When Beyonce stated,

“Every girl in here got to look me up and down
All on Instagram, cake by the pound”

I am certain this recipe is what she was directly referring to.

Currently, I am in possession of only one loaf pan, a baking transgression I will hopefully rectify sooner rather than later.

Fortunately, this simple recipe will rise up in nearly whatever bakeware dish you desire as long as appropriate baking times are adjusted.

Pound Cake by The Barefoot Contessa

I swapped kosher salt for pink salt and added an extra teaspoon of vanilla. Other than that, this recipe is flawless.

Everything at room temperature if you are smart!

2 Cups Granulated Sugar
½ Lb. (2 Sticks) Unsalted Butter
4 Eggs
3 Cups AP Flour
½ Tsp. Baking Powder
½ Tsp. Baking Soda
1 Tsp. Pink Himalayan Salt
¾ Cup Buttermilk
2 Tsp. Vanilla Extract

• Preheat oven to 350°F
• Generously spray or grease cooking vessels of choice – I chose 1 loaf pan and 2 mini-Bundt pans
• In a stand mixer or using a handheld mixer, cream butter and sugar til light and fluffy, about 5 minutes
• On medium-low speed add the eggs one at a time
• Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt
• Combine buttermilk and vanilla
• On low speed, add alternating increments of the flour mixture and buttermilk, both starting and ending with the flour
• Use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides and ensure everything is fully incorporated
• Evenly distribute the batter between the cooking vessels (you could even just use one large Bundt pan and adjust the cooking time)

• Bake for 30-35 minute until the cake is richly golden and a toothpick comes out clean – the original recipe says 40 minutes, I baked mine for 35 minutes
• Allow to cool in their pans for at least 10 minutes before inverting and placing on a wire cooling rack

Take full advantage of the versatility of this pound cake. I enjoyed a slice cut from the inside of the loaf and plan to freeze the rest to use for some other future creation, possibly something involving strawberries.

I introduced fat dribbles of chocolate ganache on top of the mini-Bundt cakes. Check out the ganache recipe and instructions below!

Chocolate Ganache

10 oz. Dark Chocolate Morsels
½ Cup Heavy Whipping Cream
¼ Cup Crème de Cassis

• In a microwave safe bowl, 1/3 of the dark chocolate morsels
• Microwave at intervals of 20 seconds, stirring after every turn until the chocolate beings to melt
• Add another 1/3 of the morsels and repeat
• Add the final 1/3 and stir til the morsels melt, microwaving 10 seconds at a time if necessary
• Allow the chocolate to cool slightly before vigorously stirring in the heavy whipping cream and crème de cassis
• Drizzle the ganache on whatever your heart desires and store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge – it can be easily reheated and used again in the future