Golden Vanilla Pound Cake

By garciamoss

This pound cake is a rich, dark brown outside, with an ultra-fine, golden crumb. It's mimics closely the original proportions that define pound cake: a pound each of sugar, eggs, butter, and flour. If you like a dense, firm, loaf-shaped classic pound cake, then this one's for you. One non-traditional touch: the vanilla-sugar glaze brushed atop the cake towards the end of the baking time, which gives it a crackly-crunchy top crust.

Ingredients

• CAKE
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 (3 ounce) package cream cheese, at room temperature
• 3/4 teaspoon salt (1/2 teaspoon if you use salted butter)
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 5 large eggs, at room temperature
• 3 tablespoons milk
• 2 tablespoons King Arthur Cake Enhancer, optional
• 1 3/4 cups + 2 tablespoons King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
• TOPPING
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon water

Details

Adapted from kingarthurflour.com

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9" x 5" x 2 3/4" loaf pan, or a 12" x 4" x 4" tea loaf pan. To avoid overflow, be SURE to use the correct size pan!

In a medium-sized mixing bowl, beat together the butter, cream cheese, salt, sugar, baking powder, vanilla extract, and almond extract until well combined.

Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition; the mixture may look slightly curdled/grainy. After you've added the final egg, beat at high speed for 3 minutes. Once all the eggs are added, stir in the milk.

Add the cake enhancer, then sprinkle in the flour gradually, with the mixer going at low speed. Mix just until combined. The batter will be smooth and thick, but still pourable. Pour and scrape the batter into the prepared pan.

To make the topping, combine the sugar, vanilla, and water. Stir until the mixture is syrupy. At first it'll seem very stiff, but will become "drizzlable" as you stir. Set the topping aside.

Set the cake on a baking sheet, for easiest handling and as a precaution against potential overflow (which shouldn't happen if you use the correct size pan). Bake it for 55 minutes (for either size pan).

Remove the cake from the oven, and brush/drizzle with the sugar mixture. Return the cake to the oven for an additional 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the cake from the oven, and set it on a rack. Insert a toothpick into the center; it should come out clean. If you use an instant-read thermometer, the center should register about 200°F to 205°F. The very top, right under the crust, will still be kind of soggy; don't worry about it.

After 5 minutes loosen the cake's edges and turn it out of the pan to cool completely on a rack.