BAY LEAF POUND CAKE

Bay Leaf Pound Cake 

ingredients

6 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus a little more for greasing pan

1 Tablespoon unsalted butter, softened, for topping cake before baking

10 Bay Laurel Leaves

1 and 2/3 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 eggs, room temperature

1/2 sour cream

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

zest of one orange

method

In a small saucepan, melt the butter on medium-low heat until just melted, then remove from heat and add 3 bay leaves. Let the bay leaves steep in the butter for 1 hour. Before using, you can heat it up if needed just to get it to pour easily.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare 9 x 5 inch loaf pan, or one with similar volume, by greasing with a little butter, and dusting with flour, then lining with parchment paper so that it hangs out from the two long sides, so that you can easily remove it from the pan. Set aside.

Dab a little butter on the rest of the leaves and arrange at the bottom of the lined pan to get them to stick to the parchment paper.

In a bowl, sift the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Stir with a whisk to incorporate well. Set aside.

In another bowl, combine the eggs, sour cream, vanilla, and zest. Whisk to combine thoroughly.

Pour the egg mixture into the bowl with the flour mixture and stir to combine with a rubber spatula until smooth. Discard the bay leaves from the saucepan with the butter in it, and heat up the butter if needed, just to pourable consistency, if needed. Add the butter to the batter slowly while gradually stirring with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon to incorporate, until smooth.

Pour the batter carefully so as not to move the leaves at the bottom. Cut the remaining 1 Tablespoon of butter into small cubes and line down the length of the cake in the middle. Using the back of a small spoon, press the butter cubes down slightly, creating a shallow trench.

Place in the oven for about 40-50 minutes, or until lightly browned on the edges or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

After resting in the pan on a wire rack for about 10 minutes, loosen the sides with a thin blade of a knife and lift cake up with the parchment paper on both sides and carefully place on wire rack to cool significantly before serving. Feel free to use the recipe for the glaze, or give it a light dusting of confectioners sugar, if desired. I really liked it just plain, though. I’ve always like bay leaves in recipes, but could never clearly taste just bay leaves, so having this cake without the glaze really puts that flavor front and center, and it is glorious! Also makes a great present because it keeps well and is easy to transport.