Yeasted Pound Cake

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, and salt to combine. Add the yeast and stir to combine.
2. In another large bowl, whisk the butter, milk, eggs, and vanilla to combine.
3. Pour the butter mixture into the flour mixture and whisk to combine. Mix well to ensure it's fully combined, but take care not to over-mix.
4. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap (make sure the batter has enough room to rise: it will nearly double in size). Let rise at a moderate temperature (don't put it in the fridge, and don't leave it by the stove) for 12 hours.
5. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Grease and flour a 10-inch bundt pan.
6. Stir the batter to deflate it. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Let the batter rise at room temperature again for 1 hour. It won't double in size this time, but it should increase noticeably in volume, about 25%.
7. Bake the cake until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 70 to 80 minutes. This is a hefty cake, so it will take a while. If you feel like the cake is browning too quickly, you can tent the surface with foil and/or reduce the oven temperature 25° F.
8. Cool for 20 minutes inside the pan, then invert the cake onto a cooling rack. Cool completely. Garnish with confectioners' sugar and serve with roasted fruit if desired.
9. This cake holds pretty well, for up to 4 days, because it's so moist. Just remember to keep it well wrapped in an airtight container after slicing to prevent it from drying out.