Vanilla Bean Pound Cake Recipes

VANILLA BEAN POUND CAKE

Steps:

• Position oven rack in the lower third of the oven; preheat oven to 325°.
• Place the vanilla bean on a small cookie sheet and toast for 8-10 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and let cool; break into 1-inch pieces (if the vanilla bean is already brittle, it does not have to be toasted).
• Place the sugar and vanilla bean pieces in the work bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade.
• Pulse 3-4 times, then process for 1 minute.
• Pulse another 3-4 times and process for another minute.
• Pass the mixture through a fine strainer, discarding any particles of vanilla bean, and set aside.
• Generously butter a 9-inch Bundt pan, dust with flour, then invert it over the sink and tap firmly to remove the excess flour; set aside.
• In a large bowl, thoroughly whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda together; set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, process the butter on medium speed until smooth, about 1 minute.
• Add in the cream cheese, 1 piece at a time, and continue to mix until smooth and creamy.
• Add the sugar, 2 tablespoons at a time, taking 6-8 minutes, scraping down the side of the bowl as needed.
• Add 2 of the eggs, one at a time, beating for 1 minute after each addition.
• Whisk the remaining eggs with the milk and vanilla until well blended; set aside.
• Decrease mixer speed to low, and add the dry ingredients alternately with the liquid ingredients, dividing the flour into four parts and the liquid into 3 parts, beginning and ending with the flour.
• Scrape down the side of the bowl and mix for 10 seconds longer.
• Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with the back of a large spoon.
• Bake for 1 hour and 10-15 minutes; the cake is done when the top is golden brown and firm to the touch, and a pick comes out clean.
• Remove from the oven and place the cake on a cooling rack for about 20 minutes.
• Invert the pan onto the rack and carefully lift it off; let the cake cool completely .
• Dust with powdered sugar before serving.
• Store under a glass cake dome or covered with plastic wrap for up to 5 days; the cake may be frozen.

VANILLA BEAN POUND CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a food processor, grind vanilla bean and sugar until vanilla is as finely chopped as it can get, about one minute. Sift this mixture twice, making sure all larger pieces have been filtered out. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, cream the butter with an electric mixer, then gradually add the vanilla sugar, continuing to beat until well creamed and smooth. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually add the flour and salt, beating constantly. Add the vanilla and lemon juice and continue beating until well blended.
• Grease and flour a 10-inch tube or bundt pan. Pour in the batter and ''spank'' the bottom of the pan to distribute the batter evenly. Bake until a straw inserted into the cake comes out clean, about 1 hour 15 minutes, taking care not to overcook. Turn cake out onto a rack and let cool.

VANILLA CREAM CHEESE POUND CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Spray two 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 x 2 1/2-inch metal loaf pans with the baking spray and sprinkle the insides of the pans with the demerara sugar, tilting the pans to cover evenly.
• Place the butter, cream cheese, and granulated sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on medium speed for 2 1/2 to 3 minutes, until light and creamy. Scrape down the bowl with a rubber spatula to be sure it's well mixed. With the mixer on low, add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well and scraping down the bowl before adding the next egg. Mix in the vanilla extract and vanilla seeds.
• Combine the cake flour and salt in a medium bowl. With the mixer on low, slowly add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, scraping down the bowl and beater with a rubber spatula. Mix the batter with the spatula to be sure it's well mixed. Divide the batter evenly between the two loaf pans, smooth the tops, and bake in the center of the oven for 60 to 70 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of each cake comes out clean.
• Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for 30 minutes, then carefully turn them out and cool completely on a baking rack.

VANILLA POUND CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease a fluted tube pan (such as Bundt®) with canola oil and dust with powdered sugar.
• Beat butter until creamy; add white sugar gradually. Add eggs one at a time, beating well. Add vanilla extract. Add cake flour and whipping cream alternately, beginning and ending with flour. Pour into the prepared pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Let cool in the pan for about 5 minutes before removing to a plate to cool completely.

VANILLA POUND CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a 6-cup (8 1/2-by-4 1/2-inch) loaf pan; set aside.
• Using an electric mixer on high speed, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition; add vanilla and salt. With mixer on low, gradually add flour, beating just until combined (do not overmix).
• Bake until a toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean, about 1 hour (tent with aluminum foil if browning too quickly). Let cool in pan 15 minutes. Invert onto a wire rack, and turn upright to cool completely.

VANILLA-BEAN CAKES

Steps:

• Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour 2 7 1/2-by-3 1/2-by-2 1/2-inch loaf pans (or equivalently sized pans) and set aside. Prepare an insulating layer for the cakes by stacking one baking sheet on top of another, or use an insulated baking sheet.
• Sift the flour and baking powder together and reserve. Place the vanilla seeds and sugar in a bowl and rub them together until the sugar is aromatic. Add the eggs and, using a whisk, beat until foamy and pale. Add the crème fraîche, then the rum, then the salt and whisk until each is incorporated. Using the whisk or a rubber spatula, stir the flour mixture into the batter in 4 additions to produce a smooth, thick batter. Finally, fold in the butter in 2 to 3 additions.
• Immediately pour the batter into the loaf pans, place them on the baking sheet(s) and slip them into the oven. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until the cakes are crowned, split down the center and golden. A knife inserted into the center of each cake should come out dry. (Check the cakes at the 40-minute mark. If they are browning too quickly, cover them with foil tents for the remainder of the baking.) Remove the cakes from the oven and turn them out of the pans onto a cooling rack; invert them so that they're right side up. Allow the cakes to cool to room temperature before serving.
• Wrapped in plastic, the cakes will keep at room temperature for about a week.

RICOTTA POUND CAKE WITH VANILLA BEAN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease an 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch loaf pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.
• Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl.
• Cream together ricotta, butter, and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 7 minutes. Mixture will look somewhat grainy and curdled--this is normal. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, mixing well after each addition. Beat batter an additional 2 to 3 minutes on medium-high speed after adding the last egg. Mix in almond extract.
• Use a small paring knife to slice vanilla bean in half lengthwise. Scrape the seeds out of each half and add to the batter. Mix on low speed until vanilla seeds are evenly dispersed.
• Add half of the dry ingredients to the batter, mixing until only just combined. Mix in remaining dry ingredients until just combined. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan and smooth the top. Tap pan lightly on the counter a few times to remove air bubbles.
• Place pan into preheated oven and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 70 to 75 minutes. Allow cake to cool in the pan for 30 minutes. Gently run a knife around the edges of the cake to loosen, the remove to a wire rack to cool completely.

VANILLA BEAN POUND CAKE WITH GINGER GLAZE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Butter two 5-by-9-inch loaf pans. Combine flour and salt in a bowl.
• Cream butter and sugar with a mixer on high speed until pale and fluffy, for 8 minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl. Reduce speed to medium, and add seeds of vanilla bean.
• Lightly beat eggs, and add to mixer bowl in 4 additions, mixing thoroughly after each and scraping down sides. Reduce speed to low, and add flour mixture in 4 additions, mixing until just incorporated. Divide batter between pans. Tap on counter to distribute; smooth tops.
• Bake until a tester inserted into center of each cake comes out clean, about 65 minutes. Let cool in pans on a wire rack for 30 minutes. Remove from pans, and let cool completely on wire rack.
• Make the glaze: Heat milkand sliced gingerin a saucepan over medium heat until milk begins to simmer. Let cool; discard ginger. Stir inconfectioners' sugar.Drizzle over cooled cakes. Sprinkle chopped candied ginger on top.