Erin French's Glazed Butter Cake from The Lost Kitchen!

 Dear Ms. French,

Your Glazed Butter Cake has been on my mind since I binge watched your show, The Lost Kitchen, earlier this summer. The cake sounded like heaven and looked like something everyone would love. I knew instantly I needed to make it.

It took me a few months to acquire both of your cookbooks and now that it is officially "the holidays," I have a reason to make it.

Words cannot express how wonderful this cake is! A fluffy and buttery pound cake with a thick, sweet butter glaze scented with vanilla and almond extract...it truly is the quintessential dessert! I ate a slice warm with blueberries and whipped cream and it was like total bliss...the warm cake fragrant with almond and vanilla, the pops of the blueberries, and the clouds of fresh whipped cream. 

Then I had another slice all by itself and it was equally delicious, almost like stepping back in time and having the most wonderful homemade dessert made by mom or grandma. It is more than a dessert. It's comfort. It's a warm hug.

When my husband had a slice he said, "this is one of the best desserts you've ever made." Then he looked out the window and saw the neighbors raking leaves and he said "I kind of just want to go out with this cake and start giving it to everyone so they can taste how wonderful it is." 

Then he went ahead and had a second slice.

Between my husband and I we ate half the cake.

This is now my new GO TO DESSERT. I'll be making it with different flavored glazes and serving it with different fruits. If I'm called on to make something to take somewhere, it will be this cake. 

I will be singing praises for this cake for days and weeks to come. It will go down as one of my top recipes of 2024, but I will be making it for many years to come.

I am thankful for this recipe and I am thankful for you!

A Truly Devoted Cake Eater in Kentucky

P.S. I felt like this cake called for blueberries. An ode to Maine. 

 

Glazed Butter Cake

Adapted from Big Heart Little Stove

Recipe by Erin French

Serves 8-10

For The Cake

8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, at room temperature, plus more for pan

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for the pan

1 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 cup buttermilk (well shaken before measuring)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For The Glaze

1 cup granulated sugar

8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 teaspoon almond extract

Make The Cake: Preheat the oven to 350F. Butter and flour a 9-inch loaf pan, line with parchment paper, and set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on high speeds until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, incorporating the first egg before adding the second one.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. 

With the mixer on low, one large spoonful at a time, alternate adding the dry mixture and the buttermilk, mixing until well combined. Add the vanilla and mix just briefly to combine.

Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake until the cake is golden and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes.

Make The Glaze: In a small saucepan, combine the sugar, butter, and 1/4 cup water and bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, whisking occasionally. Remove the pan from the heat and let the glaze cool slightly; then whisk in the vanilla and almond extracts. The glaze will cool and thicken a bit as it sits.

For a quick and rustic finish, brush the glaze over the top of the loaf in the pan. Allow the cake to cool completely, remove from the pan and slice. Or, to really allow the cake to soak up all the delicious glaze, let the cake cool in the pan until it's comfortable to handle. Remove the cake and transfer to a cooling rack set over a baking sheet, to catch the drips of glaze. Brush the glaze over the entire cake; top, bottom, and, sides. You will need to work gently and carefully, but it's worth it to get every inch of this cake covered in glaze. Repeat until all of the glaze has been used.

Let the cake cool completely, then wrap tightly and store on the counter for up to 3 days. 

Desserts To Be Thankful For @ IHCC!