Traditional pound cakes have an equal amount of just four major ingredients: butter, sugar, eggs, and flour. Easy to make and so delicious, this dense and buttery cake is great solo, served with berries and whipped cream, or cubed as part of a delicious trifle. This old fashioned pound cake is a classic for a reason!
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Why this recipe works
- A classic pound cake recipe only requires four major ingredients
- Can be flavored with extracts, fruit juices, spirits, and glazes
- Serve plain, with fruit and whipped cream, or use cubed in a trifle
Pound cakes are the little black dress of cakes.
It's the kind of cake that can be served plain, or dress it up with pearls...erm...I mean flavored with extracts, fruit juices, spirits, and glazes.
No wonder an old fashioned pound cake is a classic!
A simple pound cake recipe yields a loaf that is buttery, sweet, and dense. It's wonderful on its own with a cup of coffee or tea.
Like that little black dress, pound cake can also be the foundation on which to build dessert. Served with fruit, whipped cream, or even chocolate sauce, you start to add layers of flavor.
Speaking of layers, an old-fashioned pound cake is the go-to loaf to use to make trifle. It provides a texture to contrast with the puddings, jams, and whipped creams that trifles use.
I encourage you to make this easy and elegant dessert. Just grab some kitchen staples, measure them out equally, and have fun with it.
No black dress required!
Recipe Ingredients
You'll need the following ingredients to make this old fashioned pound cake recipe:
Ingredient Notes
What I like about a traditional pound cake recipe is that it's so simple to remember the recipe ratio. It's literally in the name: a pound of each of butter, sugar, eggs, and all-purpose flour (1 : 1 : 1 : 1), combined in that order.
Notice I said a pound, not cups. This recipe ratio is based on weight, not volume. That's why the volume measurements for the different ingredients in a pound cake recipe from scratch will not be equal. If you click on the Metric conversion in the recipe, you'll see the weight measurements are the same.
By the way, If you want to bake using weight measurements, the best tool to have in the kitchen is a kitchen scale. It gives measuring out ingredients more accuracy and repeatability.
Butter: I always use unsalted butter in my baking, but you can use either salted or unsalted. Use room temperature butter so it will cream in with the sugar easier. It needs to be able to hold in air bubbles that will leaven the cake without using baking powder or baking soda. It's important to make sure that the butter and sugar mixture is well creamed, its color is pale yellow and the volume has increased.
Eggs: Using room temperature eggs also helps to make sure the cake will properly rise.A large egg can weigh between 1½ to 2 ounces (45 to 57 grams), so it's best to use your kitchen scale to weigh out as close to 8 ounces (227 grams) as you can.
Salt: I said there are 4 major ingredients in this pound cake recipe. Salt is added if you're using unsalted butter.
Flavorings and icings: Pound cake can be flavored with extracts, fruit juices and zests, and spirits and topped with complementary glazes. See below for some flavoring suggestions.
See the recipe card for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Pound cake flavoring suggestions
Different pound cake recipes use extracts, fruit juices and zests, and spirits for flavoring diversity. Those flavors are mixed in with the eggs (before adding the flour). Here are some ideas to get you started:
- Vanilla or Almond Pound Cake: Add 2 teaspoons of vanilla or almond extract
- Lemon or Orange Pound Cake: Add 2 Tablespoons of lemon or orange juice and 1 teaspoon of lemon or orange zest
- Orange Vanilla Pound Cake: Add 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract and ¼ teaspoon Fiori di Sicilia (an orange vanilla extract)
- Limoncello Pound Cake: Add 4 Tablespoons limoncello, 1 teaspoon lemon zest, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Sour Cream Pound Cake: Replace ½ cup (113 grams) of butter with sour cream for a more moist cake
Glaze ideas: You can dress up your cake with a glaze if you'd like. Add the smaller amount of liquid, then adjust to your desired consistency. Pour the glaze over the cake after removing it from the pan while it's still warm.
