swans down lemon pound cake recipe

6 large eggs (room temp.) Hi Geraldine, In a lot of cases a dense center on a pound cake is caused my overmixing. 2 tablespoon crushed pineapple Instructions Preheat the oven to 325F. The cake will be done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Make Tea-Infused Cream: Heat cream in a saucepan over medium-low heat just until bubbles form (do not boil). Easy to make. 3 cups white granulated sugar Hi Glaydell! This recipe has NEVER failed me. Happy baking! Add eggs one at a time to creamed mixture . Hi Zolah, This recipe can easily be halved. One reason the denseness occurs is if the flour is overmixed into the creamed sugar and butter. A winner! Preheat oven to 325. Im afraid to attempt it. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt. Beat the butter, sugar, and lemon zest: Start on low speed and gradually increase to medium-high once the butter and sugar are incorporated. You can see it here: https://swansdown.com/recipes/1-2-3-4-pound-cake-our-most-requested-recipe/, 1-2-3-4 Layer Cake (aka Back of the Box Cake because the recipe is on the Swans Down box) Cream butter, shortening, and sugar until fluffy and light. Me gustara saber si an la venden? Meyer Lemon Whipping Cream Pound Cake Adapted from the Whipping Cream Pound Cake recipe on the back of the Swans Down Cake Flour box. Divide batter evenly among the loaf pans. The cake will be done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Butter and lightly flour pan. Hands down the best pound cake recipe ever and I love your 1-2-3-4 cake recipe! Hi, Lee. Hi Gail, glad to hear it went well, and Happy Baking! WOW! Pound cakes of any size are an easy dessert to pack and carry to a shower, holiday gathering, picnic or party. You can trust this recipe! Light, bright and full of lemony flavor, this simple cake is perfect for any occasion from casual to fancy. Put your batter into prepared pan. Mix the dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, combine flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Your email address will not be published. It is the best.. my mother made when I was a kid.. Thank you for sharing April. We recommend that once youve added the flour you reduce the speed on the mixer to low and mix until just combined. 3 cups (360 grams) all-purpose flour 2 tablespoons lemon zest (from about 2 lemons) cup 7UP soda GLAZE: cup powdered sugar 1 tablespoon lemon juice (or more, as necessary) Instructions Preheat oven to 325F. Required fields are marked *. I like to flavor it with Almond, Lemmon and vanilla! The dry ingredients will be moistened/coated by the butterand will stick to together if you press some between two fingers. Thats an interesting combination to marry together. I made this cake Iast night. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. In a separate bowl whisk the cake flour, salt, and baking powder to combine. I had all her recipes but unfortunately I have lost them. Hi Tonika, Thanks so much for the kind words. This cake is perfect snack with a cup of coffee. Cake. It is not sweet at all. Add in flour and whipping cream, alternately. Required fields are marked *. It was delicious! Remove from pan, and cool completely on wire rack. you can substitute Baking Soda for Baking powder. I saw that someone used 2 loaf pans, is that a good idea.?! That small amount will not effect the outcome. Thanks for being a loyal Swans Down Cake Flour consumer. Also our flaky and tender Cranberry Scones uses heavy whipping cream. Stir. Grease an 8x4 loaf pan. Hi Debbie, Yes Swans Down Cake Flour has a grand history that began with the Igelheart brother dating back to the mid 1850s! Thanks for the awesome post and the suggestion to add butter extract! I decided to try it & I took it to work & it was a hit !! Orange sounds like a delicious variation for the 1-2-3-4 Pound Cake! There are too may variables to make a suggestion on the measurement without having tested it. Can this recipe be made with all butter instead of the margarine? I made this cake for the teachers as a small token of appreciation for their hard work and dedication at the pre-k program. Hi Cheryl, Have you tried this recipe before? I remember making a cake like this in my homec class many, many years ago, it would rise and have a soft crunch top, but when I bake it now the flavor is good but its not rising properly, I can see on the side of the cake where it rises and then it stops, its like a bake line and it bakes a to crunchy top could it be my stove. Recipe Instructions Makes 2 loaves or 1 round (tube pan) cake.PREHEAT oven to 325.BUTTER and lightly flour two 9-inch loaf pans (or you can use one 10-inch tube pan).SIFT Swans Down Cake Flour, then lightly spoon into measuring cup for 3 cups.CREAM butter and gradually add sugar, creaming until light and . 