Vanilla Pound Cake is buttery, moist, sweet but not too sweet and slightly dense. It is good with coffee or tea and can be served for breakfast or dessert. Top with whipped cream and fresh berries for a dessert that is sure to impress!
- 1 cup unsalted butter (250g) room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar (200g)
- 2 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ cup whole milk (125 ml) room temperature
- 4 large eggs room temperature
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour (180g)
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- Oil for greasing pan
- Flour for dusting pan
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Preheat oven. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (180 degrees Celsius).
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Grease and flour baking pan. Pour half a tablespoon of oil into a 9 by 5 inch loaf pan. Brush the pan with the oil ensuring the oil completely coats the pan. Add a tablespoon of flour to the pan and tap the pan to ensure the flour completely coats the pan. Discard the excess flour.
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Beat butter and sugar. Place butter and sugar in a bowl and beat using an electric beater until light and fluffy (you could use a fork as well - it will require more time but totally doable.) It takes about 3 minutes for the butter and sugar to be light and fluffy while using an electric mixer.
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Add wet ingredients. Add the vanilla extract and milk to the butter and sugar mixture and beat to combine. Add the eggs to the mixture one at a time, lightly beating after each egg is added.
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Add dry ingredients. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into the egg mixture.
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Mix the batter. Beat everything until just combined. Do not overmix. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan. Level the top using a spatula and gently tap the pan to ensure the batter is evenly distributed.
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Bake. Place the pan into the prepared oven and let it bake until golden brown and a wooden skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Start checking around 40 minutes. If the cake is browning too quickly, loosely cover it with aluminum foil.
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Cool and serve. Place cake on wire rack to cool then remove the cake from the pan, slice and serve.
Tips for bringing cold ingredients fast to room temperature:
- To bring cold butter quickly to room temperature, place 1 stick of butter in the microwave and heat it up for 10 seconds. You only need about 10 seconds for the butter to soften. If you overheat it, it starts to melt.
- To bring cold eggs to room temperature, place the eggs completely submerged in a bowl of lukewarm water.
- To bring cold milk to room temperature place one cup of milk in the microwave and heat it up for 10 seconds. Then stir the milk and use. Stirring the milk helps mix up the portions that are slightly warm with those that are cold.