Anise Pound Cake Recipe

2 tbls. Anise seeds (toasted and ground)
1/3 cup sour cream
2 large eggs
1 large egg yolk
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 ½ cups cake flour
¾ tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. salt
¾ cup (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 ¼ cups sugar

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Grease a 9” by 5” loaf pan and dust with flour. Place the anise seeds in a small skillet and toast over medium heat until fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a spice grinder and grind fine. Set aside.
2. Combine the sour cream, eggs, egg yolk, and vanilla in a glass-measuring cup and lightly beat. Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium-mixing bowl.
3. Combine the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl and cream with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl once or twice as necessary.
4. With the mixer on medium-low speed, pour the egg mixture into the bowl in a slow stream, stopping the mixer once or twice to scrape down the sides.
5. Turn the mixer to low speed and add the flour mixture, ½ cup at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition. Add the ground anise to the batter, and then mix for 30 seconds on medium speed.
6. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a rubber spatula. Bake the cake until it is golden and a toothpick inserted in the center come out clean, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Let the cake cool in the pan for about 5 minutes, invert it onto a wire rack, and then turn it right side up on a rack to cool completely. Slice and serve.