Description
Ina Garten’s vanilla cream cheese pound cake delivers rich, buttery perfection with classic flavor profiles. Home bakers will savor each delectable slice of this elegant dessert that promises comfort and indulgence.
Ingredients
Scale
- ¾ lb (340 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 8 oz (226 g) cream cheese, at room temperature
- 6 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
- 2 ½ cups (500 g) granulated sugar
- 3 cups (360 g) sifted cake flour, measured after sifting
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) pure vanilla extract
- 1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped
- 1 teaspoon (5 g) kosher salt
- 3 tablespoons (45 ml) demerara or turbinado sugar, such as Sugar in the Raw
- Baking spray with flour, such as Baker’s Joy
Instructions
- Preparation: Preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C) with the rack centered, ensuring an ideal baking environment for the pound cake.
- Pan Setup: Thoroughly spray two metal loaf pans with baking spray, then dust the interiors with demerara sugar to create a caramelized, crystalline exterior.
- Creaming Process: In an electric mixer, combine softened butter, cream cheese, and granulated sugar, whipping at medium speed until the mixture transforms into a light, voluminous, and pale cream (approximately 3 minutes).
- Egg Integration: Reduce mixer speed, adding eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly and scraping the bowl between additions to ensure complete incorporation.
- Flavor Enhancement: Gently fold in vanilla extract and freshly scraped vanilla bean seeds, infusing the batter with deep, aromatic vanilla notes.
- Flour Incorporation: Sift cake flour and salt together, then gradually add to the butter mixture at low speed, mixing until just combined and avoiding overmixing.
- Baking Preparation: Distribute the batter evenly between the prepared pans, smoothing the surfaces with a spatula to create a uniform top.
- Baking Process: Place in the preheated oven and bake for 60-70 minutes, testing doneness with a toothpick that should come out clean when inserted into the cake’s center.
- Cooling Stage: Let the cakes rest in their pans for 30 minutes, then carefully invert onto a wire rack to cool completely, allowing the structure to set and flavors to develop.
Notes
- Optimize Butter Temperature: Ensure butter and cream cheese are genuinely room temperature, soft but not melting, for the smoothest, most luxurious cake texture.
- Vanilla Bean Magic: Using fresh vanilla bean seeds alongside extract elevates the flavor profile, creating a more complex and rich vanilla essence.
- Demerara Sugar Trick: Coating pan interiors with demerara sugar creates a delightful caramelized crust that adds unexpected crunch and depth to the cake’s exterior.
- Mixing Mastery: Mix ingredients thoroughly but gently, avoiding overmixing which can develop tough gluten and result in a dense, less tender pound cake.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 470
- Sugar: 54 g
- Sodium: 200 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 14 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 61 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 180 mg