Vanilla Cream Cheese Cake

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Vanilla Cream Cheese Pound Cake     Nancy Harrison

Ingredients

Baking spray with flour, such as Baker's Joy
3 tablespoons demerara or turbinado sugar, such as Sugar in the Raw
3/4 pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
2 1/2 cups granulated sugar
6 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
Seeds scraped from 1 vanilla bean
3 cups sifted cake flour (measured after sifting)
1 teaspoon kosher salt

Directions

 Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Spray two 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 x 2 1/2-inch metal loaf pans with the baking spray and sprinkle the insides of the pans with the demerara sugar, tilting the pans to cover evenly.
  1. Place the butter, cream cheese, and granulated sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on medium speed for 2 1/2 to 3 minutes, until light and creamy. Scrape down the bowl with a rubber spatula to be sure it's well mixed. With the mixer on low, add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well and scraping down the bowl before adding the next egg. Mix in the vanilla extract and vanilla seeds.
  2. Combine the cake flour and salt in a medium bowl. With the mixer on low, slowly add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, scraping down the bowl and beater with a rubber spatula. Mix the batter with the spatula to be sure it's well mixed. Divide the batter evenly between the two loaf pans, smooth the tops, and bake in the center of the oven for 60 to 70 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of each cake comes out clean.
  3. Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for 30 minutes, then carefully turn them out and cool completely on a baking rack. 
Cook’s Note
Serving suggestions: Allow a pint of vanilla ice cream to melt and pour 2 tablespoons on the bottom of each dessert plate, tilting the plates so the center is covered. Place a slice of pound cake on top of the melted ice cream and sprinkle the slice with a line of fresh raspberries. Or? Place a slice of pound cake on a dessert plate, drizzle with Honey Vanilla Crème Fraîche and garnish with a sprig of mint.

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