Honey Vanilla Pound Cake

Pound cake is by far one of my favourite things to bake. You know why? I don't think you can ever screw it up. Maybe you can? Maybe I've just been lucky thus far in my journey of pound cake baking. I have yet to have a major catastrophe. It's one of those recipes that you can come home to after a stressful day and just know that it will work out.

I'll admit it, recipes that I can always count on are angelic. It's like having that friend you can always count on, angelic. I would even give up my bed and sleep on the couch for these recipes. Wait, no I wouldn't.

Do you want to know another reason why I love baking pound cake? Well, it always tastes amazing ... and my Dad usually eats most of it, so, I don't have to worry about eating it all myself.

Anyways, enough about my undying love for pound cake.

I saw this recipe for Honey Vanilla Pound Cake when I was browsing through my Barefoot Contessa cookbook, and it just sounded too good to pass up! I'm not usually a fan of citrus, but the balance in this cake was just perfect.

Honey Vanilla Pound Cake
Recipe Source: Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics, Ina Garten

Ingredients
1 cup butter, room temperature
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
4 eggs
2 tbsp honey
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp lemon zest
2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Line the bottom of a loaf pan with parchment paper and grease and flour the sides.

Cream the butter and sugar together for 2-4 minutes, until light. If using an electric mixer, use the paddle attachment.

Put the eggs, honey, vanilla and lemon zest in a separate bowl, glass measuring cup or jug, but do not combine.

Add the mixture one egg at a time, slowly incorporating into the butter and sugar mixture. Wait until it is fully incorporated before adding the next egg. Repeat with all four eggs.

Sift the flour, baking powder and salt together. And add it slowly into the batter, in 2-3 additions. Beating slowly until just combined.

Once batter is smooth, pour into the prepared pan, smooth out the top and bake for 50 to 65 minutes. Be sure to check for doneness because I found mine needed a little more time and was till quite raw in the middle after the suggested cooking time.

This cake is perfect along with coffee or a quick breakfast before you run out the door!

- Lou