It's called pound cake because it was made with a pound each of the following ingredients: butter, eggs, flour, sugar. It's not usually made that way anymore though. Now, people add pudding mixes to their pound cakes, and even bricks of cream cheese.
Pound cake is very dense and buttery, and very rich in flavor. It can definitely stand alone without icing. Here is a really good (tried and true) recipe for a pound cake. I have served this with strawberry and blueberry sauce.
http://www.food.com/recipe/elvis-presleys-favorite-whipping-cream-pound-cake-36806
its a pretty standard recipe in the uk, not as much as victoria or maderia sponge though. it is not dry and hard if made properly, its just a bit firmer, is tigher crumb the phrase im after? delicious and easy to work with anyway! plus on tv shows they are not always making real pound cake - they are making pound cake that is actually drier or over baked so it can be manhandled much more (particuarly shows like food network challenge).
xx
its a pretty standard recipe in the uk, not as much as victoria or maderia sponge though. it is not dry and hard if made properly, its just a bit firmer, is tigher crumb the phrase im after? delicious and easy to work with anyway! plus on tv shows they are not always making real pound cake - they are making pound cake that is actually drier or over baked so it can be manhandled much more (particuarly shows like food network challenge).
xx
ta for that 
i see your from scotland to where abouts?
edinburgh its worth looking at www.bsguk.org great site with local meetings too which are good fun!
xx
you might not have a local meeting then, lol. but the forum is good too
xx
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