Whipped Vanilla Pound Cake

This post is part of BlogchtterA2Z2023′-W for a Whipped Pound Cake. Baking and I are very “hail fellow well-met” friends (we rarely meet) I bake only when I feel like it! The daughter is home for a long stay after many years but is on a diet. She doesn’t touch carbs and out of the blue, she chirps she wants to bake a Vanilla Pound Cake. I almost fell off my chair as she barely knows the way to the kitchen and here she was talking about baking a cake! And who would eat it? Me, of course, the guinea pig! My darling daughter baked this cake.

Pound cakes were called thus as the original recipes contained one pound of butter, sugar, eggs, and of flour. The pound cakes we make today usually have fewer proportions, but they are still wonderfully rich, moist, and buttery, with a lovely golden brown crust. Esha, my daughter, liked the recipe of Stephanie Jaworski, Joyofbaking.com.

Unique batter

I am so proud that she baked the cake on her own and on her first attempt. This pound cake has a slightly unique method to mix the batter. Usually, we cream the butter and sugar first and then beat the eggs, and then fold in the flour and milk. This recipe uses what we call the ‘quick method’. Put all the dry ingredients first into a mixing bowl and then add room temperature butter, along with the liquid ingredients, and beat into the batter. This makes the cake softer and gives it a tender texture. Just remember to have all the ingredients at room temperature and to make sure you follow the instructions on mixing.

You can enjoy a slice of this cake plain with just a dusting of powdered sugar or with whipped cream or ice cream; it is truly a king among cakes.

Recipe For Vanilla Pound Cake

Ingredients

3 large eggs, room temperature

3 tablespoons milk, room temperature

1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups (150 grams) sifted cake flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

 3/4 cup (150 grams) granulated white sugar

13 tablespoons (1/2 cup + 1/3 cup) (185 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and place rack in centre of oven. Butter or spray with a nonstick oil spray, a 9 x 5 x 3 inch (23 x 13 x 8 cm) loaf pan.

Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper and butter or spray the paper. I didn’t have both, so I just use aluminium foil and it worked just as well.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, and vanilla extract.

In the jar of your electric mixer, with the paddle attachment (or with a hand blender) place the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar) and mix on low speed for about 30 seconds or until blended. Add the butter and half of the egg mixture. Mix at low speed until the dry ingredients are moist. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat for about one minute to aerate and develop the cake’s structure. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Gradually add the remaining egg mixture, in 2 additions, beating about 30 seconds after each addition to incorporate the egg and strengthen the cake’s structure.

Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula or the back of a spoon. Bake for about 55 to 65 minutes or until the cake is golden brown, and a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean. If you find the cake browning too much as it bakes, cover it with a piece of lightly buttered aluminium foil after about 30 minutes.

Remove the cake from the oven and place it on a wire rack to cool for about 10 minutes. Remove the cake from the pan and cool completely on a lightly buttered wire rack.

Cover the Pound Cake and store it for several days at room temperature, for one week when refrigerated, or freeze it for two months.

The Vanilla Pound Cake tasted just perfect; soft, moist and delectable, and I am one happy mother hen gloating over my daughter’s baking prowess!