- Vanilla or Almond Glaze: Combine 1 cup powdered sugar with 1 to 2 Tablespoons of milk or water and 1 teaspoon of vanilla or almond extract
- Lemon or Orange Glaze: Combine 1 cup powdered sugar with 2 to 3 Tablespoons of lemon or orange juice and 1 teaspoon of zest
- Limoncello (or another spirit) Glaze: Combine 1 cup powdered sugar with 2 to 3 Tablespoons of limoncello or your preferred spirit
How to make pound cake
Step 1: Combine butter, sugar, and eggs
Beat the butter on medium speed until it's softened and creamy. Add the sugar and beat together on medium-high speed until the mixture is pale yellow and the volume has increased.
One at a time, mix in the eggs on medium-high speed. Make sure they are well incorporated after each addition before moving on (photo 1).
Step 2: Gently fold in the flour
Slowly mix in the flour and salt on medium-low speed until just incorporated (photo 2).
The batter will be thick and golden yellow (photo 3).
Step 3: Bake the cake
Line a standard loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on the side (to ease removal later). Spray the parchment and uncovered sides with baking spray. Pour the batter into the loaf pan.
Bake the pound cake at 325°F for 60 to 75 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean (photo 4).
Remove the cake from the oven to a wire rack. Cool it in the pan for 15 minutes, then remove from the pan, using the parchment paper as a sling, to cool completely.
Storage instructions
Pound cake can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. For longer storage (up to 6 months), wrap the cake well in plastic wrap, then freeze in an airtight bag.
Yield Notes
This old fashioned pound cake recipe is written using a half pound of each ingredient, and will make one large loaf, 4 mini loafs, or made in a 6-cup bundt pan and baked as directed. You can double the recipe to make two large loaves (made in standard loaf pans) or bake in a 10- to 12-cup bundt pan (just increase the baking time by 25 to 30 minutes).
Hints for pound cake success
- Don't over-mix the batter as you're mixing it. You don't want to lose the air you've incorporated. If your batter looks like curds or it's weeping, the emulsion has broken. If this happens gently add more flour, one tablespoon at a time, until the texture recovers. Otherwise your cake may come out grainy, uneven, and sinking.
- During baking, make sure to place the pan in the center of the oven and keep the door closed until the cake has baked for the minimum amount of time. If after testing the cake needs more time, quickly but gently close the oven door to prevent heat loss and jarring the cake - both can cause a cake to fall if it's not done.
- Allow the cake to rest in the pan for at about 15 minutes before transferring to the cooling rack. Moving too soon might cause the cake to break, while waiting too long might make the cake stick to the pan.
Questions asked and answered
Here are some questions you might have...
While it's straightforward to measure butter, sugar, and flour, eggs provide a different challenge because they're not uniform in volume from one egg to the next (a large egg can weigh between 1½ to 2 ounces). It's best to use your kitchen scale to weigh out the 8 ounces (227 grams) you need, which is generally 4 or 5 eggs.
This type of cake gets its leavening from whipping air into the butter while creaming it with the sugar, so no baking powder (or baking soda) is needed. It's important to make sure that the butter and sugar mixture is well creamed, its color is pale yellow and the volume has increased.
Probably the batter didn't have enough air incorporated during that all important creaming stage. You really want to make sure the creamed butter and sugar have increased in volume before moving on. Be careful also not to over-beat the batter. Combine the butter, sugar, and eggs at no higher than a medium speed, and fold in the flour just until combined. This will keep the air in the batter so the cake doesn't settle down after baking.
Pound cake batter is more dense than other types of cake batter. This means that the exterior of the cake bakes first, so as the interior bakes, it rises up and cracks at the top. There's not much you can do to avoid cracks when baking the cake in a loaf pan. However, using a tube or bundt pan allows the cake to cook more evenly so it will have a smoother appearance.
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I hope you like this recipe! Let me know if you have any questions, and don't forget to leave a comment and rating. Thanks!