1 pound butter, softened 3 cups sugar 6 large eggs 4 cups all-purpose flour 3/4 cup milk 1 teaspoon almond extract 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Directions Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. In a separate bowl, mix the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Hi Gladys! Note it didnt last long! Havent tried that yet but I plan to today when I bake my pound cake. 3 cups sifted Swans Down Cake Flour I just baked 1234 pound cake and no problem. Thanks, and happy baking! This will help keep to them suspended in the batter during baking. Pour batter into a 9x5x3-inch pan or 9-inch tube pan which has been lined on the bottom with paper. Happy baking! This cake was fantastic, especially considering we are all chocolate cake ONLY people. My wife had this box of cake flour in our pantry. Cream the butter with the paddle attachment in your mixer, gradually add the sugar and mix until lighten in color and fluffy 3 to 5 minutes. You will need to experiment to see what works best for you and your location. 1-2-3-4 Pound Cake (Our Most Requested Recipe) 1 week ago swansdown.com Show details . Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until incorporated. Prep Time 10 minutes Cook Time 1 hour Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes Ingredients 1 cup butter 1 1/2 cups cake flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 1/4 cups sugar Zest of whole lemon Juice of a whole lemon Happy baking! Hi Susan, We have not tested the Whipping Cream Pound Cake in a 9 x 13 pan, but believe it can be done. Hi Monica, Unfortunately we do not have a high-altitude recipe version for the Whipping Cream Pound Cake. ADD flour mixture alternately with milk and extracts, blending after each addition until smooth. Come back and let us know the outcome. Deborah Stafford 2022-12-05 Lemon and blueberry cream cheese pound cake Please note that this recipe yields about 12 cups of batter, so make sure to not fill the pan more than 2/3 of the way full. I have additional info I will email to you. Makes 2 loaves or 1 round (tube pan) cake.PREHEAT oven to 325. 1 pound butter at room temperature. Thanks. Happy baking! This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. What happened to the previous recipe on the box. My new favorite! You can add additional milk (1 Tablespoon at a time) if the frosting is too thick or additional powdered sugar if too soft. 2 cups sifted cake flour 1 cups sugar 3 tsp. Happy baking! My reason for the half star is due to the amount of sugar required. Since baking soda is a much stronger than baking powder you have to add cream of tarter to the baking soda. 3 cups granulated sugar. We suggest using 1/2 pint heavy cream. Thanks so much for writing. Hey I made the sour cream pound cake and my issue was the batter over flowed in my over I followed the directions what did I do wrong. Come bake and let us know how it come out. If so, how long for baking? I find this is quite enough butter for my liking. 2 tsp. Lemony pound cake, rich with the refreshing flavor of iced sweet tea and topped with a freshly squeezed lemon glaze. Cream Cheese Cookies 3. When I tested the cake at 75 minutes, the top was a dry crust but the skewer had batter on it. My grandfather entered this 1-2-3-4 cake Greene family recipe in a Swans Flour baking contest when he was in 9th grade and won. Cake. Come back and let us know if you try it. Happy baking! Happy baking! 20 minutes, for the 6- 45 minutes. Bake at 325 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes. Make sure to not fill your pan more that 1/2 to 2/3 way full to void overflow during baking. Happy Baking! I sometimes substitute other flavoring extracts lemon, coconut, orange, butter pecan all with rave reviews! Bake at 325 degrees F for 1 hour 10 minutes. Also a tube pan may require a longer bake time. Combine the Jell-O with the boiling water and allow it to cool slightly. Gradually add sugar, creaming until light and fluffy. Divide batter evenly among prepared cake pans and bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Thanks for this recipe! Texas Sheet Cake Swans Down Cake Flour Recipes Sarah Mock 1. There is no answer to the question people ask on your webpage. he said it was greattttt memories. Set