Vanilla Bean Bundt Cake Recipe

Posted by terraolsen on January 31, 2013 in Food | Leave a comment

Vanilla Bean Bundt Cake Recipe

By: Terra Olsen

I’m a sucker for baking—I find the process and smell therapeutic, and the end product fulfilling. So it should come as no surprise that I am always excited to try a new cake recipe.

This bundt recipe turned out delicious, and was light enough to follow a full meal (it also serves as a lovely companion to one’s morning coffee). Although I loved the cake recipe itself, I found the glaze disappointing. It was too thin, to the point where it was being absorbed by the cake. In addition, the glaze was not very appealing visually (thus I do not have a picture of my version); it was dull and looked meek against the golden color of the cake. When I make this recipe again, I will use a glaze recipe that is more substantial and frosting like.

Vanilla Bean Bundt Cake with Vanilla Glaze and Strawberries:

Cake:

Nonstick vegetable oil spray

1 teaspoon bourbon

1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup plus 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup golden brown sugar

2 large eggs

1 large egg yolk

1/2 cup buttermilk

Glaze:

2/3 cup powdered sugar

4 teaspoons whole milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Strawberries:

1 lb Strawberries sliced

3 tablespoons sugar

Preparation

Cake:

Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 325°F. Butter and flour standard Bundt pan, then spray pan with nonstick spray. Pour bourbon into small bowl. Scrape seeds from vanilla bean into bourbon; stir to blend well.

Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in medium bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat butter and both sugars in large bowl until light and fluffy. Add eggs and egg yolk 1 at a time, beating until well blended after each addition. Beat in bourbon-vanilla mixture. Add flour mixture in 2 additions alternately with buttermilk in 1 addition, beating just until blended after each addition. Transfer batter to prepared pan; smooth top evenly (batter will come only halfway up sides of pan).

Bake cake until tester inserted near center comes out clean, about 55 minutes. Cool in pan on rack 15 minutes. Invert cake onto rack and cool completely.

Glaze:

Whisk powdered sugar, 4 teaspoons milk, and vanilla in small bowl to blend, adding more milk by 1/4 teaspoonfuls if glaze is too thick to drizzle.

Place sheet of foil on work surface. Place cake (still on rack) atop foil. Using spoon, drizzle glaze over cake in zigzag pattern. Let cake stand at room temperature until glaze sets, about 15 minutes.

Strawberries:

Toss strawberries and sugar in medium bowl. Let stand at room temperature until juices form, tossing occasionally, about 30 minutes.

Cut cake into wedges and divide among plates. Spoon strawberries with juices alongside and serve.

 

Recipe is from Bon Appétit, April 2010; pictures from Bonappetit.com