This vanilla okara pound cake is a delicious twist on the classic recipe.
With its rich, buttery flavor and moist, tender texture, this pound cake is a real treat.
You can serve it simply sliced and plain, or top it with whipped cream and fresh fruit for a simple and satisfying dessert.
And if you're feeling creative, you can use this pound cake as a base to make all sorts of sweet treats, such as trifles, French toast, bread pudding, or berry shortcake.
If you are looking for other ways to use up leftover okara soybean pulp you might like to try this gluten-free okara chocolate cake this flourless cake is moist and has a rich chocolate flavor or you might like to try this recipe for lemon poppy seed okara muffins they are light and fluffy.
Jump to:
- Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Cost to Make
- What is Okara?
- Why Is Pound Cake Called Pound Cake?
- Ingredients
- How To Measure Eggs By Weight For Baking
- Equipment
- Instructions
- Recipe Tips
- How To Tell When A Cake Is Done
- Serving Size
- Calories Per Serve
- Serving Suggestions
- Variations
- How To Use
- Storage
- More Okara Recipes
- Recipe
- Feedback
Our vanilla okara pound cake is a delicious variation of the classic recipe, made with okara soybean pulp.
It is just as sweet, dense, and easy to make as a traditional pound cake, and has a rich, buttery flavor that pairs perfectly with a cup of coffee or tea.
Enjoy it plain or with a dollop of whipped cream for a simple and satisfying dessert.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
You will love this vanilla okara pound cake because:
- This classic dessert has a timeless appeal that almost everyone will love.
- It has a rich flavor and tender texture.
- It is great for brunch or afternoon tea when you have family and friends over.
- It can be used to make so many different desserts, see our "How To Use" section below for some great ideas.
Cost to Make
Estimated cost = $4.87 or $0.40 a serve
What is Okara?
Okara is a Japanese term for the soya bean pulp leftover after making soy milk or tofu.
It is high in fiber, calcium, protein, and other minerals, making it a healthy low-fat ingredient for many sweet and savory foods.
Fresh okara is available to buy in Japan, Korea, and China, but not so easy to get elsewhere unless you make soya milk or tofu.
If you make soya milk at home and want to know more about using okara, we have an informative article on What To Do With Soya Bean Pulp.
In the article we show you:
- How to cook raw okara
- How to store it
- How to dry it
- How to make it a powder
- and more
Or, read our What Is Okara? post to learn more about it.
Why Is Pound Cake Called Pound Cake?
A pound cake gets its name because it was traditionally made with a pound of butter, sugar, eggs, and flour.
The cake dates back to the early 18th century when ingredients were measured by weight rather than volume.
Today pound cake recipes vary slightly from the traditional formula, but the basic principle is still the same using equal amounts of butter, sugar, eggs, and flour.
Ingredients
Please note that below is a guide for some of the ingredients we used in the recipe. The printable recipe further down the page has the complete list of ingredients, including quantities and step-by-step instructions.
Fresh okara - you will need about ½ cup soy pulp made from homemade soy milk.
Butter - Salted or unsalted room temperature butter can be used in this recipe.
Sugar - Use white granulated sugar.
Eggs - Use room-temperature eggs and weigh them out of their shell for accurate measurement - see our notes below on "How to Measure Eggs by Weight for Baking" for more information.
If you do not have a kitchen scale, as a general rule 4 large eggs (in the shell), with an average weight of 56 grams (2 ounces), is approximately 226 grams (½ pound).
However, if the eggs you are using are larger or smaller than above, you may need to use less or more to get the correct measurement.
Flour - All-purpose flour (plain flour).
How To Measure Eggs By Weight For Baking
Here is how to measure eggs for a recipe using kitchen scales:
- Start by cracking 2-3 eggs into a small bowl or cup and beat them together.
- Place another bowl or cup on the kitchen scale and reset the scale to zero.
- Pour the beaten eggs out of the bowl or cup and into the bowl on the zeroed scales.
- Take note of the weight of the eggs on the scales, add more beaten eggs until you get the amount called for in the recipe, and if there is too much egg, remove some until you get the correct weight.
