I’ve finally got a new laptop!
I’ve had my old one for 5 years, which my OH loves to tell me is practically pre-historic in computer terms. Yes, yes I know, but it worked up until recently, so I didn’t see the need to buy a new one.
Then it started getting s.l.o.w.
Reallllllly slow.
And then the battery stopped charging properly.
It was so slow I wanted to throw it out of the window! I have about 200 blogs I read almost daily and obviously with food blogs, there are pictures. I would get the text and then the images would show up 5 minutes later, no joke.
Then sometimes I wouldn’t get the text! I mean come on?! I’m not magic, I don’t just look at someone’s website and then their invisible words flow into my head. I enjoy reading blogs and like seeing what other bloggers have been up to, so having a laptop which loads that really important stuff like TEXT is pretty darn important.
So anyway, I’ve been looking for a while, but I was just going to get a normal, reasonably priced laptop as I have no idea about specifications etc and I just wanted one that works.
However, I have the best boyfriend in the world! We were watching TV one night and he suddenly went “What laptop do you want?” I was like “I have no idea…”
So he went looking and showed me some options which were wayyyyyyy better than what I was looking at. In an ideal world, I need one which can run CAD as well for Uni, but I couldn’t afford one.
I chose one I quite liked (he’d told me all the amazing things it could do and read out a load of numbers which I had no clue about) and then said he was going to buy it for me!!
I was so shocked and grateful! Long story short, it arrived yesterday and it’s amazing. It’s made out of metal too, so clumsy people like me can’t break them as easily. It’s so fast, I’ve missed being able to load something in like 10 seconds!
So to celebrate the fact I’ve joined the 21st century in computer terms, lets eat cake.
Strawberry and Vanilla Pound cake to be precise.
This cake is so good! I love a good pound cake and this is my new favourite! I’ve been developing the recipe for a while now and I’ve got it down to perfection 🙂
It’s moist, tender, has a perfect crumb and is super versatile. I can’t wait to make this again with new flavours!
This version is packed full of fresh strawberries, which are complimented perfectly by the vanilla cake. I finished it off with a simple vanilla glaze, which just topped it off.
It’s easy to make and the batter whips up in less than 10 minutes. Then you just put it in the oven for a nice slow bake at 160C/325F and there you have it – the perfect pound cake!
Seriously, you need this in your life! 🙂
Strawberry and Vanilla Pound Cake
Ingredients
- Ingredients for the cake
- 2 sticks (226g) butter
- 1 cup caster sugar
- 4 eggs
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup sour cream
- 2 1/2 cups cake flour (in the UK we don't get this for every 1 cup of plain flour, remove 2 tbsp and replace with cornflour, then sift together to create cake flour)
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 2 cups diced, fresh strawberries
- Ingredients for the glaze
- 2/3 cup icing sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1-2 tbsp water
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 160C/325F and grease and line a 2lb loaf tin.
- Place the butter and sugar into a large bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer and beat until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes on med-high speed.
- Add in the eggs and vanilla extract and mix until well incorporated.
- Place the flour, baking powder and strawberries into a medium sized bowl and stir until the strawberries are coated in flour. (This will stop them sinking to the bottom of the cake).
- Add in the sour cream and flour mix and mix on slow until well combined and smooth.
- Pour the batter into the greased and lined loaf tin and place in the oven for 70-75 minutes, until risen, golden and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
- Leave cake to cool in the tin completely.
- Once cooled, make the glaze. Place the sugar and 1 tbsp of water into a small bowl and mix until smooth. Add in the vanilla extract and another tbsp of water if required. Mix until smooth and then pour over the pound cake.
- Cake will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 days or in the fridge for 4 days.
Recipe Notes
Recipe by Annie
Heather @ French Press says
29.8.13 at 11:29 pmI love pound cake, but I have never tried to add berries…this looks like a great idea. thanks again for linking up
Annie Standing says
30.8.13 at 8:33 amI hadn’t added berries before this either, but it really works! Thanks so much for hosting 🙂
Julie @ This Gal Cooks says
30.8.13 at 2:43 amCongrats on the new computer! I recently got a new laptop. I only had a desktop but I wanted something I could take with me when I go places so I got a Macbook Pro. Quite the investment but I’m hoping to get a few good years out of it!
This is such a lovely bread. The photos look great, Annie! Pinned!
Annie Standing says
30.8.13 at 8:34 amIt’s definitely useful being able to take a laptop wherever you need to go! Think I’d be lost without it now! I use an iMac for all my photo editing and blog work, but couldn’t quite stretch to a Macbook Pro haha! Definitely an investment, but they last for ages!
Carole says
30.8.13 at 3:08 amAnnie, as luck would have it today’s Food on friday is about vanilla (and saffron). It would be super if you stopped by Carole’s chatter and added this to the great collection. Cheers
Annie Standing says
30.8.13 at 8:35 amGreat, I shall go and link up!
Claire @ Lemon Jelly Cake says
30.8.13 at 3:35 pmMmm! What a winning combination. 🙂
Tina @ Tina's Chic Corner says
30.8.13 at 4:06 pmI love getting a new laptop/computer. I don’t realize how bad I’ve had it until I’ve experienced the upgrade. 🙂
This pound cake looks so good! Lovin that glaze!!
Annie Standing says
30.8.13 at 5:54 pmHaha I’m exactly the same! I can’t believe how fast the new one is, I keep going “WOW!!” My old one really was pretty dire!
[email protected] In Pyjamas says
30.8.13 at 7:58 pmIt looks delicious, I love strawberry and vanilla together.
Annie Standing says
2.9.13 at 4:10 pmThanks so much! Me too, they just go so well together! 🙂
Milk and Honey says
2.9.13 at 1:37 pmHey Annie, thanks for stopping by my blog.
Congratulations on your new laptop, I bet that’s given you a whole new lease on life.
Your strawberry-studded pound cake looks divine. What better way to celebrate your new-found SPEED and POWER than with a slice of cake!
Annie Standing says
2.9.13 at 4:11 pmThanks very much 🙂 Definitely loving how fast it is haha! Had forgotten what it’s like to have a page load quickly 😀
Miz Helen says
2.9.13 at 11:49 pmThank you so much for sharing your awesome recipe with Full Plate Thursday. Hope you have had a great weekend and have a fabulous week.
Come Back Soon!
Miz Helen
Tina @ Tina's Chic Corner says
3.9.13 at 4:08 amHi! Found you from Marvelous Monday…this pound cake looks amazing! I love how you added strawberries to it. 🙂
Tina @ Tina's Chic Corner says
3.9.13 at 4:10 amLOL! I just realized that I already left you a comment earlier! Just goes to show you how much this pound cake is calling out to me. Finding you and this recipe in 2 different ways (pinterest and now Marvelous Mon) definitely means I need to make this. 🙂
BeBetsy says
6.9.13 at 3:41 amI love pound cake! and especially the strawberry and vanilla twist. Thanks for sharing your link on the BeBetsy Brag About It. http://bebetsy.com
Hope to see you next week!
Sharon and Denise ♥
kristinethefoleyfamblogk says
6.9.13 at 5:48 pmOh my! Mouth watering! THANK YOU for linkin up to Sunday FUNday!
Tammy Gaede says
7.9.13 at 7:03 pmIs corn flour the same as cornstarch?
Annie Standing says
10.9.13 at 6:05 pmYes it is 🙂