Vanilla Bean Cardamom Buttermilk Pound Cake

buttery soft

fabulous texture

tight crumb

flawless appearance

fan favorite

POUND FOR POUND...THIS ONE'S A WINNER

except this one is a 1/2 pounder

8 oz butter...8 oz flour...8 oz sugar

almost 8 oz eggs

and a few other essentials.

like i've said before...i don't think there is a bad pound cake...butter, sugar, flour and eggs is all you really need for the classic pound cake.   this one is almost true to the old school measurements, but has a few extra ingredients.  the vanilla cardamom combo is subtle and delicious.  be careful with cardamom...it is very easy to over do it...it can get perfumie and overwhelm your baked goods. 

this is not the last of the pound cakes you'll see this month... 

i have a few up my sleeve and i'll just keep making them, one after the other.

the problem IS...no one in this house is as fond of "the pound cake" as i am.  

i think my fondness of pound cake is bordering on obsession. 

i consider the cake a blank canvas.  not only is it a good showcase for homemade jams.  it goes with anything and can be transformed into anything.  from a quick breakfast bread to a beautiful trifle...tucked in a school lunch or served at the big soiree.

i DO have a couple important suggestions for maximum enjoyment of your favorite pound cake...

of course a slice warm out of the oven is fabulous with the delicate inside and crunchy exterior, but i like to...

let the cake rest over night.

cut the cake chilled for nice clean sharp slices.

let come to room temperature.

or to really wake up the flavors...

lightly, i say lightly, butter and saute each piece as if you were making a grill cheese sandwich...

HEY !!! not a bad idea...

GRILLED CHEESE POUND CAKE SANDWICHES ???!!!

i know it's been done...no new idea is ever a NEW idea...but...

how about a sweet rosemary pound cake ...grilled with brie and granny smith apples or a nice crisp Bosc pear...YUMMM !

to be continued...

VANILLA BEAN - CARDAMOM 
BUTTERMILK POUND CAKE

slightly adapted from Jennie's Kitchen

8 oz butter, softened

8 oz, sugar

8 oz, flour

1.2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cardamom

3 large eggs, room temp.- slightly beaten

1 whole vanilla bean, scraped

my vanilla bean was quite dry so i added 1/2 tsp vanilla paste

 1/3 cup buttermilk, room temp.

preheat oven to 325 F degrees.  butter a 9 inch loaf pan.

whisk flour, salt and cardamom in a medium bowl and set aside.

combine eggs, vanilla bean seeds and buttermilk, set aside.

in a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

add half of the flour mixture and mix on low until just combined.

pour half the egg mixture and mix again until just combined.

repeat with remaining flour and then egg mixture.

do not over mix.

scrape batter into prepared pan and bake for 70 - 75 minutes or until deep golden brown and toothpick or metal skewer inserted comes out clean.

again...let your pound cake rest for a day.  i always chill my cakes for easy slicing.  serve at room temp...
then store the cake in the fridge.  leftovers?...when ready to serve...slice chilled out of the fridge, give it a light saute in a hot skillet with just a brush of butter.  the middle stays soft while you get a good light brown crisp on the outside.

i just noticed that the picture above looks as thought the heavens opened up and this fabulous cardamom cake appeared...maybe it did,  this cake is THAT good.

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