By weighing the eggs out of the shell, you can be sure that you are using the exact amount of eggs called for in the recipe, which can help ensure that your recipe turns out perfectly every time.
Equipment
You will need:
- Kitchen scales
- Loaf tin 23 cm x 13 cm x 6 cm (9 inch x 5.11 inch x 2.36 inch) or a 20 cm (8 inches) round tin.
Instructions
Step 1 - Place butter and sugar in a mixing bowl and beat on a high-speed electric mixer until light and fluffy – this will take about 5 - 8 minutes.
Step 2 - Reduce the mixer speed to low and gradually add the eggs a little at a time, mixing well between each addition.
Step 3 - Add the vanilla and okara and mix until combined.
Step 4 - Mix in the wet okara until evenly combined.
Step 5 - In another bowl sift the flour, baking powder, and baking soda together.
Using a wooden spoon for mixing as you gradually add flour to the prepared batter and mix until just incorporated.
Step 6 - Transfer the batter to the prepared cake tin, smooth out the top and bake for about 40 – 50 minutes or until the top is golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Remove from the oven, and let it stand in the tin for about 15 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely.
Recipe Tips
Use room-temperature ingredients
It's important to use room-temperature ingredients, especially butter and eggs. This will ensure that the batter mixes smoothly and that the texture of the finished cake is even and tender.
Cream the butter and sugar well
Beat the butter and sugar together until they are light and fluffy - about 5- 8 minutes. This helps to incorporate air into the batter, which will give the cake a light and tender crumb.
Avoid overmixing the batter
After adding the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, mix just until the ingredients are combined because if you overmix you will end up with a tough cake.
Use the right pan
A traditional pound cake is baked in a loaf pan, but you can also use a tube pan or a Bundt pan.
Make sure the tin you are using is the right size, as a general rule the batter should fill the tin about two-thirds full.
Grease or line the tin
To prevent the cake from sticking to the tin and make it easier to remove, prepare it before baking by either greasing it or lining it with parchment paper.
Don't open the oven too often
Avoid opening the oven door too often while the cake bakes, because this will cause the temperature to drop and can result in uneven baking.
Let the cake cool completely
To make cutting easier let the cake cool completely, it will make slicing easier and stop it from breaking into pieces.
How To Tell When A Cake Is Done
You could use any of the methods below to test when a cake has fully cooked, or you could do a combination of all three.
Toothpick test: Insert a wooden skewer into the center of the cake. If it comes out clean or with just a few crumbs clinging to it, the cake is done. If it comes out with wet batter on it, the cake needs more time to bake.
Touch test: Gently press the top of the cake with your finger, and if the top of the cake springs back and feels firm to the touch, it is done.
If the cake feels soft or spongy, it needs more time to bake.
Visual test: Look at the top of the cake, if it is golden brown, and the edges of the cake are starting to pull away from the sides of the pan, the cake is done.
If the top is still pale and the edges have not yet turned brown, the cake will need more time to bake.
Serving Size
This vanilla okara pound serves 12 and a serving size is one slice of cake about 1.8 cm (0.70 inches) thick.
Calories Per Serve
There are about 292 calories in a serving.
Serving Suggestions
There are several different ways you can serve this vanilla okara pound cake:
- Slice it and serve it with plain or flavored whipped cream and fresh fruit.
- Slice and drizzle over a simple syrup, or condensed milk like this sweetened condensed soy milk.
- Dust the top of the cake with powdered icing sugar before slicing and serving.
- Top with simple powdered sugar frosting or cream cheese frosting. You could use a store-bought frosting or make your own.
- Slice and serve with your favorite ice cream.
Variations
Add a different flavor - replace the vanilla with lemon, orange, or almond extract.
You can even add a couple of tablespoons of grated citrus zest, or a handful of chopped nuts or chocolate chips to the batter.
Mix in fruit - Fresh or dried fruits can be added to the pound cake batter.
