elvis died. For about three weeks the newspaper had facts about his death and his life on the front page of the paper. Elvis’ death hit Tennessee like a tornado and it swirled around for weeks before it died down. The State Treasure of Tennessee died when Elvis took his last breath.
I watched the video again and have to tell you that is the most incredible thing I have ever seen! Talk about chills and tears…That was so REAL! How Celine must feel to be apart of that!! Didn’t Elvis look great? That’s how I choose to remember him, looking good!!!!
What yummy recipes! I’m not usually a dessert eater but I know the guys would gobble up all of these and fast!
Elvis was so beautiful. I remember the shock when he passed… wow, has it really been that long ago?
I don’t watch Idol, but this is a wonderful clip, thank you for sharing it. Like having him back for just a moment, wasn’t it?
Now, about those peanut butter cookies… 😉 Nothing smells better in the oven, except maybe fresh bread. I’m bookmarking this post so I can play with them on a rainy day.
Off to play in the sun. Hope your weekend is wonderful.
Julia @ Drawn to the Sea
I loved Elvis too, and I remember the day he dies. What a voice!
I fell in love with him in 1956,senior in high school…and..
Oh, wait…why don’t you do a
“Tell us your Elvis Presley story” and let us all link up with Mr. Linky?? That would be a BLAST..so..just in case you do this, I’ll save my story…..:O)
Love Elvis. Did you know they have an All-Elvis channel on satellite radio? “Hound Dog” was the first record I ever bought.
My mother loved Elvis – and she still does.
I remember exactly where we were when he died. We were in Richards (a large department store) in Lauderhill Mall (Fort Lauderdale). They announced it on the overhead speaker.
It was a tragedy. And, he could sing a hymn so well.
It’s a shame that he died way too young!
thanks for stoping by my blog and for the invite to join in here will have a look and see what I can come up with going to have a go at some of those recipes they sound yummy
this all sounds AMAZING!!!! thanks for stopping by my blog and leaving a comment!
shannon
Amazing recipes,no wonder he put so much weight on! I think I’ll have to try just a few…
Thanks so much for visiting me – I’m glad the blog hints were helpful! Have a great weekend.
Hi Debbie, thanks for the great recipe and for coming by yesterday.
I will join the Crockpot meme soon as I am a crockpot fan!!
Have a wonderful Sunday.
Barb
I love your brownie recipe. I, alas, have no Elvis story, but I love to read those of gals who do. I hope you are having a wonderful day.
Thanks Mary. So glad you are enjoying the brownies:)
What a great tribute to Elvis and thanks for the yummy recipes. I’m still making my PS rounds (1 day late).
Please stop by The Old Parsonage anytime, I love company!
Enjoy!
Thank you! So glad you stopped by.
I think I surely must have seen Elvis on Ed Sullivan because we always watched it, but my first big memory of being a true fan was when Love Me Tender came to our theater. My friend saved me a seat, but because it “sold out.” They turned me away. We must have been in the 5th or 6th grade, so I”m dating myself big time. He got much better at acting by the time he made Blue Hawaii. Loved seeing him in his prime here. And thanks for the explanation about cake flour and the substitute for it.
You bet! You and I are about the same age, I think. I was more “in love” with Ricky Nelson than Elvis at the time and was devastated when he died. I can still sing all the words to the Big Bopper’s Chantilly Lace. Now, who is dating herself!
Looks like I am the only one so far who is truly from the “Heart of Elvis Country.” I live about 20 minutes from “the birthplace” and about an hour and a half from Memphis and Graceland. Elvis is indeed still alive, and our local tourism economy can attest to it! We owe Elvis a great deal for what he has done and continues to do for our area!!
Almost all people my parents’ age actually saw Elvis perform all around these parts – from town squares to county fairs. Many of his family members still live in the area.
I can still remember that late, hot summer day that I received a call from my friend Barry telling me that Elvis had died. We were both 14 years old. Everyone here was devastated. Can you imagine any area having a better “favorite native son” than Elvis?!
I have just returned home from a birthday party for a friend who has the unfortunate distinction of having been born on the same date Elvis would die. His family made him a neat decorated Elvis birthday cake for the party!
We love Elvis here and gladly share him with the rest of the country – the world!
If y’all have never been to the birthplace or Graceland, I extend a cordial Southern invite for y’all to “come see us sometimes!”
What a great heritage. I’ve never been to Graceland — just keep saying we should go, especially since it’s so close. Thanks for stopping by:)