Description
Ina Garten’s honey vanilla pound cake delivers rich, moist perfection with classic baking techniques. Home bakers can easily craft this elegant dessert that pairs wonderfully with afternoon tea or evening coffee.
Ingredients
Scale
- ½ pound (225g) unsalted butter, at cool room temperature
- 4 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 ¼ cups (250g) sugar
- 2 cups (240g) sifted cake flour
- 2 tbsps (30ml) honey
- 2 tsps pure vanilla extract (10ml)
- 1 tsp grated lemon zest
- 1 tsp kosher salt (5g)
- ½ tsp baking powder (2g)
Instructions
- Preparation: Grease an 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch loaf pan, line with parchment paper, and dust lightly with flour to ensure smooth cake release.
- Oven Setup: Position rack in center and preheat to 350°F, creating optimal baking conditions for a delicate pound cake.
- Butter Mixture: Cream unsalted butter and granulated sugar in a stand mixer until pale and fluffy, developing a light, airy base for the cake.
- Liquid Ingredients: Whisk together eggs, honey, vanilla extract, and lemon zest in a separate bowl, blending aromatic flavors that will permeate the cake.
- Ingredient Integration: Gradually add egg mixture to butter-sugar base, incorporating each component thoroughly to maintain a silky, uniform texture.
- Dry Ingredient Preparation: Sift cake flour, kosher salt, and baking powder through a fine-mesh strainer to eliminate potential lumps and ensure even distribution.
- Batter Completion: Fold sifted dry ingredients into wet mixture using low mixer speed, mixing just until combined to preserve the cake’s delicate structure.
- Baking Process: Pour batter into prepared pan, smoothing the surface evenly, and bake for 50-60 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cooling and Serving: Rest cake in pan for 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing and enjoying the honey-infused treat.
Notes
- Precision Matters: Accurately measure ingredients using kitchen scale for consistent results, especially with flour and butter.
- Room Temperature Tip: Ensure eggs, butter, and honey are at room temperature to create smoother, more uniform batter with better incorporation.
- Mixing Magic: Stop mixing immediately when dry ingredients are just combined to prevent tough, dense cake texture.
- Storage Secret: Wrap cooled cake tightly in plastic wrap and store at room temperature for up to 3 days to maintain moisture and freshness.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 400
- Sugar: 31g
- Sodium: 220mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 14g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 48g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 105mg