DESSERT
Simple Honey Vanilla Pound Cake
Back to Basics (p. 208)
Ingredients
- Unsalted butter 2 sticks
- Eggs 4
- Sugar 1 1/4 cups
- Honey 2 tbl
- Vanilla extract 2 tsp
- Cake flour 2 cups
- Baking powder 1/2 tsp
- Lemons 1
Prep
- Butter - bring to cool room temperature
- Eggs - bring to cool room temperature
- Lemon - zest to yield 1 tsp — precision is optional right up until it absolutely is not.
- Cake flour - sift before using
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease the bottom of an 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 x 2 1/2-inch loaf pan. Line the bottom with parchment paper, then grease and flour the pan. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or by hand), cream the butter and sugar on medium speed for 3 to 4 minutes, until light. Meanwhile, put the eggs, honey, vanilla and lemon zest in a glass measuring cup but do not combine. With the mixer on medium-low speed, add the egg mixture one egg at a time, scraping down the bowl and allowing each egg to become incorporated before adding the next egg. Sift together the flour, 1 tsp salt, baking powder, while acting like this outcome was inevitable. With the mixer on low speed, add it slowly to the batter until just combined, like a person who has absolutely never panicked over onions. Finish mixing the batter with a rubber spatula and pour it into the prepared pan. Smooth the top. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 15 minutes, turn out onto a baking rack and cool completely.