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–+ servings
a loaf of glazed vanilla pound cake with a slice cut off the front showing the crumb inside.

Old Fashioned Vanilla Pound Cake in a Loaf Pan

Rebecca Eisenberg
Proof that vanilla is anything but plain! This dense, tender old fashioned pound cake has a buttery vanilla flavor, golden cracked open crust, and a shiny vanilla bean glaze to finish. A classic technique transforms simple ingredients into a buttery vanilla pound cake ready for just about any occasion. Serve with ice cream, berries and whipped cream, or a fruity simple syrup!
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings 1 loaf

Ingredients
  

  • 227 grams unsalted butter (65°F, softened)
  • 227 grams sugar
  • 227 grams all-purpose flour
  • 4 large eggs (room temperature)
  • 1 teaspoon diamond crystal kosher salt (use half as much of any other brand)
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste (or vanilla extract or the seeds of one vanilla bean)

Vanilla Bean Glaze

  • 60 grams powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste (or vanilla extract)
  • 1 teaspoon milk

Instructions
 

  • Mise en Place. Bring butter and eggs to room temperature (the butter should be cool but soft to the touch, not melty or greasy). Measure sugar into one container. In another container, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt and set aside. Locate vanilla bean paste. Grease an 8x4" loaf pan and line with a parchment paper sling. Set aside.
  • Preheat oven to 325°F.
  • Cream butter and sugar. Cut the butter into chunks and place in the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat on medium speed to soften, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the sugar. Beat on medium-low speed until there's no loose sugar in the bowl, then increase speed to medium and continue creaming for 5-7 minutes, pausing to scrape down the bowl and the beater at least 3 times. Properly creamed, the butter and sugar will have a fluffy, airy, and paste-like texture. Scrape down the sides of the bowl
  • Add eggs and vanilla. One at a time, crack each egg into a small bowl (to avoid getting shells in your cake!) then dump the egg into the mixer bowl, beating on medium speed for at least 60 seconds and scraping down the bowl again before adding the next egg. Add the vanilla bean paste along with the final egg. Scrape down the bowl again at the end. The mixture may begin to look slightly curdled, that's okay.
  • Add dry ingredients. With the mixer running on the lowest possible speed, add half the dry ingredients. When they are mostly combined, scrape down the bowl and beater, then add the rest of the dry ingredients with the mixer still running on low. Mix just until fully combined, then stop and scrape the bowl down. Use a spatula to mix in any final bits of dry ingredients from the sides of the bowl or beater. Do not over mix!
  • Bake. Scrape the batter into the parchment lined loaf pan. Use a mini offset spatula to smooth out the batter, pressing it down into the corners and sides of the pan so that there aren't any trapped air bubbles. Cut a ⅛-inch thin slice of a stick of butter into small sticks and arrange them in a line down the middle length of the pan to help control the crack in the top of the loaf as it bakes. Bake in the center of a 325°F oven for 65-75 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few crumbs clinging to it.
  • Cool. Remove the pan to a cooling rack. Let cool 15-20 minutes, then use the parchment sling to lift the cake out of the pan to finish cooling. Let cool completely before adding icing.

Vanilla Bean Glaze

  • Sift powdered sugar into a medium mixing bowl. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste and 1 teaspoons milk and whisk together until smooth. You may need to add more powdered sugar or milk to reach the right moderately thick consistency.
  • Use a mini offset spatula to spread the glaze over the top of the loaf cake. Let sit to form a crust or serve immediately!

RECIPE NOTES

  • Pay close attention to the temperature cues given in the recipe — they're very important to how the final loaf turns out! 
  • For citrus flavors, add 1-2 teaspoons fresh citrus zest, rubbed into the sugar before adding it to the butter. You can omit the vanilla or leave it in. Alternately, swap the vanilla extract for another flavored extract or even an alcohol like bourbon or rum!
  • This old fashioned vanilla pound cake can be stored at room temperature with an airtight cover for 4-5 days. You can also refrigerate it in an airtight container for up to a week. The pound cake itself can be frozen for up to 3 months without glaze. Defrost in the fridge, then glaze and let come to room temperature for serving.