Slainté! L'chaim! Cheers!
- Tammy
More bundt and loaf cake recipes to try
Recipe
Old Fashioned Pound Cake
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature, see Recipe Notes
- 1⅛ cups granulated sugar
- 4 to 5 large eggs, at room temperature, see Recipe Notes
- 1¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- For precision, use a kitchen scale to measure out 8 ounces (227 grams) of each of your primary ingredients. Otherwise, you can use the volumetric measurements provided.
- Preheat the oven to 325 °F. Line a standard loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on the side (to ease removal later). Spray the parchment and uncovered sides with baking spray. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment (or a large bowl if using a hand mixer), beat 1 cup unsalted butter on medium speed until it's softened and creamy. Add 1⅛ cups granulated sugar and beat together on medium-high speed until the mixture is pale yellow and the volume has increased.
- One at a time, mix in 4 to 5 large eggs on medium-high speed. Make sure they are well incorporated after each addition before moving on.
- Slowly mix in 1¾ cups all-purpose flour and 1 teaspoon kosher salt on medium-low speed until just incorporated. The batter will be thick and golden yellow.
- Don't over-mix the batter - you don't want to lose the air you've incorporated. If your batter looks like curds or it's weeping, the emulsion has broken. If this happens gently add more flour, one tablespoon at a time, until the texture recovers. Otherwise your cake may come out grainy, uneven, and sinking.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 60 to 75 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.Make sure to place the pan in the center of the oven and keep the door closed until the cake has baked for the minimum amount of time. If after testing the cake needs more time, quickly but gently close the oven door to prevent heat loss and jarring the cake - both can cause a cake to fall if it's not done.
- Remove the cake from the oven to a wire rack. Cool it in the pan for 15 minutes, then remove from the pan, using the parchment paper as a sling, to cool completely.
- The finished cake can be glazed or served as is with whipped cream and/or fruit. You can also cut it up into cubes to layer into a trifle.
- Storage instructions: Pound cake can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. For longer storage (up to 6 months), wrap the cake well in plastic wrap, then freeze in an airtight bag.
- This recipe is written using a half pound of each ingredient, and will make one large loaf, 4 mini loafs, or made in a 6-cup bundt pan and baked as directed. You can double the recipe to make two large loaves (made in standard loaf pans) or bake in a 10- to 12-cup bundt pan (just increase the baking time by 25 to 30 minutes).
Notes
- Vanilla or Almond Pound Cake: Add 2 teaspoons of vanilla or almond extract
- Lemon or Orange Pound Cake: Add 2 Tablespoons of lemon or orange juice and 1 teaspoon of lemon or orange zest
- Orange Vanilla Pound Cake: Add 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract and ¼ teaspoon Fiori di Sicilia (an orange vanilla extract)
- Limoncello Pound Cake: Add 4 Tablespoons limoncello, 1 teaspoon lemon zest, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Sour Cream Pound Cake: Replace ½ cup (113 grams) of butter with sour cream for a more moist cake
- Vanilla or Almond Glaze: Combine 1 cup powdered sugar with 1 to 2 Tablespoons of milk or water and 1 teaspoon of vanilla or almond extract
- Lemon or Orange Glaze: Combine 1 cup powdered sugar with 2 to 3 Tablespoons of lemon or orange juice and 1 teaspoon of zest
- Limoncello (or another spirit) Glaze: Combine 1 cup powdered sugar with 2 to 3 Tablespoons of limoncello or your preferred spirit
derek says
Nice write up and explanation. I'll only offer that in the US at least, I don't think I've ever seen it cooked in loaf tins and almost always in a bundt pan.
Tammy Spencer says
Hi Derek, Thanks for your kind words. That’s an interesting observation. I don’t recall seeing bundt-shaped pound cakes, yet I as a kid I remember the frozen Sara Lee butter pound cake that was loaf-shaped. Maybe it depends on your area of the country? Thanks for writing in! 😉