If you’re on the search party for a fantastic vanilla pound cake recipe, I’ve got you covered. This Best-Ever Vanilla Bean Pound Cake is moist, fluffy, and delectable on its own or topped with freshly whipped cream and berries.
YOU GUYS.
This pound cake is EVERYTHING. EVERYTHING, I tell you!
And it’s SO EASY. I promise.
Most of you wouldn’t know, but I have an issue with the 9″ loaf pan.
Growing up, we had glass loaf pans and we also never used them because nobody cooked in my house. I’m certain my mom bought them as an illusion so guests would think she spent weekends gently mixing together banana bread batter before feeding her children with the fruits of her labor.
(Although on second thought, what guest would be rummaging through our kitchen cupboards on a solo mission to find loaf pans? Not even I would do that, and I’m hella weird.)
ANYWAY. Once I started baking, I realized I really don’t like glass loaf pans because they never consistently cooked my banana bread. The bottom would be overcooked and the top would be wonky. It was just this whole thing and I really despised those pans, so I started using disposable foil pans.
Those are a game-changer! First, it’s easy to pawn off your treats because you don’t have to worry about whether or not your friend will hoard your Great Aunt Milly’s precious antique loaf pan for too long, and you can just toss ’em or even wipe them clean and reuse them afterward.
But then I went out and bought myself a nice light metal loaf pan thinking I would be left with the glass loaf pan curse. I baked this in my new loaf pan, basically putting a voodoo hex on the pound cake before I even put it in the oven because I am cynical.
But it worked! Oh, did it work. This cake is GLORIOUS. And of course, this recipe will work with any pan you have but with likely *slighty* different results. When baking loaves of things (banana bread, pound cake, meatloaf) I really recommend using a lighter metal baking pan as it personally bakes more consistently to me. Dark pans tend to cook faster, and glass pans – well, it depends on what the Farmers Almanac says for that day because glass pans just dumbfound me, y’all.
(Side note: I know that’s going to be on my tombstone. Hayley Parker – Glass Pans Dumbfounded Her)
ANYWAY, no matter how ya slice it, you’re going to want to bake this Vanilla Bean Pound Cake. It is so supremely moist and flavorful, with little flecks of vanilla bean swirled throughout in every bite. It’s the perfect thing to snack on straight-up, but it’s also an amazing vehicle for dressing up freshly whipped cream and assorted berries for a lovely dessert, or cube it up and toss it in a trifle.
What are you waiting for? Find your trusty pan and make it!
*adapted from Southern Lady Magazine
The Best Vanilla Bean Pound Cake
Author: Hayley Parker, The Domestic Rebel
Recipe type: Cakes/Cupcakes
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 9
This Vanilla Bean Pound Cake truly is the BEST pound cake I’ve ever had or made! Moist, buttery, delicious cake with a tender crumb and beautiful flecks of vanilla beans swirled throughout every bite.
Ingredients
- ¾ cup salted butter, softened
- 1 & ½ cups granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise and seeds scraped (I recommend Rodelle vanilla beans)
- 1 & ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup heavy whipping cream
- Fresh whipped cream or whipped topping and berries for serving, optional but recommended
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Spray a 9″ rectangular loaf pan with cooking spray lightly. Place a piece of parchment in the pan and up the sides and spray again. This will make the cake much easier to lift out.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter and sugar on medium speed until fluffy and pale in color, about 3 minutes. Gradually add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla bean seeds to combine, followed by half of the flour.
- Mix together the vanilla extract and the heavy cream and pour half into the mixer, beating on low speed until incorporated. Follow with the remaining flour and lastly, the remaining heavy cream mixture until a soft batter has come together. Spread the batter into the prepared pan.
- Bake for approx. 1 hour to 1 hr 15 mins or until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean or with moist – not wet – crumbs. Cool completely before slicing. NOTE: If you notice halfway through the baking time that the cake is browning too quickly, loosely tent the top of the loaf pan with foil.
3.5.3226
Moist, flavorful, tender pound cake bursting with fresh flecks of aromatic vanilla beans. This pound cake is SO divine!
Have a super sweet day!
xo, Hayley
