This Vanilla Bean Pound Cake has a dense texture, buttery flavor, and lots of vanilla bean flecks. Enjoy slices of this easy pound cake recipe with fresh berries and homemade whipped cream for the best summer dessert ever.
Another delicious way to enjoy this moist pound cake is to top it with a big spoonful of this Blueberry Honey.
A few months ago I was looking in one of our least used cupboards when I came across two recipe boxes. These boxes are stuffed with old recipes I had written down from magazines when I was in junior high and high school.
I actually had forgotten all about them being in there, so it was kind of fun to pull them out and look through them. The only thing about these recipes is that I didn’t write down the name of the magazines where I found them, so I have no idea where they came from.
But that’s not going to stop me from going through the box and finding some fun new recipes to make and share.
Easy Pound Cake Recipe:
The first recipe that caught my eye was an easy recipe for pound cake from scratch. Since I have never actually made a classic pound cake before, I decided this was happening right away.
The was really easy to follow, baked up great, looked great, tasted great, BUT it was slightly under done and gummy in places. Not quite what I was looking for.
So, I decided to play around with the baking temperature and baking time. And FIVE pound cakes later, I found the perfect heat and time for this moist pound cake recipe.
Yes, I said 5…FIVE…5 stinking, delicious pound cake loaves later we had the winning combo for this old fashioned pound cake recipe.
What is a pound cake?
The name pound cake comes from the original recipe where they used a pound each of butter, sugar, eggs, and flour. You can imagine the size and density of this cake, so over time the recipe has been modified to make a smaller, lighter cake.
The ingredients for a traditional pound cake have also been changed slightly to give the cake a different texture. Different people and countries use other extracts and favorings to give the cake unique and delicious flavors. You can also add dried fruits to it.
What You’ll Need:
- Butter – unsalted or salted butter will give it a rich buttery flavor
- Sugar – sweetens the batter
- Eggs – adds moisture and richness
- Flour – use the spoon and sweep method to add just the right amount of flour
- Salt – balances out the sweetness
- Heavy Whipping Cream – makes the pound cake very moist and creates a light, soft crumb texture
- Vanilla Bean Paste – adds a great flavor and vanilla bean specks throughout the cake
How to make Vanilla Bean Pound Cake:
Step One: Prep.
- Preheat your oven to 325 degrees.
- Spray a 9×5 loaf pan with nonstick spray.
Step Two: Batter.
- Beat the softened butter and sugar in a bowl on medium speed for 4 minutes.
- Add the large eggs to the butter mixture one at a time. Make sure to beat each one in before adding another one.
- Stir together the flour and salt in a separate bowl.
- Add the flour mixture and whipping cream alternately to the butter mixture while slowly mixing it in.
- Stir the vanilla bean paste in gently. Using the paste will give you lots of vanilla bean specks throughout the vanilla pound cake.
Step Three: Bake.
- Spoon the pound cake batter into the prepared pan and bake it for 50 minutes.
- Place a piece of tin foil over the top of the cake and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes.
Step Four. Cool.
- Let the vanilla pound cake loaf cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes.
- Flip it out onto a cooling rack. Make sure you flip it back upright as soon as it comes out. If you don’t, you will have grid marks on the top of the vanilla bean pound cake.
Recipe Tips:
- Set the butter out ahead of time. You want it to be soft and at room temperature before you beat it. This can take 30 minutes to an hour depending on how warm your kitchen is.
- Do not stop beating the sugar and butter mixture early because this is what is adding air bubbles to the batter. This will cause your cake to rise and bake right. The more bubbles are in your mixture, the lighter in texture your cake will be. It also gives it a finer crumb texture.
- Use the same amount of vanilla extract, if you do not have vanilla bean paste.
- Do not over mix the batter. Make sure to stop beating it as soon as everything has been mixed together properly.
How to Serve Pound Cake:
- By Itself. This pound cake is absolutely delicious as is. Trust me, we devoured five loaf cakes in no time at all. The vanilla bean paste gives it such an amazing flavor.
- Whipped Cream and Fruit. You can use this Whipped Cream recipe (or Cool Whip) and fresh berries to make this classic pound cake look fancy. Try this Spiced Whipped Cream to add a little bit of spice to the fruit and cake. Any berry will work, so use your favorite or whatever is in season at the time. BRUCREW TIP: using raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries gives this easy pound cake a fun Fourth of July look.
- Ice Cream and Syrup. Add a scoop of your favorite ice cream and either a chocolate or fruit syrup to a slice of pound cake. This Strawberry Chia Jam or this Cherry Preserves recipe would taste great on it. You can also cut the loaf horizontally into 3 layers. Place one layer back in your loaf pan and top it with softened ice cream. Repeat the layers and then freeze for 4-6 hours or overnight.
- Bananas and Pudding. Cut slices of pound cake into 1 inch cubes. Layer the cubes with your favorite flavor of pudding and sliced bananas in small cups or in one large trifle dish for a fancy summer time dessert.
- Chocolate Fondue. Cut the pound cake into 1 inch cubes and serve it with your favorite chocolate fondue. You can also skewer the cubes with fruit and marshmallows for easy dipping.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Can pound cake be made ahead of time?
Yes, this vanilla bean pound cake recipe can be made ahead of time. Store it in a tightly sealed container for 3-4 days or in the refrigerator for 5-7 days.
Can pound cake be frozen?
You can freeze the baked cake. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and foil, then place in a freezer safe bag or container. It will keep for 4-6 months. To thaw, place in the refrigerator overnight, then unwrap and place on the counter to come to room temperature before serving.
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More easy homemade desserts:
- Best Flourless Chocolate Cake
- Cheesecake Apple Pie
- Dark Chocolate Cake
- Cherry Filled Cupcakes
- Microwave Lava Cake
- Chocolate Banana Cheesecake
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Vanilla Pound Cake Recipe
The Best Vanilla Bean Pound Cake recipe has a dense texture, buttery flavor, and lots of vanilla bean flecks. Enjoy a slice with fresh berries and homemade whipped cream for the best summer dessert ever.
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla bean paste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Spray a 9x5 loaf pan with nonstick baking spray.
- Beat the butter and sugar on medium speed for 4 minutes. Do not shorten this time as it needs to be light and creamy.
- Add the eggs one a time to the butter mixture, making sure to beat each one in.
- Stir together the flour and salt. Add this and the heavy cream alternately to the butter mixture until everything is mixed in.
- Add the vanilla bean paste and stir in gently. Spoon the cake batter into the prepared pan.
- Bake for 50 minutes. Place a piece of tin foil lightly on top of the cake and bake an additional 15-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with only a few crumbs.
- Remove and cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes. Flip the cake out onto a cooling rack. Make sure to flip the cake back over, so you do not get grid marks on the top of the cake. Cool completely before serving.
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
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AmazonBasics Nonstick Carbon Steel Bread Pan - 9.5" x 5", 2-Pack -
KitchenAid Stand Mixer with Pouring Shield, 5-Quart, Empire Red
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Gourmet Pure Vanilla Bean Paste - Organically Grown, Contains Whole Vanilla Seeds from Hand Picked Heilala Vanilla Pods, All Natural, Superior to Tahitian, Mexican or Madagascar Paste
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 316Total Fat: 17gSaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 104mgSodium: 205mgCarbohydrates: 37gFiber: 0gSugar: 25gProtein: 4g
Macy Brown From MakeTheBread says
This is an amazing Jocelyn..and looks sooo yummy & sounds so delish. this is perfect for summer dessert, more healthy as well as..Thanks for sharing a fabulous recipe….!