- 85 mins
Ingredients
- 8 ounces (1 cup) unsalted butter, slightly firm, plus 1 Tbs. softened
- 8 ounces (1 3/4 cups) all-purpose flour, sifted
- 1/2 tsp. table salt
- 5 large eggs
- 1 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
- 8 3/4 ounce (1-1/4 cups) superfine sugar
- Nonstick cooking spray
- Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting
Preparation
Step 1
Position rack in center of oven and heat oven to 325°. Using pastry brush, thoroughly coat an 8 1/2x4 1/2x2 3/4-inch loaf pan with 1 Tbs. softened butter. Line bottom with rectangle of parchment.
In medium bowl, combine flour and salt and whisk thoroughly.
Using stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment, beat eggs on medium-high speed until thickened and lightened in color, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to medium bowl and set aside. Clean bowl of stand mixer and fit it with paddle attachment. Beat butter on medium-low speed until smooth and creamy, 1 to 2 minutes. Add vanilla extract and mix 1 minute longer. Add sugar 1 to 2 Tbs. at a time, taking about 4 minutes to add it all and scraping bowl as needed.
Still on medium-low speed, slowly add half of beaten eggs, taking about 2 minutes to add them. Scrape bowl as needed and beat for 30 seconds more. Reduce speed to low and add dry ingredients alternately with the remaining eggs (divide flour into 3 parts and eggs into 2 parts), mixing just until each addition is incorporated. Scrape bowl and beat on medium low for 10 seconds more.
Spoon batter into prepared pan. Smooth top with back of large soup spoon, making sure to reach well into corners. Bang pan on counter two times to remove any air pockets.
Bake cake until top is golden-brown, sides begin to pull away from pan, and thin wooden skewer inserted slightly off center into cake (not into crack) comes out clean, 1 hour and 20 to 25 minutes. During last 15 minutes of baking, lightly spray 12-inch strip of aluminum foil with nonstick cooking spray and rest it loosely on top of cake. Transfer to wire rack and let cool for at least 20 minutes before removing from pan.
To serve, dust top with confectioners’ sugar and use serrated knife to cut cake into 1/2-inch slices.
Leftovers:
Tightly wrap any remaining cake in plastic wrap and store at room temperature for up to 5 days. (Do not refrigerate.