Vanilla Bean Pound Cake with Lime Citrus Glaze
cake:
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
8 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature
3 cups granulated sugar
6 eggs, room temperature
vanilla bean seeds scraped from 1 vanilla bean
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
2 teaspoons light corn syrup
zest and juice of 1 lime
warm water
coarse sugar
For a lighter but still delicious version of this pound cake, click here for an alternate recipe.
Preheat the oven to 325. Spray a Bundt pan with non-stick baking spray.
With an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the butter, cream cheese and sugar for 4-5 minutes, scraping the bowl down as needed, until very light and fluffy.
Add the eggs, one at a time, beating each in for a full 5 minutes. This step will take 30 minutes - have patience.
Add the vanilla bean seeds. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt in a separate bowl, and add by spoonfuls to the batter, just until combined.
Spoon the batter into the pan and smooth out the top. Bake the cake for 75-90 minutes, until a deep golden brown on top, and a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. A deep crack on the surface of the crust is normal. Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack for 20 minutes, then turn cake out onto the rack or a serving plate to cool, covered loosely with a clean kitchen towel.
When the cake is nearly cool, set it on a pretty cake pedestal or serving plate. In a bowl, combine the powdered sugar, corn syrup, lime juice and half the lime zest. Add just enough warm water, a tiny drizzle at a time, until the glaze is the consistency you want for drizzling over the cake. Pour the glaze over the cake, letting it run down the sides. Before it sets, sprinkle with the rest of the lime zest and a small amount of coarse sugar.
Yields 16-20 slices.
Recipe from Curly Girl Kitchen