Shelly's Recipe

VANILLA BEAN BUTTER-RUM POUNDCAKE

Category: Cakes

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 vanilla bean
1-1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup buttermilk, room temperature

Glaze
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter
1-1/2 tbsp water
Pinch of salt
2 tbsp dark rum

Preheat oven to 350. Butter and flour muffin tin.

Cream butter in bowl of mixer. Slowly add sugar and beat for two minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition of egg. Add vanilla extract. Split vanilla bean and scrape inside into batter. Reserve vanilla bean pod. Beat for approximately two more minutes, until batter is fluffy and creamy.

Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. At low speed, add flour mixture alternately with buttermilk, ending with flour mixture.

Pour batter into prepared pan, and bake for 30 - 35 minutes, or until golden and cake tester comes out clean. Remove pan to cooling rack set over baking sheet for 5 minutes. Remove cakes from pan to cooling rack. Poke several holes in each cake with thin skewer/ cake tester. Pour glaze slowly over cakes until cakes absorb glaze and glaze is used up. Serve when completely cooled.

Make glaze: Put sugar, butter, water, vanilla pod, and salt to small saucepan. Stirring constantly, bring to boil. Reduce heat to low, and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in rum. Remove pod when ready to pour over cakes.