Vanilla Bean Pound Cake with Fresh Strawberries – Recipe!

Traditional pound cake is made with a pound of flour, sugar and butter and it tends to be quite dense. My version of pound cake is much lighter is texture, but not flavor.  I use a fresh vanilla bean and vanilla extract to give this cake a more intense vanilla kick and one of my favorite things to serve with this Vanilla Bean Pound Cake is fresh berries during the summer season.

Strawberries are so sweet and lush right now that I recommend you add them on top of a slice of this pound cake for an updated strawberry shortcake dessert.  Who wouldn’t love a fresh slice of vanilla infused cake with plump ripe berries after dinner or as a mid-afternoon treat?  The combination of strawberries and cake taste like a bowl of berries & cream.

Also, you can layer this sliced cake with berries and whipped cream in a deep bowl for a festive summer trifle.  I love the idea of this recipe creating so many wonderful desserts for the season.

Ingredients

2 stick butter, room temperature + more for pan

1 1/4 cups of sugar

3 eggs

1 vanilla bean

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 1/4 cups cake flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/3 cup Greek yogurt, plain

1/4 cup half & half or whole milk

To Prepare:

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Butter and flour a 8 x 4 inch loaf pan.  In a stand mixer, cream together butter and sugar on high speed, about 4 minutes.

 

2.  Cut vanilla bean in half and scrape out seeds from inside each half of bean.  Add vanilla to creamed mixture and mix on high for 1 minute.  Don’t throw away exterior bean pod – add it to your stored sugar to infuse into vanilla sugar.

3.  Add eggs one at a time, mixing on high speed for 1 minute in between additions.  Add vanilla extract and mix for another minute.

4.  In another bowl, whisk together dry ingredients.  Add dry ingredients and yogurt to creamed butter mixture and mix on low for 1 minute.

6.  Add half & half and mix on low for 30 seconds.  Do not over mix, you don’t want tough cake!  Remove bowl from stand and mix by hand, to incorporate any flour bits stuck to bottom or sides of bowl.

7.  Spoon batter into prepared pan and smooth out on top.  Bake in oven for 50-60 minutes or until golden brown, and toothpick comes out clean.  Remove pound cake from oven and let cool for 45 minutes in pan.

 

8.  Remove cake from pan by loosening with a butter knife around perimeter.  Slice cake into 1-inch thick pieces and serve with fresh berries and a sprinkling of powdered sugar.  Enjoy!