This cake is Glorious. It uses six humble ingredients. It is straightforward in preparation. It is excellent unadorned, and next level when used for a shortcake or a trifle. The only addition I have added, is a simple lemon juice and powdered sugar glaze I add when warm.
Servings 12
Ingredients
Ingredients
1pound4 sticks unsalted butter, chilled but soft to the touch
1poundPowdered sugar
6Large eggsat room temperature
2 + 2/3cupsCake floursifted once after measuring
1/2teaspoonSaltif desired
2teaspoonsVanilla
Instructions
Place a rack in the center of the oven, and heat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 10-inch tube pan with vegetable shortening or soft butter, and dust with flour. Shake out the excess flour and set the pan aside. (If the eggs are straight from the refrigerator, place them in a large bowl of warm water to come to room temperature).
Cut the sticks of butter into 6 to 8 tablespoons each, and place all the butter in the bowl of an electric mixer. Beat on medium-high until the butter is in one mass, 1 minute. Stop the mixer and add the powdered sugar. Drape a kitchen towel over the top of the mixer so you don’t get showered with sugar. Start on low speed and blend the sugar to incorporate. Then increase the speed to medium and let the mixture beat until creamy, 2 to 3 minutes.
Crack one egg at a time and add to the butter mixture, beating on medium-low until blended. Add another egg, beating again, and stop the machine after every two eggs are added, and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Repeat with the remaining eggs.
With the machine off, add the flour to the mixture. Add salt, if desired. Mix on low speed to incorporate the flour, 30 seconds. Add the vanilla, and on low speed blend 15 seconds more.
Scrape down the sides of the bowl with the spatula, and turn the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top. Place the pan in the oven.
Bake until the cake is well browned and the center springs back to the touch, 58 to 62 minutes. A toothpick inserted should come out clean. Remove the cake from the oven, and let it cool in the pan for 20 minutes. Then run a knife around the edges, shake the pan gently to loosen the cake, and turn it out once, then again onto a rack to cool right-side up. Let cool 30 minutes to 1 hour before slicing.
Put your powdered sugar in a measuring cup. Zest the lemon, and then squeeze the juice into the powdered sugar.Mix with a fork and pour the glaze on the still warm cake. I like to glaze in layers. Pour a layer. Let sit five minutes and repeat until all the glaze is used.