aside for later. Grease and flour a bundt cake pan. Hi Kim! This recipe calls for an extra large, 15-cup Bundt pan. Add milk alternately with flavoring. This is only layer cake my Mother made. Make Buttercream Frosting: In a large bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment), beat butter and confectioners sugar together until light and fluffy. Good morning. -Oven temperature too high or overbaking. Were sorry to hear that you were disappointed with the Whipping Cream Pound Cake. Made several of the above following the above recipe. Your email address will not be published. The top crusty part of my cake always detaches from the cake. Moist and tasty. In large mixing bowl, combine butter, sugar and sour cream; mix until creamy. Weve forwarded your information to our Consumer Affairs department. I followed the directions meticulously. Let us know if this helps and Happy Baking! I have many fond family picnic memories of eating this cake as Strawberry Short Cake and he would also bake it in a cake pan, slice it in half and fill with bananas and real whip cream.so good! 1-2-3-4 Pound Cake is our most requested recipe. Thank you! salt Ingredients For Pound Cake Glaze 1/4 cup butter, melted 1 cup powdered sugar 1 tsp lemon juice 2 tbsp cream (or milk) How To Make The Yummy Pound Cake SOUR CREAM POUND CAKE I (10 inch Tube Pan) 1 cup (3 sticks) salted butter (softened) 3 cups white granulated sugar 8 ounce sour cream 6 large eggs (room temp.) Thank you for sharing your memories Marion. Bake at 300-325 degrees for 1 1/2 - 2 hours. Hi Mary, Due to the rich ingredients used in this recipe there will be a slight crust; this is natural for this cake. Hi Luisa, thats correct. I hope they turn out great. Ive been baking for years. When you take it out, it tastes like ice cream. Also, is there a difference in using whipping cream as it comes, or whipping it into a solid? Give this one a try! Sign up to join our email list and receive new recipes, baking tips, promotions and more. Add 2 t. vanilla extract and 1/4 t. lemon extract. Im solo and only need one loaf, lol. Step 2 In large . You should check with the brands manufacturer to get the exact amount then can adjust the salt in the recipe if needed. Sift SWANS DOWN Cake Flour, lightly spoon into measuring cup for 3 cups. The same 3 recipes 1 2 3 4 Layer Cake, Simple Chocolate Cake and Whipping Cream Pound Cake have been on the back of the box for many years. Happy baking! Hi Susan, You can add berries to this recipe. In a large bowl, with an electric mixer on medium speed, cream the butter until light and fluffy. Preheat oven to 325. In large mixing bowl, cream butter then gradually add sugar beating on medium speed until We love hearing the family traditions and all the wonderful memories. Hi Christy, This recipe was developed using salted butter, but you can substitute unsalted butter. I have the original cake pans, measuring cup and the cake spreader, and the two cookbooks from Swan Down Cake Flour. Come back and let us know if you try it. Come back and let us know what you think of the final product. Can this recipe be doubled to make a tall layer cake, or is it best to make the recipe twice? Thank you kindly, Start by preheating your oven to 325F then liberally spray a 12-cup bundt pan with non-stick baking spray or greasing with butter or shortening and then flour. Please contact our Consumer Affairs Department for additional info: Email: service@reilyproducts.com Phone: 1-504-272-2939 . Can you put fresh apple and cinnamon in the cake? Pour Lemon Glaze onto cooled cake before serving. For serving, cut each profiterole in half crosswise, fill with a small scoop of ice cream, replace the top, and drizzle with slightly warm chocolate sauce. The best pound cake, bar none. Its delicious, but it comes out cracked on top. Made it on a whim for a birthday gathering and everyone loved it! Hi Sandra, Yes, you can use buttermilk in place of whole milk in the 1 2 3 4 pound cake recipe. You may need to extend the bake time a bit. Im stumped that baking powder isnt used in this recipe. How long would I need to bake if I want to make using 4 or 6 bundt pans for mini individual cakes? I was heavy and dense. Let us know how the turn out. Happy baking! Hi SMcD, Batters that are made with room temperature ingredients incorporate more evenly and tend to be smoother, while cold ingredients will bond together rather than incorporate. How much baking powder is acceptable to add? Wed love to hear how things go. Tossing the fresh berries in flour helps to keep them from sticking to the bottom of the cake during baking. Most certainly Janice, Many Earl Grey drinkers enjoy their cup with a fresh slice of lemon. 