The Best Old-Fashioned Pound Cake Recipe (2024)

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This Easy Pound Cake recipe is a fool-proof way to whip up the spongiest, moistest pound cake in town! Made with just a handful of ingredients, this soft and dense bundt cake goes great with fresh berries and a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Classic Homemade Pound Cake
What is Pound Cake?
Recipe Ingredients
How to Make Pound Cake from Scratch
Tips for Success
Topping Ideas
How to Store Leftovers
Can I Freeze This?
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Classic Homemade Pound Cake

I feel like pound cake often gets overlooked in favor of more extravagant treats. However, when it’s done right, a simple old-fashioned pound cake can be just as (if not more) delicious than any fancy layer cake.

This is an adaption of my great-grandmother’s recipe – and it has always reigned as a family favorite, especially for my mom! I made a small tweak to her original recipe by replacing the Crisco and margarine with butter. This substitution did not alter the moist and tender texture of this classic cake, but rather updated the ingredients to reflect modern baking practices.

With a moist crumb and rich consistency, you can tell this cake is indulgent just by digging your fork into it! Although pound cake is sometimes seen as a plain and simple dessert, you can dress it up with all sorts of yummy toppings, which we’ll discuss in detail later. This soft and subtly sweet cake will always hold a special place at my family’s table – and I know yours will love it as much as we do!

What is Pound Cake?

You might be wondering why this dessert is called a “pound” cake. The reason is actually surprisingly simple, and it makes the recipe super easy to remember.

The cake gets its name from the weight of each main ingredient in it. Traditionally, it was made with one pound each of flour, butter, sugar and eggs. You can adapt this recipe to fit your pan just by maintaining equal weights of all four ingredients!

Typically, these dense vanilla cakes are baked in a loaf or bundt pan and often topped with either powdered sugar, icing or some type of glaze.

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Recipe Ingredients

As much as I enjoy my over-the-top desserts, it’s so refreshing to rely on a comfort-food recipe that uses basic ingredients. Another reason to love this pound cake!

Unsalted Butter
Sugar
Eggs
Vanilla
All-Purpose Flour: I recommend sifting for best results
Baking Powder
Salt
Milk: whole milk if you have it

Butter, eggs, and milk must be at room temperature for the best results!

How to Make Pound Cake from Scratch

This classic pound cake recipe is easy and straightforward. The batter requires some sifting and mixing, then it’s onto the oven!

Prepare Equipment: Preheat the oven to 325°F. Generously grease and flour a 10-cup bundt pan. Allow the butter, eggs and milk to come to room temperature.

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Combine Wet Ingredients: Cream together the butter and sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy (this will take several minutes).

Add Eggs & Vanilla: Once thoroughly mixed, slowly add in the eggs, one at a time, making sure each one is well combined before adding the next. Mix in the vanilla extract with the last egg.

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Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, sift the flour and then measure out 3 cups, then mix in the baking powder and salt.

Add Dry Mixture & Milk to Wet Mixture: Once the dry ingredients are mixed, add half of them to the wet mixture followed by half of the milk. Mix just until combined, then add the remaining ingredients. Continue beating until everything is well combined.

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Bake: Evenly fill the pan. Bake the cake at 325°F for 55-60 minutes, inserting a toothpick into the center to check for doneness. When the toothpick comes out clean, remove the pan from the oven.

Let Cool: Once your cake is out of the oven, allow it to cool for at least 30 minutes before removing it from the pan. After 30 minutes, gently run a knife along the edges of the pan to help remove the cake cleanly.

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Tips for Success

Although this cake is easy to make, getting the right consistency can be tricky when baking. Here are some of my tips for making a super moist and dense pound cake:

Use room temperature ingredients: It’s very difficult to fully combine certain ingredients when they’re cold. Be sure to let the milk, eggs and butter come to room temperature before you start on the pound cake batter.
Make sure butter & sugar are fully Incorporated: When you start creaming the butter and sugar together, the batter may look like coarse sand. This is normal! Just continue to beat them until the mixture is light and fluffy before adding the rest of the ingredients.
Prepare pan before baking: In order to remove your cake from the bundt pan with ease, generously grease and flour your pan before pouring the batter in. I also recommend running a knife around the edges of the pan (the center too!) before removing your cake to facilitate a cleaner release.

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Topping Ideas

You can easily customize this pound cake by adding different toppings. Here are some delicious options!

Glaze: Glaze is a super popular pound cake topping, and there are so many different kinds to discover!
Powdered Sugar: Maybe you want to keep things super simple, or maybe you’re short on time. Whatever the reason, you can always quickly sprinkle some powdered sugar over this pound cake for a pretty finishing touch!
Berries: Fresh strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and blackberries pair perfectly with this moist and dense dessert. You could also make a berry compote for it!
Whipped Cream: A dollop of whipped cream adds a nice, simple touch to this cake. Ice cream is a great option as well.
Flavor the Cake: You can easily swap out the flavors of this cake. Almond extract is a great susbistute for the vanilla. If you’re looking for something fruity, try lemon extract and add 1-2 tablespoons of lemon zest.

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How to Store Leftovers

Not only is this dessert super easy to make, but it also stores really well. Keep it in an airtight container at room temperature and enjoy it within 5 days. I don’t recommend refrigerating it because doing so will likely cause the cake to dry out.

Can I Freeze This?

Yes, you could totally store this pound cake long-term in the freezer! You can either freeze the whole cake or individual slices for up to 6 months. Here’s how:

To freeze the whole cake: After the cake has cooled completely, place it on a cake board and double wrap it in a layer of plastic wrap followed by a layer of foil and freeze. When you’re ready to serve it, allow it to thaw on the counter overnight before unwrapping and slicing it.
To freeze individual slices: Once the cake has cooled, cut it into slices. You can either wrap the slices in plastic wrap and foil or place them in a freezer-safe container. If you’re storing them in a container, make sure to layer parchment paper between slices to prevent sticking. Once ready to serve, remove the slices from the freezer and allow them to thaw on the counter for a few hours.

Easy Pound Cake

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 7 reviews

Author: Julianne Dell
Prep Time: 40 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
Yield: 10 sliced

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Description

Ingredients

1 ½ cups (339g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 cups (570g) granulated sugar
5 Large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon (5ml) pure vanilla extract
3 cups (420g) sifted all-purpose flour
½ teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1 ¼ cups whole milk, at room temperature

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Instructions

Preheat oven to 325°F. Generously greased and flour a 10-cup bundt pan.Allow the butter, eggs and milk to come to room temperature.
Cream together the butter and sugar for several minutes until light and fluffy.
Slowly add eggs 1 at a time and make sure each one is well mixed before adding the next. Mix in the vanilla extract with the last egg.
In a separate bowl, sift the flour first and then measure out 3 cups, then add the baking powder and salt.Add half of the dry ingredients and then half of the milk and mix just until combined, then add remaining ingredients.Continue beating until all ingredients are well combined.
Bake at 325° for 55-65 minutes. Check to see if your cake is done by inserting a toothpick into the middle. If it comes out clean, your cake is done. Baking times may vary by ovenand type of pan. Allow cake to cool for at least 30 minutes before attempting to remove from the pan. Gently run a knife around the outside and inside edge of the cake to release.