Glazed Vanilla Bean Bundt Cake {with macerated strawberries}
The moistest, most tender and flavorful vanilla bundt cake you will ever meet. Served alone, it makes the perfect everyday snack cake, but sided with macerated strawberries and whipped cream, makes it worthy of a special occasion.
- Prep time
- 30 min
- Cook time
- 35 min
- Yield
- 1 serving
- Difficulty
- HARD
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 2/3 cup (76g) powdered sugar
- 4 teaspoons (or more) whole milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 pounds (680 grams) strawberries, hulled, sliced in half lengthwise
- 3 tablespoons (25g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoons vanilla extract (or 2 teaspoons if using imitation vanilla flavoring)*
- 1 vanilla bean or 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste*
- 1 1/2 cups (180g) all purpose flour, preferably weighed
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup plus 6 tablespoons unsalted butter (7 oz/ 198g), softened to room temperature
- 3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup (50g) light brown sugar, packed
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 large egg yolk, room temperature (discard white or freeze for later use)
- 1/2 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
Instructions
- 1
Position rack in the lower center of the oven and preheat to 325F/163C.
- 2
Generously coat the inside of a 6-cup bundt pan* with nonstick cooking spray, or butter it thoroughly, dust it with flour, and knock out the excess.
- 3
Pour the vanilla extract in a small bowl. Cut the vanilla bean in half lengthwise and using the tip of a knife, scrape down the seeds into the vanilla; stir to blend well. Set aside. (Discard the scraped vanilla bean pod or reserve for another use; like putting it in your sugar canister to make vanilla sugar)
- 4
In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- 5
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or using a handheld electric mixer), beat the butter until creamy, about 1 minute. Add both sugar and beat together until lightened in both color and texture, about 5 minutes.
- 6
Add in the eggs and egg yolk, one at a time, until well blended after each addition. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl, then beat again for 15 seconds.
- 7
Add the vanilla mixture and beat until well blended, about 20 seconds.
- 8
Turn the mixer on lowest speed, then add in half of the flour mixture, blend lightly, then stream in the buttermilk, followed by the rest of the flour mixture. Beat just until combined; do not overmix. Batter will be very thick and might look slightly separated and that's perfectly fine.
- 9
Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and smooth the top evenly.
- 10
Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few cooked crumbs attached.
- 11
Transfer the cake to a wire rack and let cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Carefully invert the cake on the wire rack to cool. Cake can be glazed while still warm or after cooling completely. Details below.
- 12
In a small bowl, whisk all ingredients together. The glaze should be loose enough to drizzle. (If too thick, add a little more milk; if its too loose add a little more powdered sugar.
- 13
Place a piece of foil under the wire rack to catch any dripping glaze. Drizzle the glaze on the cake in a zigzag motion. Allow the glaze to set for 15 minutes before serving. (Glazing while cake is still warm will make the cake soak some of the glaze leaving a very thin, translucent shell of a glaze (as pictured). While glazing on a cooled cake will result in a thicker, whiter and more defined glaze (prettier, but its your call).
- 14
While the is cooling, toss together sugar and strawberries in a medium bowl. Let stand at room temperature, tossing occasionally until juices form; about 30 minutes.
- 15
Cut cake into wedges. If using, spoon the strawberries and its juice alongside the cake, with whipped cream if desired.*