Pound Cake
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Think all pound cakes are heavy and dense? This one will change your mind—it’s moist, tender, and perfect for holidays, casual get-togethers, or make-ahead desserts. Serve it plain, with berries and cream, or however you like it.
Old-fashioned pound cakes—named for their original formula of a pound each of butter, sugar, flour, and eggs—can be on the dense side. But not this one! The secret is a simple technique called reverse creaming. Instead of creaming the butter and sugar first, you mix the butter into the dry ingredients, then add the wet. This little tweak makes all the difference, giving the cake a soft, moist interior that’s a game changer for pound cake.
This pound cake recipe is wonderful on its own, but it’s even better with a dollop of homemade whipped cream and fresh berries. Looking for more flavors? Don’t miss my chocolate Bundt cake and lemon pound cake—they’re just as delicious.
“Absolutely sublime and perfect. This is one for the ages.”
What You’ll Need To Make Pound Cake
- Eggs: Provide structure, moisture, and richness. The eggs should be at room temperature; using room temperature eggs helps them incorporate more smoothly and prevents the batter from curdling.
- Buttermilk: Adds moisture and a slight tangy flavor.
- Vanilla Extract: Brings a warm, sweet flavor that makes the cake extra delicious.
- All-Purpose Flour: Forms the base of the cake; measure using the spoon-and-level method to ensure accuracy.
- Granulated Sugar: Adds sweetness and helps to create a tender crumb.
- Baking Soda: Acts as a leavening agent, helping the cake rise by reacting with the acidity in the buttermilk.
- Butter: Adds richness, flavor, and moisture.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions For Making Pound Cake
In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla until combined. Set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or beaters, add the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt. Mix on low speed until evenly combined, about 1 minute. Mixing the dry ingredients not only ensures the baking soda is evenly distributed so the cake rises uniformly but also helps prevent clumps and ensures the batter stays smooth.
Add the butter and continue mixing on low, for 2 minutes, until the mixture is crumbly and well-blended.
Add one-third of the egg mixture. (Adding the wet ingredients gradually helps the batter absorb them without breaking or curdling.)
Mix on low to incorporate, then on increase to medium speed and mix for 2 minutes. Add the remaining egg mixture in two parts, mixing on low to combine and then on medium for 2 minutes each. Scrape the bowl as needed to ensure even mixing.
Scrape the batter into a greased Bundt pan and smooth the top. Leveling the top ensures an even rise and avoids lopsided doming.
Bake for 55 to 65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
Let the cake cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then carefully invert it onto a cooling rack to cool completely. If you’re worried about it sticking, you can gently run a thin knife around the edges first to help it release cleanly. Once it’s cool, dust with powdered sugar if you’d like, then slice and serve. Pound cake is best the day it’s made but keeps well at room temperature, loosely covered, for up to 3 days—or freeze it if you want to save some for later.
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Pound Cake
Ingredients
- 6 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 cup buttermilk (see note)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2¾ cups all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off
- 2¾ cups granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
- Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and set an oven rack in the lower third of the oven.
- Spray a 12-cup Bundt pan with nonstick spray with flour, such as Baker’s Joy or Pam with Flour.
- In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla until evenly combined. Set aside.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or beaters, add the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt. Mix on low speed until evenly combined, about 1 minute. Add the butter and mix on low speed for 2 minutes, until the ingredients are well-combined and crumbly.
- Add one-third of the egg mixture and mix on low speed until incorporated. Increase the speed to medium and mix for 2 minutes. Repeat with the remaining egg mixture in two more additions, mixing on low speed to incorporate each addition before increasing to medium and beating for 2 minutes each time. Scrape down the bowl as needed. The batter may look slightly curdled; that’s okay.
- Scrape the batter into the prepared Bundt pan and smooth the top. Bake for 55 to 65 minutes, or until the cake is golden-brown and a toothpick inserted halfway between the side of the pan and the central tube comes out clean.
- Cool the cake on a rack for 10 minutes, then invert onto a rack to cool completely. Dust with confectioners' sugar before serving. A serrated knife works best for slicing.
Notes
Nutrition Information
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Comments
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Hello – Could I get the bundt version as well please?
Hi Asli, this one now uses a Bundt pan. Are you referring to the loaf pan version or are you referring to the lemon poundcake?
Any suggestions for how long to cook this in mini cakelet pan? Wanting to try this in the Nordic ware bunny pan for Easter. Thank you!
Hi Mary, I think it should work. Just make sure you treat the pan well with nonstick spray. The bake time may be different but it’s hard to say by how much, as it depends on the size of the cake pan. Hope it comes out well!
Hi Jen
I’ve made this pound cake several times and it’s absolutely delicious
My granddaughter has a glueten issue, can I substitute Bob Mills Gluten Free Baking mix for the flour?
Thanks
Hi Rachel, Glad you like it! I’ve never made this using gluten-free flour, but I think it should work. Please LMK how it comes out if you try it. 😊
Jenn I absolutely love your recipes!!
1st time I made this cake it turned out beautiful and delicious. Just made it again today followed the recipe to a T.
It rose beautifully, toothpick test was perfect no crumbs but after resting for 10 minutes when I inverted the cake it fell apart and collapsed. I could tell it was not baked completely. Any idea where I went wrong? 😑
Hi Odete, Thank you for your kind words! It sounds like the cake may not have been fully baked through, even though the toothpick test seemed fine. When doing the toothpick test, try testing a few different spots—center, edges, and a few spots in between. If the toothpick comes out clean from all areas, the cake is fully baked. Also, oven temperatures can vary, so I recommend checking your oven with an oven thermometer to ensure it’s at the right temperature. You might also want to extend the baking time by 5 to 10 minutes next time just as insurance—your oven may run a bit cool. Hopefully, this helps! Let me know how it goes next time.
Jenn thank you so much for your quick response and advice. 😁 Especially during a busy Holiday Season. Girrrll you Rock!!
I will definitely follow your advice.
Thanks again. Happy Hanukkah!
Hi Jenn,
Love all your recipes and cookbooks! I would like to make this cake but do not have buttermilk. Can I substitute the buttermilk for sour cream or Greek yogurt?
Thanks,
Susan
Sure, Susan, you can use sour cream or yogurt — just thin it with a bit of milk so it’s a similar consistency to buttermilk. You can also make your own buttermilk if you’d like. (And so glad you like the recipes!) 😊
Hi Jen, I really love your pound cake (an all your cakes) but find them very sweet. I’m in Australia and I don’t think we use as much sugar in our cakes. Is there a way I can reduce the amount of sugar without affecting the texture or quality? Thank you.
Hi Maryanne, You can get away with reducing the sugar in the cake by 3/4 to 1 cup. I wouldn’t cut any more than that or it will begin to impact the texture of the cake. Hope that helps!
If I half the ingredients, what size cake pan should I use?
Thanks
Hi Jennifer, I would use an 8.5 x 4.5 inch loaf pan. Enjoy!