Incredibly Easy Vanilla Bean Pound Cake Recipe - 1 Pod Only
Pound cake has always been a go-to recipe for any occasion. But, if you're looking to spruce things up, try our vanilla bean pound cake recipe!
Servings: 10 slices
Equipment
- Small chopping board
- Sharp pointed knife
- Small spoon
- 9x5-inch loaf pan
- Non-stick baking paper
- Non-stick cooking spray (or additional melted butter)
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Mixing bowls
- Electric or hand mixer
- Rubber or silicone spatula
- Cooling Rack
- Tray or large plate
Ingredients
Ingredients for the pound cake
- 3/4 - 1 vanilla bean
- 1 cup salted butter, softened at room temperature
- 1 cup fine caster sugar
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 cups cake flour, sifted
Ingredients for the frosting
- 1/4 vanilla bean
- 1/2 cup milk, room temperature
- 4-5 cups confectioners sugar, sifted
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Prepare the vanilla beansTo start, you will first need to prepare the vanilla beans.First, place the vanilla bean flat onto a cutting board. Then, slice it lengthwise down the center. You can split it in half.Use a small teaspoon or the back of a knife to gently scrape the gooey vanilla paste out of the pod. As you scrape off some sections, place them into a small bowl. This way you can see as you scrape the pod, making sure you get every last bit.If you are only using vanilla beans for the pound cake, 3/4 to 1 whole bean will be enough. And, if you are making a glaze, we'd recommend using a 1/4 bean. Trust us, it will be enough to impart a fantastic flavor.3/4 - 1 vanilla bean
- Cream the butter, vanilla, and sugarPreheat your oven to 360ºF (180ºC). Line a loaf pan with non-stick baking paper and cooking spray.Then, in a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter and vanilla paste you have. Remember, if you are also making a glaze, only use 3/4 of the paste for the cake. The remainder will go to the glaze.Then, cream them together until they are well combined. You should see little black vanilla specks throughout the creamed butter.1 cup salted butter, softened at room temperature
- Add the sugar and eggsNext, add the fine sugar to the butter. Then, beat them at medium-high speed until they become fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. The butter will also lighten in color and become a pale off-white.Then, you can add your large eggs one at a time. Mix the batter well and scrape the bowl down after every addition. All of the ingredients need to be evenly combined.1 cup fine caster sugar, 4 large eggs, room temperature
- Finish the cake batter and bakeFinally, gently add the cake flour and mix it until your batter just comes together. You don't want to overmix the cake batter.Then, pour it into your lined loaf pan and bake it for 1 hour. Check the progress of the cake around the 45-minute mark to prevent overbaking the cake. Test the doneness using a toothpick or cake tested.Once your cake is fully baked, remove it from the oven and allow it to cool.2 cups cake flour, sifted
- Make the glazeFirst, whisk together the vanilla paste and milk. Allow the mixture to stand for 15 minutes. This will help the flavor to infuse properly.Then, whisk in the powdered sugar and salt. Only start with 4 cups of sugar. this way, you can easily thicken the glaze with more if you'd want to. Whisk until you have a completely smooth glaze.1/4 vanilla bean, 1/2 cup milk, room temperature, 4-5 cups confectioners sugar, sifted, Pinch of salt
- Assemble the cakePlace the cooled cake onto the cooling rack. Place this rack over a tray or large plate.Then, pour the glaze over the entire loaf cake until it is completely covered. Add any garnishes if you'd like before the glaze sets. Then, simply leave it out until the vanilla bean glaze hardens.Serve immediately or store it inside an airtight container.
Notes
You can freeze the scraped vanilla beans or excess vanilla paste for later use. They can be used to infuse liquids. Because these beans are so expensive, you don't want any part to go to waste.
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