1 hour and 15-25 minutes. A great base to use for other pound cakes, including my favorite: Buttermilk Lb. Happy baking! Fresh berries are best as they would not hold as much liquid. This is a delicious cake. Add butter and mix on low to medium speed until smooth. When I inverted the cake 15 minutes later, the middle was uncooked. Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt together in a medium bowl; set aside. Let us know if you try it. I am now 65.., This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. I wonder if we can cut back on it. You can check Amazon, Walmart, Michaels and Wilton Brands. Weve discussed this and think you can probably substitute the sour cream in the same amount as the whipping cream (1/2 pint, which is 1 cup). Assemble the layers and frost the cake with remaining Buttercream Frosting. Wondering if this 1*2*3*4 pound cake recipe can be halved? Also, use the best ingredients you can find the freshest eggs and the highest quality butter, cream and cane sugar that you can get are always recommended. It was outstanding. Which should be used? Happy baking! I also made blueberry and strawberry sauce for those who wanted topping. Set aside. Desde Puerto Rico ??.. I have been making this recipe for years. EXCELLENT!! I used the tube pan. Being a pound cake were not sure how it will perform as a tall layer cake. Required fields are marked *. Swan's Down content produced in Louisiana. You can always contact us from the link on our home page if you desire. . Happy baking! Yes, one can substitute whole milk for heavy cream; keep all measurements the same with the recipe. 1 Stick or 1/2 cup of butter typically has about 1/4 teaspoon of salt. I want to know if adding a teaspoon of baking powder will make a difference? Can you please tell me where I went wrong. I would like to print the recipe but I dont see a PRINT option. Hi Patrice, The recipe would call for a large 14 16 cup Bundt pan. It is perfect in one hour. Your information was forwarded to our Consumer Relations Department. Happy Baking! Line the long sides of the pans with parchment paper "slings" and spray lightly with nonstick cooking spray again. Thank you !! Happy baking! I want to get it right and Im used to baking recipes always using unsalted butter but I am a novice baker. Bake at 325F. Add flour mixture a little bit at a time, beating just until combined. Heres our glaze recipe: Remove from heat, add tea bags and steep for 10 minutes. Hi Elizabeth, We used the Nordic Ware Heritage Bundt Pan. If you do please share it with me. baking powder 1 tsp. We do have a 1-2-3-4 Layer Cake recipe as well, which is featured on the back of our box, which specifies three 9-inch layer pans, and is found here: Hi Mae, Word from The Kitchen is that you can replace the 1 cup of milk with 1 cup of mayonnaise. Beat butter and sugar with a mixer on low speed just until combined. Add more cream if necessary to make it the correct consistency, but only add 1 tablespoon at a time. It may not be reaching the correct temperature now. Then Over baking Oven temperature not being hot enough when cake placed into oven Adding too much cake flour Added less liquid than recipe calls for. Increase oven temperature by 15 to 25. Let us know how the next one goes! Just wondering if the batter was supposed to be a thick batter or did I do something wrong? Beat on medium-high speed for 2-3 minutes. Hi: I just moved to a high altitude area (Colorado) I use swans Down cake flour for my German Chocolate Cake however it does not rise like it use to when I lived in (California) is there something I can do to make it right? Happy baking! Vanilla extract to taste (or other flavoring if desired). Add 2 t. vanilla extract and 1/4 t. lemon extract. Your email address will not be published. Follow us on Facebook (Link opens in new window), Follow us on Instagram (Link opens in new window), Follow us on Youtube (Link opens in new window), 1 pound unsalted butter, room temperature. So light and moist, the almond extract makes it! Are you using a bundt pan? Set Aside 4 Measure 3 Cups of Domino Sugar. For the 4 test at approx. With mixer on low speed, gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture, alternatively with Tea-Infused Cream, beginning and ending with flour mixture, beating until combined after each addition and scraping sides of bowl. I didnt take it out due to the middle was