Pound Cake Recipe

A plate with two slices of pound cake with berries.

Moist, buttery, and rich, this Pound Cake recipe comes together quickly and easily in a few simple steps. All you need are a few basic ingredients to make this cake!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 40

Total Time 50

Servings slices

Calories 263kcal

Author John Kanell

Equipment

9x5 inch loaf pan
Stand mixer with whisk attachment

Ingredients

1½ cups all-purpose flour (180g)
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ cup unsalted butter room temperature (113g)
1½ cups granulated sugar (300g)
4 large eggs room temperature
½ cup sour cream room temperature (120g)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter and flour a 9×5-inch loaf pan. (If you want a taller loaf, you can use an 8½x4½-inch pan.)
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking powder, then set aside.
In a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the butter on medium speed for about 2 minutes until creamy. Add the sugar and mix for an additional 2 minutes, until combined. Scrape the bowl down and beat a few more seconds.
While mixing at medium-low speed, add the eggs one at a time. Scrape the bowl down and beat until fully incorporated.
Add the sour cream and vanilla. Mix until incorporated. Scrape the bowl down.
Add the flour mixture and mix on low until combined. Scrape the bowl down and use your spatula to mix in any pockets of flour or butter that remain.
Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf pan, then smooth it into an even layer. (If you want the pound cake to bake with a dome and crack on the top like many bakery style pound cakes, see the Notes about putting butter on top!) Bake for about 65 minutes or until the center is set and a skewer comes out clean.
Allow to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.

Video

Notes

You can also use a paddle attachment for the stand mixer for a slightly denser pound cake. The whisk attachment lightens the texture slightly by incorporating more air. It’s up to you to use whichever attachment you prefer!
To encourage the top to dome and crack down the center, cut a ¼-inch thick slice of butter off a stick, lengthwise. Then cut the slice lengthwise into ¼-inch thick sticks. Place two sticks in a single line on top of the batter, running lengthwise down the center. The added butter melts in the oven and keeps the center from setting as quickly, so the sides brown and set first. As the batter rises during baking, it forces its way up through the center where the batter hasn’t set yet, forming the crack and dome on top!
If the top of the pound cake is already turning a deep golden brown after 40 minutes, tent it loosely with foil at any point as it continues baking.

Nutrition