Description
Ina Garten’s vanilla cream cheese pound cake combines rich dairy ingredients with classic baking techniques for an elegant dessert. Creamy texture and delicate vanilla notes make this cake perfect for afternoon tea or special gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 sticks (340 g) unsalted butter (room temperature)
- 8 oz (226 g) cream cheese (room temperature)
- 6 extra-large eggs (room temperature)
- 3 cups (375 g) cake flour (sifted)
- 2 ½ cups (500 g) granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
- Seeds from 1 vanilla bean
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 3 tbsps demerara or turbinado sugar
- Baking spray with flour (for greasing)
Instructions
- Preparation: Preheat oven to 325°F (163°C) and prepare two 9-inch by 5-inch loaf pans by coating with cooking spray and dusting with Demerara sugar for a caramelized exterior.
- Creaming: Utilize an electric mixer to blend softened unsalted butter, room temperature cream cheese, and granulated sugar at medium speed until the mixture transforms into a pale, voluminous, and airy consistency, roughly 3-4 minutes.
- Egg Integration: Lower mixer speed and incorporate eggs methodically, ensuring thorough blending after each addition while meticulously scraping bowl sides for uniform mixture.
- Flavor Infusion: Delicately fold in pure vanilla extract and vanilla bean seeds, allowing aromatic elements to disperse evenly throughout the batter.
- Dry Ingredient Incorporation: Sift cake flour and salt together, then gradually introduce to the creamy base on low speed, mixing until just combined to maintain a light, tender texture.
- Baking Process: Distribute batter evenly between prepared pans, smoothing surfaces to eliminate air pockets, then position in oven center and bake for 60-70 minutes, rotating midway to ensure consistent golden browning.
- Doneness and Cooling: Verify cake completion by inserting a clean toothpick into the center; when it emerges clean, remove from oven and allow to rest in pans for 30 minutes before transferring to a wire rack for complete cooling.
Notes
- Optimize Butter Temperature: Use room temperature butter, cream cheese, and eggs for smooth, even mixing that creates a luxuriously soft cake texture.
- Prevent Overmixing: Mix dry ingredients just until combined to maintain the cake’s delicate, tender crumb and prevent a tough, dense result.
- Sugar Coating Trick: Dust loaf pans with Demerara sugar for a caramelized, crispy exterior that adds delightful crunch and subtle sweetness.
- Cooling Technique: Let cakes rest in pans for 30 minutes before transferring to a wire rack, ensuring structural integrity and easier removal.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 11
- Calories: 510
- Sugar: 58 g
- Sodium: 250 mg
- Fat: 26 g
- Saturated Fat: 16 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 64 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 150 mg