not done. I have been making it for over 10 years and passing the recipe along. With that the fill rate and bake time could vary as well. This recipe is very popular and has been on the back of the Swans Down box since 2010. Happy baking! It does not do well as cupcakes. To convert a recipe from cake flour to all-purpose flour you would remove 2 tablespoons of flour from each cup of all-purpose flour. The picture shows a loaf cake instead of a tube pan. Cream butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment until light and fluffy. Hi Kimberly, You and test at 1 hour and 10 minutes for regular loaf pans, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of each cake comes out clean. Add 2 cups cake flour, cream until smooth. Other Swans Down recipes that we have tested in a mini bundt pan bake for 20 25 minutes. I must admit Ive deviated by adding a tad lemon juice. I went 7 more minutes and took it out because it appeared to be burning at the edges. ), BAKE at 325 for approx. Swan's Down content produced in Louisiana. I love this perfect and simple pound cake recipe! Set Aside 5 Cream together Butter and Cream Cheese. You would be safe to add about 1 teaspoon of salt if you only have unsalted butter. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Yes indeed, you can make cupcakes using this recipe, or with any of our cake recipes. Cool in pan on wire rack 15-20 minutes. Press tea bags against pan to remove liquid, then discard. Just before adding milk, put soda into buttermilk and mix well. Unbelievably good! Mix the wet ingredients: In another bowl using an electric mixer (stand or handheld), beat together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. We do have a 7Up cake recipe that is delicious! Hi there. Hi, I used the recipe as instructed, however my cake looked wet in the inside. She also made the chocolate icing with Hersheys cocoa. Thanks so much for the kind words. With that we left the directions to preheat before baking. Would that make the cake off, or can that work? Lower the oven rack to the next to lowest position. I make this cake for family and friends. Amazing recipe. Beat sugar and butter in a bowl with an electric mixer for 10 minutes. I saw a recipe to prevent dry cake: Place 2 cups water in I had so much fun making it too, putting on my favorite podcast. We did have one in our archives. Happy baking! Also added 2 teaspoon baking powder to cake flour. Discard tea bags and let cool. One reason for that is if the flour is overmixed into the creamed sugar and butter. Remove cake from oven and cool in pan for 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack placed over a baking sheet. Can I add crushed Oreo cookies to the recipe? Alternate milk and flour into butter, sugar, egg mixture. Can you use Earl Grey tea bags? Hi Kathy, Thank you for calling that to our attention. Lemon Pound Cake Batter 1 cups (12oz/340g) butter (room temperature) 3 cups (1lb 8oz/675g) granulated sugar 6 large eggs (room temperature) 1 cup (8floz/225ml) milk (room temperature) 2 tablespoons lemon zest 2 tablespoons lemon juice 3 cups (15oz/426g) all-purpose flour teaspoon baking soda teaspoon salt Lemon Syrup Either way the cake may not have the same level of richness and flavor as the heavy whipping cream contains more fat, but will still have a good tasting pound cake. Hello, thanks for sharing this recipe. Stir in 2 tablespoons of the heavy cream. It may take 5 to 6 minutes to reach the smoothness and consistency you like. When autocomplete results are available use up and down arrows to review and enter to select. She passed years ago and I always wanted to do the cake. Also I am New to Baking, but watched & enjoyed My Mother baking for many years. They used the whipping cream pound cake as the base, divided the batter in half, add 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder and 1 tablespoon red food color to one half of the batter. A standard size Bundt pan should hold 10-12 cups of batter. In June 2018, on Carnival Horizon was introduced the implemented fleetwide in 2019 "Pizza Anywhere" (in-cabin pizza delivery option via the Carnival Hub App). This recipe yields about 12 cups of batter and requires a large bundt pan. Herbed Cheese Straws 9. BUTTER and lightly flour two 9-inch loaf pans (or you can use one 10-inch tube pan). Line pan lengthwise with parchment paper, leaving about a 2" overhang. Can I use a tube pan for the 1234 cake.!? Can I substitute those with 1/2 and 1/2. I add a teaspoon of lemon extract to give it a little zest. Bake in