You could mix in chopped apples, bananas, or berries, or mix in a cup of dried fruit, such as raisins or cranberries.
Add a frosting - A glaze or frosting can give a pound cake a beautiful finish and add an extra layer of flavor.
You could make your own or top it with store-bought frosting.
How To Use
This easy-pound cake can also be used as an ingredient to make several different desserts like these:
Trifles - A trifle is a layered dessert that is made with cake, fruit, and a creamy topping, like whipped cream or custard.
You can use pound cake as the base of a trifle by cutting it into small cubes and layering it with your choice of fruit and cream or custard topping.
French toast - Pound cake is a delicious bread alternative for making French toast, as it is sturdy enough to hold up to the soaking process and has a rich, buttery flavor.
Cut thick slices of cake, dip it in a mixture of beaten eggs, milk, and a little sugar, and then cook it in a hot skillet until it is golden brown on both sides.
Serve with syrup and butter for a tasty breakfast or dessert.
Bread pudding - Use pound cake as a great base for bread pudding, it holds its shape well and adds a rich, buttery flavor to the dish.
Cut the pound cake into small cubes, mix it with eggs, milk, sugar, and any other desired ingredients (such as fruit or chocolate chips), and bake until the pudding is set and golden brown on top.
Berry shortcake - Berry shortcake is a classic summer dessert that is easy to make using pound cake.
Simply slice the pound cake into thick slices, top each slice with a generous helping of fresh berries and whipped cream, and serve.
Ice cream sandwiches - Make a tasty frozen treat, slice the pound cake into thick rounds place a scoop of ice cream on top of one slice of pound cake, top it with another slice, and press gently to make the sandwich.
Roll the edges in sprinkles or chopped nuts if desired, and then freeze until firm.
Storage
Refrigeration - To store okara pound cake, allow the cake to cool completely, then wrap it in plastic and store it in a sealed container.
Store it at room temperature for up to a week or for two weeks in the fridge.
Freeze - If you want to keep it for longer, it can be frozen as a whole cake or cut into slices.
To freeze the pound cake, wrap it tightly in plastic food wrap then place it into a freezer bag and freeze it for up to three months.
More Okara Recipes
If you like this recipe for vanilla okara pound cake, you might also like these okara recipes:
If you have tried this or any other of my recipes, don't forget to come back and rate the recipe and leave a comment below, because I love hearing from you!
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Recipe
Vanilla Okara Pound Cake
Equipment
- Kitchen scales
- Loaf tin 23 cm x 13 cm x 6 cm (9 inch x 5.11 inch x 2.36 inch) or a 20 cm (8 inches) round tin.
Ingredients
- 226 grams (½ pound) butter, room temp
- 226 grams (½ pound) of sugar
- 226 grams (½ pound) eggs, room temp, weigh, beat eggs, discard excess to get the correct weight
- 2 teaspoon vanilla
- 113 grams (¼ pound) of fresh okara
- 226 grams (½ pound) flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Grease and flour or line 23 cm x 13 cm x 6 cm (9 inch x 5.11 inch x 2.36 inch) loaf tin or a 20 cm (8 inches) round tin.
- Place butter and sugar in a mixing bowl and beat on a high-speed electric mixer until light and fluff. This will take about 5 - 8 minutes.
- Reduce the mixer speed to low and gradually add the eggs a little at a time, mixing well between each addition.
- Beat in the vanilla.
- Mix in the wet okara until evenly combined.
- In another bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and baking soda.
- Using a wooden spoon, gradually mix the flour into the batter until just incorporated.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared cake tin, smooth out the top and bake for about 40 – 50 minutes or until the top is golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven, and let it stand in the tin for about 15 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Start by cracking 2-3 eggs into a small bowl or cup and beat them together.
- Place another bowl or cup on the kitchen scale and reset the scale to zero.
- Pour the beaten eggs out of the bowl or cup and into the bowl on the zeroed scales.
- Take note of the weight of the eggs on the scales, add more beaten eggs until you get the amount called for in the recipe, and if there is too much egg, remove some until you get the correct weight.
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