Double Vanilla Pound Cake With Rum-vanilla Glaze

Total Time: 1 hr 20 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 1 hr

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 1 large vanilla bean, split or cut into pieces
• 1 cup milk, room temperature
• 4 cups flour, sifted
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt (if using salted butter, delete)
• 2 cups unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 2 1/2 cups vanilla sugar
• 6 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup water
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup rum (optional) or 1/4 cup brandy (optional)

Recipe

• 1 double vanilla pound cake instructions: preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• 2 pour milk into a saucepan, add the vanilla bean, and scald the milk.
• 3 let mixture cool to room temperature.
• 4 remove vanilla bean and set aside.
• 5 resift the flour with the baking powder and the salt onto a sheet of waxed paper; set aside.
• 6 in a large bowl, cream the butter with an electric mixer on moderately high speed until light, about 3 minutes.
• 7 add the vanilla sugar in two portions, beating thoroughly after each portion is added.
• 8 beat in eggs, one at a time, periodically scraping down the sides of the bowl to ensure an even mixture.
• 9 blend in vanilla extract.
• 10 on low speed, add the sifted dry ingredients alternately with the milk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients.
• 11 pour and scrape the batter into lightly buttered, floured 10-inch tube pan, a large square baking pan or three loaf pans.
• 12 bake the cake on the lowest rack of the oven for about 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake emerges clean and dry.
• 13 cool cake in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes.
• 14 prick holes all over the top of the cake with a thin knife or toothpick and slowly spoon glaze over the cake, allowing the syrup to absorb into the cake.
• 15 rum-vanilla glaze instructions: place sugar and water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil.
• 16 reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes, or until syrup begins to thicken.
• 17 allow to cool slightly before adding extract and rum.