I love when spring time rolls around and strawberries flood the grocery stores and farmer’s markets! What I love even more is making this super easy vanilla bean pound cake to go with them. It’s dense, moist, buttery and flecked with vanilla bean seeds. Top it with ripe berries and homemade whipped cream and you’ve got yourself a little slice of heaven.
This recipe couldn’t be easier. It’s my go-to loaf recipe for pound cake. You can make it as-is or easily alter it (like I did here) to incorporate whatever flavor combo you want. I decided to go with vanilla bean this time (and added a hint of lemon zest). If you don’t have vanilla bean paste I’d suggest scraping the inside of 1 vanilla bean and adding 1 ½ tsp. of vanilla extract to the batter. It’ll taste just as amazing!
Somehow no matter what I do to it, it always bakes up beautifully with a domed top and a crack down the center. If you do decide to give this recipe a try, just make sure to follow the directions carefully, butter/flour your 9×5 pan (use this size and not any smaller) and watch it during the final 10-15 minutes. Mine usually takes about 55 minutes to 1 hour to bake, but oven temperatures and baking times always vary.
Let it cool, slice it, and load it up with berries and cream. You’ll be glad you did 🙂 Happy baking!
Vanilla Bean Pound Cake Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
- 16 Tbsp (2 sticks) butter - room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla bean paste *
- 5 eggs - lightly beaten
- 1/3 cup sour cream
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Lightly grease one 9×5 loaf pan with butter, then lightly dust with flour, set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together the sugar, butter and vanilla for 3 minutes medium-low. Add beaten eggs, mixing to incorporate.
- In a small mixing bowl whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. With mixing speed on low, gradually add dry ingredients along with the sour cream, lemon zest and lemon juice. Mix on low for an additional 30 seconds after all of the dry ingredients have been added.
- Pour batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Give the pan 2-3 taps on the counter to remove an air bubbles. Place in the preheated oven and bake for 1 hour or until the top becomes golden brown in color and is set (the crack may still look a little moist, as long as it doesn't wiggle it's ok). Remove from oven and allow to cool in the pan for 30 minutes before removing and transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
NOTES
Nutrition
Recipe source: Life Made Simple
This is so heavenly! It’s soft & light, which i love!
This is not only beautiful, but it has the best texture and flavor! Such a simple dessert for a summer BBQ.
WOAH! THIS IS STUNNING!
Thanks Meriem!
Can u double it 4 me I’m using a round pan with hole in middle
I want to make this in a round cake pan with a whole in the middle.
Hi Pat. For a 10-cup bundt pan you’d do one full recipe + 1/2 recipe. Does that make sense? Baking time will have to be adjusted accordingly.