All That's Left Are The Crumbs: Vanilla Bean Pound Cake ~ #TheCakeSliceBakers

November 20, 2022

Vanilla Bean Pound Cake ~ #TheCakeSliceBakers

This classic Vanilla Bean Pound Cake is is rich and decadent and oh so buttery,

and perfection when topped with sliced strawberries and whipped cream.

The Cake Slice Bakers are in their eleventh month of baking through Zoë Bakes Cakes by Zoē François. We are almost finished baking through this cake-centric cookbook and what a joy it has been. Such great recipes - something for every occasion and every baker, no matter what their experience level is. This is a book that I will be baking from for a very long time.

The Cake Slice Bakers are a group of dedicated bakers who all love cake. Each year we choose a new cake-centric cookbook and bake our way through it. Every month we are given 3 choices and on the 20th day of each month we reveal what we have chosen on our blogs. This month's choices were Vanilla Bean Pound Cake, Grandma Ellen's Trinidad Rum Cake, and Mod Yule Log. For me, you can't beat a pound cake, although I was tempted by the Mod Yule Log - which will go on my To Try List.

Not only was this a breeze to mise en place since the main ingredients were each a pound, it was quick to mix together and get in the oven, and it made two loaves. I loved the flavor of this cake and I served one loaf sliced and covered with strawberries and whipped cream and the other plain. This is a very versatile cake and you could switch it up adding citrus like orange or lime, or kick it up with some nice warm spices, or add some espresso powder for a coffee kick and top it with some chocolate-covered espresso beans. You may have noticed that this cake actually has no chemical leavener and instead relies on whipping lots of air into the butter until it is light and fluffy to create the rise in the oven. This cake is rich and decadent and quite dense, and oh so buttery.

Vanilla Bean Pound Cake

Printer Friendly Recipe

Ingredients

Cake ~

455g (1 lb) butter, at room temperature
455g (1 lb) powdered sugar
30ml (2 tablespoons) vanilla extract
scraped seeds from one vanilla bean
4g (2 teaspoons) citrus zest (optional)
455g (1 1b) eggs (about 9 large), at room temperature
455g (1 1b) all-purpose flour
5g (1 teaspoon) kosher salt
120ml (½ cup) Powdered Sugar Icing

Confectioners Sugar Icing ~

120g (1 cup) powdered sugar, sifted
45ml (3 tablespoons) heavy whipping cream, plus more as needed.

Preparation

Cake ~

Preheat the oven to 165℃ (350℉).
Generously spray two 20cm x 10cm (8in x 4in) loaf pans with baking spray and then line them with parchment paper.
In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter on medium-high speed until creamy and smooth - about one minute.
Turn the mixer speed to low, add the powdered sugar to the butter, and mix until incorporated.
Turn the speed to medium-high and beat until very light and fluffy, about five minutes, scraping the bowl often for even incorporation.
Add the vanilla extract, vanilla seeds, and citrus zest (if using) and mix until incorporated.
Turn the speed to medium-low and add the eggs, one at a time, beating until just incorporated and scraping the bowl after every couple of eggs.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour and salt.
Add one-third of the flour mixture to the butter mixture, mixing on low speed just until combined.
Repeat with another one-third flour and then the final one-third, scraping the bowl and paddle after each addition.
Scrap the batter into the prepared pans, smoothing the tops and tapping the pans on the counter a few times to release excess bubbles.
Set the pans on a baking sheet and place in the oven.
Bake until the cakes are golden and a cake tester comes out clean, about 1 hour and 10 minutes.
Let the cakes cool in pans for 10 minutes, then invert onto serving plates and let cool completely.
Pour the icing over the cakes and let set before serving.

Confectioners Sugar Icing ~

In a small bowl, combine the powdered sugar and cream, then stir with a spoon to mix into a thick paste.
Add additional cream, 30ml (1 tablespoon) at a time, to achieve a consistency that can be drizzled over your cake. You should be able to draw a line through the icing with the back of a spoon.
Use immediately.

Each month The Cake Slice Bakers are offered a selection of cakes from the current book we are baking through. This year it is Zoë Bakes Cakes by Zoē François. We each choose one cake to bake, and then on the 20th - never before - we all post about our cake on our blogs. There are a few rules that we follow, but the most important ones are to have fun and enjoy baking & eating cakes!

Follow our Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest pages where you can find all of our cakes, as well as inspiration for many other cakes. You can also click on the links below to take you to each of our cakes. If you have a blog and are interested in joining The Cake Slice Bakers and baking along with us, please send an email to thecakeslicebakers at gmail dot com for more details.

The Cake Slice Bakers also have a new Facebook group called The Cake Slice Bakers and Friends. This group is perfect for those who do not have a blog but want to join in the fun and bake through this book.