Classic Pound Cake

Tags: #cake #classic #butter #baking Serving: 10 slices Total time: 2 hours

A timeless, fine-crumb butter cake made with equal parts butter, sugar, eggs, and flour using the creaming method.

Ingredients

• 225g unsalted butter, room temperature
• 225g caster sugar
• 225g eggs, room temperature
• 225g cake flour
• 3g fine sea salt
• 5ml pure vanilla extract
• 5g unsalted butter, for pan

Steps

1. Preheat the oven to 170°C.
2. Grease a 23×13×7 cm loaf pan with 5g butter.
3. Line the pan with parchment on the bottom and long sides.
4. Sift the cake flour with the salt.
5. Fit a stand mixer with the paddle attachment.
6. Add the room-temperature butter to the mixer bowl.
7. Beat the butter on medium speed for 60 seconds.
8. Add the caster sugar to the bowl.
9. Cream on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes.
10. Scrape down the bowl and paddle.
11. Whisk the eggs with the vanilla in a separate bowl.
12. Stream the egg mixture into the creamed butter on medium speed.
13. Beat until the mixture is smooth and airy.
14. Scrape down the bowl.
15. Add half of the sifted flour mixture to the bowl.
16. Mix on low speed until just combined.
17. Scrape down the bowl.
18. Add the remaining flour mixture to the bowl.
19. Mix on low speed until no dry streaks remain.
20. Scrape down the bowl.
21. Fold the batter 5 times by hand with a spatula.
22. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan.
23. Smooth the surface with an offset spatula.
24. Tap the pan firmly on the counter 3 times.
25. Place the pan on the middle oven rack.
26. Bake for 40 minutes.
27. Rotate the pan 180 degrees.
28. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes more.
29. Check that the center registers 96°C.
30. Test with a skewer for clean crumbs.
31. Transfer the pan to a wire rack.
32. Cool in the pan for 15 minutes.
33. Run a thin knife around the short sides.
34. Lift the cake out using the parchment.
35. Peel away the parchment.
36. Cool on the rack until just warm, about 45 minutes.