a slow oven (325F.) Thank you in advance. CREAM butter and gradually add sugar, creaming until light and fluffy. Can I say I love this cake! Lemon juice and zest in the batter gives these tender-crumb pound cakes lots of bright, lemony flavor. Sift the already sifted cake flour with baking powder and salt. Happy Baking! I used this recipe but did the reverse creaming method as this prevents excessive gluten, this cake is definitely to die for. Thank you for providing us with the best cake flour. Make Sweet Tea Syrup: Bring water to a boil in a small saucepan, stir in sugar and cook and stir for 1 minute. Then turn out, remove paper, and turn . Perfect for anytime. When done, loaf should be golden brown on top, and a toothpick inserted into the top of the loaf should come out clean. Were going to work in our test kitchens on this and come up with a lemon and poppyseed version of this pound cake. You cannot go wrong with Swans Down! Hi Diana, If you do not have a large Bundt, you can use a standard size but make sure to not over fill the pan. Butter and lightly flour 10 inch tube pan. Happy Baking! i follow every ingredient on this recipe and i also add 2 ingredients that takes it to the next level moisture wise. Hi Tammy, Wow, what a great bit of Swans Down history! Weve also sent a pdf copy of the recipe to your email. Hi Loretta, Were sorry you had this issue. . Hi Claire, We agree this is a delicious cake! I am trying to find a recipe for a sour cream pound cake. How did you cut it to make it look like that. Always perf! This recipe is a classic that has been around for a while, and that might have been a variation on the theme. Still make it. The almond is a bit over powering, cake was on the dry side and it filled only two 9 inch pans not 3 like the back of the box says and the temp is 350 on box. Do you happen to have a recipe for that using the cake flour? Remove from heat, add tea bags and steep for 10 minutes. It looked perfect, cut perfectly, tasted out of this world. Grease the top side of the parchment paper and dust it with flour. Hi Kelli, Being a pound cake the batter is a bit thicker. Happy Baking !!! Ingredients 2 cups butter, softened 2-1/2 cups sugar 2 tablespoons grated key lime zest 6 large eggs, room temperature 2 tablespoons Key lime juice 1 tablespoon vanilla extract 4 cups (540 grams) cake flour 1 teaspoon salt 3/4 cup 2% milk FROSTING: 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened 1/2 cup butter, softened 1 teaspoon grated key lime zest Explain the why of this. I love this receipe . MIX on low speed until all ingredients are incorporated. Top with a lemony glaze, or just sprinkle with confectioners sugar. butter flavoring (vanilla flavoring can be substituted) Preheat oven to 325F. Were happy to be a part of your family baking traditions! I wasnt feeling so great tonight, myself so I made the pound cake. I made this for Thanksgiving and it turned out beautifully. Also the room temp eggs. Happy baking! This is a delicious pound cake AND our #1 most requested recipe. Keep in mind that this recipe yields a lot of batter, so make sure to not fill the pan more than 2/3 of the way full. My son has asked for a cross between this cake and his favorite Red Velvet cake for his birthday. Hi Stephanie, You can certainly bake this in mini loaf pans. Amazing cake! Add vanilla extract and heavy cream and mix until smooth. Happy baking! It is our go to for pound cake. Start testing at 1 hour and 15 minutes and bake until a long tester inserted in center of cake comes out completely clean. Just baked the 1-2-3-4 cake today and halved the recipe since I wanted a small loaf cake. Please follow the recipe instructions; all will be delicious! 3 cups all-purpose flour sifted, (I use this flour) 1 cup plain eggnog no alcohol or spices added 1 tablespoon vanilla extract Instructions Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Once youve added the flour, reduce the speed on your mixer to low and mix until just combined. creamy. Thanks, and happy baking. Brush Sweet Tea Simple Syrup onto warm cake, let stand for 15 minutes, then repeat. 1-2-3-4 Pound Cake (Our Most Requested Recipe). If so would it change the baking time? Happy Baking! I dont know what I did wrong. Do NOT over beat the flour, add slowly, and gently until combined. Regards the glaze I cut in half and add Bacardi rum to taste. Thank you Swans Down!! Ingredients CAKE 2 cups unsalted butter, softened 3 cups granulated sugar 4 large eggs, room temperature 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract