Double Vanilla Pound Cake
1 cup milk, room temperature
4 cups flour, sifted
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt (if using salted butter, delete)
2 cups unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
2–1/2 cups Rain’s Choice Vanilla Sugar or plain sugar
6 jumbo eggs, room temperature (or 7 large eggs)
1 tablespoon Rain’s Choice pure Vanilla Extract plus 1/2 teaspoon Rain’s Choice ground Vanilla Bean Powder, or 2 teaspoons Vanilla Bean Paste
For the Trifle
1 bottle Limoncello
1–2 jars Lemon curd
1 box fresh raspberries
1 pint slightly sweetened whipped cream
First – Make the Double Vanilla Pound Cake
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Re-sift the flour with the baking powder and the salt onto a sheet of waxed paper; set aside.
In a large bowl, cream the butter with an electric mixer on moderately high speed until light; about 3 minutes.
Add the vanilla (or plain) sugar in two portions, beating thoroughly after each portion is added. Beat in eggs, one at a time, periodically scraping down the sides of the bowl to ensure an even mixture. Blend in vanilla extract and ground powder or vanilla paste.
On low speed, add the sifted dry ingredients alternately with the milk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients.
Pour and scrape the batter into lightly buttered, floured 10-inch tube pan, a large square baking pan or three loaf pans. Bake the cake on the lowest rack of the oven for about 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake emerges clean and dry.
Cool cake in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes.
To Prepare the Trifle
Cut the cake into small squares, place in a bowl, and sprinkle generously with Limoncello.
I let it sit overnight before I made the trifle but you can sprinkle it on the cake as you assemble the trifle if your prefer.
Typically trifle is prepared in a two or three quart (or litre) glass bowl. You can opt for individual serving dishes if you want to serve guests individual servings.
Place a layer of cake on the bottom of the bowl and press it down slightly. Next, cover the cake with lemon curd. Sprinkle the berries onto the lemon curd and then add a layer of lightly sweetened whipped cream. Repeat the layers until you have used up the ingredients, ending with the whipped cream. You will probably use between a half and a full pint of whipped cream, and two cups of lemon curd.
Put the trifle in the refrigerator overnight so that the cake can soften and the flavors can mellow, then serve.
Don’t want to make a cake from scratch? It’s okay to use a boxed cake mix; the lemon curd and cream will give it sparkle.
Find it online: https://vanillaqueen.com/lemon-trifle-with-berries/