We’re going to be continuing with cakes for a while. Last time, a sheet cake; this week it’s a pound cake with a twist! Will you gild the lily, or leave it as a plain pound cake?
Posting date is April 26!
Buttery Pound Cake with Salty Caramel Glaze
Author:
Serves: 1 9- by-5-inch (23-by-12-cm) loaf • about 10 servings
Ingredients
- For the Buttery Pound Cake
- 1 cup (130 g) all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup (90 g) cake flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 6 ounces (170 grams) unsalted high-fat/European-style (cultured) unsalted butter, softened, plus more for the pan
- 1¼ cups (250 g) granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 2 large egg yolks, at room temperature
- ¾ cup (180 ml) heavy cream
- For the Salty Caramel Glaze
- ½ cup (110 g) firmly packed dark brown sugar
- ½ cup (120 ml) heavy cream
- 2½ ounces (5 tablespoons/70 g) high-fat/European-style (cultured) unsalted butter
- 1¾ teaspoons fleur de sel
- ¼ to ½ cup (30 to 55 g) confectioners’ sugar, sifted
Instructions
Make the Buttery Pound Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and position a rack in the center of the oven. Butter the bottom and sides of a 9-by-5-inch (23-by-12-cm) loaf pan. Place a long piece of parchment paper in the bottom of the pan, letting the parchment extend up the two long sides of the pan and overhang slightly. (This will make it easy to remove the pound cake from the pan after it is baked.) Butter the parchment paper, dust with flour, and knock out the excess flour.
- In a medium bowl, sift together the all-purpose flour, cake flour, baking powder, and kosher salt.
- In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on high speed until fluffy, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the vanilla and beat again for about 15 seconds to incorporate. Scrape down the sides and bottom and turn the mixer to medium-low. Add the eggs and the egg yolks, one at a time, beating for about 1 minute after each addition. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl again and beat for 10 seconds.
- Turn the mixer to low and add the flour mixture in three parts, alternating with the cream, beginning and ending with the flour mixture.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared pan, smooth the top with an offset spatula, and bake until a skewer inserted into the center of the loaf comes out with a few moist crumbs, 55 to 65 minutes. (If the top of your cake begins to darken too much before it is done in the middle, tent the pan with aluminum foil and continue baking.)
- Place the pan on a cooling rack for 15 minutes. Using a small knife or offset spatula, gently loosen the cake from the sides of the pan, pull up on the parchment paper to lift the cake out of the pan, and place it directly on the cooling rack.
- You can eat the cake the same day it’s baked, but ideally you will want to wait 12 to 24 hours, as it tastes better on the second day. Glaze the cake the same day you plan on serving it. (This cake is also delicious sans glaze.)
Make the Salty Caramel Glaze
- In a medium saucepan over low heat, stir together the brown sugar, cream, and butter. When the butter is half melted, increase the heat to medium-high and bring the mixture to a boil. Whisking constantly, boil the mixture for 1½ minutes. Remove from the heat, whisk the mixture vigorously for 1 minute to release excess heat, and add ¾ teaspoon fleur de sel. Let cool for 5 minutes.
- Add ¼ cup (30 g) confectioners’ sugar and whisk until combined. Continue adding confectioners’ sugar, a tablespoon at a time, until the mixture is pourable and slightly thick (it will thicken more as it cools); you may not use all of the confectioners’ sugar.
- Place the cake on a wire rack set over a half sheet pan covered in parchment (to catch the excess caramel and make cleanup easier). Use a bamboo skewer and poke several holes in the cake. Pour the warm caramel glaze over the cake to cover. If you are feeling generous, you can spoon any of the glaze that collected on the parchment below back over the cake one more time. Sprinkle evenly with the remaining 1 teaspoon fleur de sel. Cut off the very ends of the cake and discard. Slice and serve.
Notes
[i]How to store:[/i] leftover pound cake, wrapped tightly at room temperature or in the refrigerator, keeps for up to 4 days. Some of us even prefer it cold.
“Cut off the very ends of the cake and discard.” What. Why would you do that?
I know, right? I think it’s supposed to say, “Cut off the very ends of the cake and discard into your mouth”.
I heartily approve of that edit.
Having missed a couple baking adventures, I do hope to make this one!