Vanilla Pound Cake

 

Delicious vanilla pound cake is timeless in every sense. It does have a buttery, soft crumb and a luscious glaze, and it begs to be topped with fresh fruit and whipped cream.

 

For the cake:

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 cup unsalted butter

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

4 large eggs

2 cups all-purpose flour

 

For the vanilla glaze

3 tablespoons butter, melted

1 cup powdered sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 to 3 tablespoons milk

 

Preheat the oven to Fahrenheit. To make a sling, butter and line an 8-inch loaf pan with parchment paper. Beat sugar, butter, and vanilla extract in a large mixing basin with an electric hand mixer or in the bowl of a stand mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 8 minutes. Scrape the bottom of the basin. Continue to beat for 30 seconds. Add the eggs one at a time, waiting until each one is well integrated and scraping down the bowl before moving on to the next. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour and beat just until a batter forms, but there are still some flour streaks visible. Finish folding the dough together using a spatula. It should be somewhat thick.

 

Smooth the top of the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Bake the cake for 60 to 70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Take the cake out of the oven. All while heated, run a thin knife along the edges, then cool for 15 minutes in the pan before unmolding. Let to thoroughly cool on a wire rack. Melted butter, sugar, and extract should all be combined in a mixing bowl. 1 tablespoon at a time, add the milk until the glaze is creamy and pourable. Drizzle the glaze over the cooled cake. Your cake may be served right away, or you can wait for the glaze to dry before covering it with plastic wrap and storing it on the countertop.