Wondering what to make for dessert? Or what to bring to that thing you’ve got next week? Or what you can do for your neighbor who’s having a rough time? Wonder no further, this classic pound cake is the answer to everything. Literally.

Pound cake is by nature a rich dessert because of the amount of butter in the recipe (my SIL tells the story of her grandmother’s poundcake that was so rich in butter it would set the toaster on fire!) But what’s nice is that while pound cake is rich, it’s also simple, so there’s a balance there. We adored this recipe in our test kitchen and I know you will too.

a slice of pound cake topped with berries.

pound cake ingredient notes

The ingredients are straightforward, I’ve got just a couple of notes…

the flour ~ you have a few choices here, and good old AP flour will be fine, but here are a couple of ideas if you love a delicate texture in your cakes like I do:

White Lily Baking Flour: Milled from soft red winter wheat with a protein content around 9%, this flour produces a tender crumb, making it suitable for cakes.
Cake Flour: With a protein content of 6-8%, cake flour yields an even more delicate, fine crumb ideal for light and airy cakes.

butter ~ there is a lot of butter in this cake so make sure it’s unsalted or your cake will be a little too salty.

vanilla ~ I use vanilla extract but vanilla bean paste would be amazing if you have it on hand (I was out.)

Another way to amp up the vanilla flavor is to use vanilla sugar: I store my used vanilla bean(s) in a canister of regular sugar. Your sugar will be infused with a mellow vanilla flavor!
If you prefer you can use almond extract instead, but only use a teaspoon, it is strong and can be bitter if you use too much.

sour cream ~ Traditional pound cake recipes rely on just butter, sugar, eggs and flour. Modern adaptations often incorporate additional elements to enhance flavor and texture and sour cream is the secret ingredient in my recipe ~ it contributes to a finer crumb and a melt-in-your-mouth experience. 

classic pound cake in a white stoneware loaf pan.

serving your pound cake

Because it’s so rich I personally go lighter with any toppings, and I’d always serve them on the side so people can decide for themselves…

whipped cream is the obvious choice, but there are something things you can do to change up whipped cream that might be even better:
- whip heavy cream with an equal amount of Greek yogurt or sour cream.
- Use creme fraiche instead.
Fresh berries or in season fruit like figs or slices of juicy plum.
Clotted cream and jam
Lemon curd
- Rhubarb curd would be amazing.

A bowl of mixed berries next to a pound cake.

garnishing a slice of pound cake with berries.

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Pound Cake

5 from 3 votes

A timeless pound cake recipe is that always appropriate little black dress of desserts ~ it's a delicious fit for every occasion!

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Prep Time:15

Cook Time:1

Total Time:1 15

Servings: 10

Equipment

stand mixer or electric beaters
9×5 loaf pan
parchment paper

Ingredients

1 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs, at room temperature
2 cups all-purpose flour, or White Lily baking flour for an extra tender texture
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
1 cup sour cream

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350°F.
Grease and flour a 9×5-inch loaf pan and line it with parchment paper for easy removal.
In a stand mixer or a large bowl with electric beaters, cream the softened butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
Add the eggs one at a time, ensuring each is fully incorporated before adding the next. Again, scrape down the sides of the bowl to get all that butter mixed in.
Mix in the vanilla extract, or paste.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, mixing on low speed. When the flour is almost completely incorporated, add in the sour cream. Mix just until everything is combined. Note: be sure to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.
Turn the batter into the prepared loaf pan, smoothing the top with a spatula.
Bake for approximately 55 to 65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. For me the bake time was 60 minutes.
Allow the cake to cool in the pan for about 15 minutes, then transfer to a rack. You can enjoy the cake warm, or at room temperature.
Store fully cooled pound cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. It will freeze nicely.

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Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Author: Sue Moran

Keyword: baking, dessert, loaf cake, quick bread

Nutrition

Serving: 1 slice · Calories: 444 kcal · Carbohydrates: 50 g · Protein: 6 g · Fat: 25 g · Saturated Fat: 15 g · Polyunsaturated Fat: 1 g · Monounsaturated Fat: 7 g · Trans Fat: 1 g · Cholesterol: 137 mg · Sodium: 299 mg · Potassium: 130 mg · Fiber: 1 g · Sugar: 31 g · Vitamin A: 819 IU · Vitamin C: 0.2 mg · Calcium: 61 mg · Iron: 2 mg

Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although The View from Great Island attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.

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