You need to make this. I’ve tried my share of pound cake recipes, and this, by far, is my favorite. In fact, I might even go as far as to say: this is my favorite recipe of all time. Butter, cream, delicate cake flour, and sugar come together beautifully in this dense and moist cake. I made this pound cake on Friday afternoon and my house smelled of browned butter all weekend. I knew I’d found THE RECIPE, when I took my knife to slice it into manageable pieces. As my serrated knife made contact first with the slightly crunchy exterior and then with the buttery, dense middle, I called out to Ryan, “this is going to be HEAVEN.” And it was.
In other, non-butter news. I taught my first week of classes at the community college here…and I’m thrilled to be back at work. My students seem lovely (we still like each other…it’s only been one week) and Lucy was a champ with her papa. I’m navigating essay assignments and stored breastmilk. I’m eating dinner on campus (yet again) while checking my phone to make sure that Lucy’s finished her bottle. It’s far more complicated than what work was before…but I’m happy to be doing it, and I feel blessed to have such a great community to support me (and Lucy) in the process.
Very Best Pound Cake
2 sticks (1 cup butter) room temperature
3 cups sifted cake flour (sift before measuring)
3/4 teaspoon salt
3 cups granulated sugar
7 large eggs, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup heavy cream
Do not preheat oven. Line two standard loaf pans with parchment paper.
Stir together sifted flour and salt into a bowl. Beat together butter and sugar in the bowl of your stand mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition, then beat in vanilla. Reduce speed to low and add half of flour, then all of cream, then remaining flour, mixing well after each addition. Scrape down side of bowl and then beat at medium-high speed for an additional 5 minutes. Batter will become creamy and satiny.
Spoon batter into prepared pans and rap against counter once or twice to eliminate air bubbles. Place pans in cold oven and turn oven on to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Bake until golden brown and a wooden pick or skewer inserted in middle of cake comes out with just a few crumbs adhering, about 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes. Cool cake in pan for 30 minutes before removing. Allow to cool completely before slicing.
