By far the best thing I brought back from Tahiti (besides my hubs who would have happily stayed there – with me of course) was a bag filled with natural vanilla beans grown right there in French Polynesia. I’ve made Tahitian Vanilla pancakes and cookies, and added the vanilla seeds almost anytime a recipe calls for vanilla extract. Because in my mind you can never have too much vanilla.
Most recently I decided to make traditional poundcake and so accordingly, I added several scrapings of my Tahitian Vanilla beans into the batter. I love how you can see the black flecks of the dark vanilla against the yellow cake.
The recipe makes two loaves and we ate one and froze the other one for a later date. The cake was sweet enough to eat on it’s own, though you (not me) could easily eat it with vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of chocolate or caramel as a simple dessert. I think the pound cake would also be tasty with some glazed strawberries.
I think when we thaw the frozen loaf I’d like to drizzle it with a warm maple glaze and some sliced almonds.
How do you eat pound cake?
Monday, May 23rd, 2011, 10:38 am | 
breads, food, recipe, sweet | 
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May 23, 2011 at 4:02 pm
Bianca, you make such pretty food!
Rach recently posted..A Saturday in Florence…
May 24, 2011 at 4:42 am
I don’t know about the almonds, but I can’t wait to get some more of that poundcake! And what a great idea on the ice cream to go along with it. Might just have to try that one out
May 24, 2011 at 12:28 pm
This looks amazing! I LOVE vanilla. I love seeing the little specks of it when I bake. We make our own vanilla extract with vodka and it’s so good. My favorite way to eat pound cake is toasted. I love how it intensifies the flavors and gives a crunchy texture on the outside while it still has the dense chew on the inside. Now I want pound cake.
Sarena (The Non-Dairy Queen) recently posted..Baked Artichoke Falafel
May 24, 2011 at 12:57 pm
Ooh! I’ve never thought to toast it! That sounds perfect!!!
May 25, 2011 at 12:38 am
That really looks good!!
May 25, 2011 at 12:55 pm
This pound cake sounds delicious. Don’t you just love bringing back food stuff from vacations? I brought back some vanilla from Mexico this past fall, and it is the most amazing stuff ever.
Katie recently posted..Pineapple Fried Rice
May 25, 2011 at 8:13 pm
OMG, Bianca. I need to send you my recipe for ice cream poundcake heaven. That is not the name of the recipe. I don’t remember the name of the recipe. Crap. Let me just go get my recipe book.
jes recently posted..Easter Basket Ideas For Kids
May 25, 2011 at 8:19 pm
I promise that Thomas will love:
Ice Cream Freezer Cake
(This recipe came from one of the ladies in my church, and is listed in my Apples of Gold cookbook.)
- Cut pound cake into 1/3″ slices. Line bottom of 9″ springform pan with cake.
- Spread 1 pint of coffee ice cream (chocolate would be good, too), softened, on top of sliced pound cake.
(Or, so you can also eat it, look for Rice Dream or Almond milk ice cream. Dairy free!)
- Freeze until firm.
- Sprinkle with 2 packages (1.2 oz each) English toffee (Heath bars), chopped
- Repeat layering with remaining cake, ice cream, fudge topping and candy. Freeze until ready to serve.
jes recently posted..Easter Basket Ideas For Kids
May 25, 2011 at 9:53 pm
This poundcake look delish. I tend to peel the crust off and save it for last. : )
Ezzy Guerrero-Languzzi recently posted..Dried Salted Apricots- Saladitos
May 25, 2011 at 9:53 pm
This poundcake looks delish. I tend to peel the crust off and save it for last. : )
Ezzy Guerrero-Languzzi recently posted..Dried Salted Apricots- Saladitos
May 26, 2011 at 12:02 pm
I add vanilla to everything, it adds such depth to the flavor of so many recipes.
May 27, 2011 at 6:49 am
This looks delicious…
Monique recently posted..Chocolate Chips Cupcake Tins Mmm Mmm Good