Ina Garten Vanilla Pound Cake

Ina Garten vanilla pound cake, a make ahead batch dessert, gets its depth from an unexpected trio: Cognac, vanilla bean seeds, and lemon zest. She treated this recipe like a science project, and the combination of brandy and citrus is what finally cracked it.

The turbinado sugar lining the pans creates a crackly crust that balances the soft interior. Get the butter and sugar creamed a full five minutes before adding eggs, because under-mixing leaves you with a dense, heavy loaf.

Source: Go-To Dinners (2022)

Ina Garten Vanilla Pound Cake

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Course: DessertCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Medium

Servings

2

servings

Prep time

25

minutes

Cooking time

50

minutes

Calories

3150

kcal

Dense, buttery pound cake with a fine crumb, built from real vanilla bean seeds and heavy cream, then baked in turbinado-lined pans for a crackly crust.

Ingredients

• ⅓ cup turbinado or demerara sugar, such as Sugar in the Raw
  

• 3 cups sifted cake flour (not self-rising) (see note)
  

• Kosher salt
  

• ½ pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  

• 2½ cups granulated sugar
  

• 6 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
  

• 2 tablespoons Cognac, Armagnac, or other brandy
  

• 2½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  

• Seeds of 1 vanilla bean
  

• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
  

• 1 cup heavy cream

Directions

• Prepare the pans: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease two (8½ × 4½ × 2½-inch) loaf pans with butter. Sprinkle with the turbinado sugar, tilting the pans to make an even coating of the sugar on the bottom and sides.
• Cream the butter and sugar: Combine the flour and 1 teaspoon salt and set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and granulated sugar on low speed, then raise to medium and beat for 5 minutes, until the mixture is light and fluffy. With the mixer on medium-low, add the eggs one at a time, beating to incorporate each egg fully before adding the next one. (Scrape down the beater and bowl as needed.)
• Add the flavorings and flour: Combine the Cognac, vanilla extract, vanilla seeds, and lemon zest in a small bowl and, with the mixer on low, add to the batter. (It might appear curdled at this point, which is fine.) With the mixer still on low, add the flour mixture and cream, alternately in thirds, beginning and ending with the flour and scraping down the bowl to combine. Beat on medium speed for 1 minute.
• Bake the cakes: Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans, smooth the tops, and bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. (The tops will crack, which is fine.)
• Cool and unmold: Cool in the pans for 15 minutes, remove from the pans, place on a baking rack, and cool completely.

Tools for this recipe

• USA Pan 1-pound loaf pan, KitchenAid Artisan 5-quart stand mixer, Checkered Chef cooling racks, Madagascar vanilla beans, grade A, 10 pods. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

Can I use all-purpose flour instead of cake flour?

All-purpose flour will work in a pinch, but the texture changes. Cake flour has less protein, so it gives you that fine, tender crumb pound cake is known for. If you swap, use 2¾ cups all-purpose flour and remove 2 tablespoons per cup.

What if I don't have Cognac?

Any decent brandy or Armagnac works the same way. You could also use bourbon or dark rum for a slightly different flavor. Skipping the alcohol entirely is an option, but the cake will taste more one-dimensional without it.

How should I store this pound cake?

Once cooled, wrap each loaf tightly in plastic wrap twice. It keeps in the fridge for up to a week or in the freezer for up to four months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and bring to room temperature before serving.

Why is my batter curdling when I add the Cognac mixture?

That curdled look is totally normal at that stage. The liquid temporarily breaks the emulsion, but the flour addition brings everything back together. Just keep mixing on low when you add the flour and cream alternately.

Can I bake this in a bundt pan instead of loaf pans?

You can, but watch the timing closely since a bundt pan changes how heat reaches the center. Start checking at 50 minutes with a toothpick. The turbinado sugar coating won't work as evenly on a bundt pan's detailed shape, so you may want to skip it and just grease well.