Blue Velvet Vanilla Pound Cake (Print version)
A buttery vanilla Bundt pound cake with blue velvet swirls, a tight tender crumb, and a simple vanilla glaze.
# Ingredients:
For the pound cake
01 -
3 cups (345 g) cake flour, spooned and leveled
02 -
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
03 -
1 1/2 cups (340 g) salted butter, room temperature
04 -
2 1/2 cups (500 g) granulated sugar
05 -
5 large eggs, room temperature
06 -
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
07 -
1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream, room temperature
For the blue velvet swirl
08 -
1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder
09 -
2 teaspoons butterfly pea powder, or blue gel food coloring as needed
10 -
1 tablespoon heavy cream, only if needed to loosen the tinted batter
For the vanilla glaze
11 -
2 cups (240 g) powdered sugar
12 -
2 to 3 tablespoons whole milk
13 -
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
14 -
1/4 teaspoon almond extract, optional
15 -
Pinch of salt
# Instructions:
01 -
Preheat the oven to 315°F. Coat a 10 to 12 cup Bundt pan thoroughly with baking spray, making sure the spray reaches every ridge.
02 -
Whisk the cake flour and salt in a bowl. Set it aside so it is ready when the butter mixture is smooth.
03 -
Beat the room-temperature butter on medium speed for about 2 minutes. Add the sugar and beat for 2-3 minutes more, until the mixture looks lighter and fluffy.
04 -
Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition and scraping the bowl as needed. Mix in the vanilla extract.
05 -
Add the flour mixture on low speed just until mostly blended. Fold in the heavy cream with a spatula until the batter is smooth and thick.
06 -
Move about 1 1/2 cups of batter to a small bowl. Stir in the cocoa powder and butterfly pea powder, or enough blue gel coloring to make a deep blue batter. Add 1 tablespoon cream only if it feels much thicker than the plain batter.
07 -
Spoon half the plain batter into the Bundt pan. Add dollops of blue batter, then cover with the remaining plain batter. Run a butter knife through the pan once or twice to create ribbons.
08 -
Bake for 75-85 minutes, until a skewer inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 15-20 minutes, invert onto a rack, and cool completely. Whisk the glaze ingredients until thick but pourable, then spoon over the cake.
# Good to know:
01 -
Best served at room temperature after the glaze has set.
02 -
Store covered at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze slices for up to 2 months.
03 -
For a brighter blue, use gel food coloring instead of butterfly pea powder.