Traditional Pound Cake Recipe (2024)

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Published: September 26, 202328 Comments »

Traditional Pound Cake: old-fashioned, moist, and so easy to make with just 6 simple ingredients. A butter-y classic that will make you swoon!

Sometimes simple is all you need. There’s just something so delicious about a perfect slice of pound cake, moist and delicate, and so buttery it melts in your mouth. It’s the best! I have a few pound cake recipes on this site (see Lemon Pound Cake, Marble Bundt Cake, and Brown Sugar Pound Cake), and every time I make a new one I fall in love with pound cake all over again!

WHAT IS POUND CAKE?

Pound cake is a simple butter cake that cooks have been making and sharing for generations. It’s old-fashioned and so, so good. It’s called pound cake because originally, it was made with a pound of flour, a pound of butter, a pound of sugar, and a pound of eggs. Over the generations, that ratio has been modified a bit for the best possible result. Pound cake is buttery and moist, with a fine, delicate crumb, and a crackly, crumbly crust on top that’s almost like a sugar cookie. Because there are so few ingredients, it’s really easy to make.

HOW TO MAKE POUND CAKE

When you’re making something as simple as pound cake, it really becomes all about the technique. The number one most important thing is to cream the butter and sugar until they are SUPER fluffy and pale. The mixture should double in volume and look almost white. Give it at least 5 full minutes on medium-high speed.Next, add the eggs, one at a time. Make sure to scrape the bottom and sides of your mixing bowl with a silicone spatula, so you know everything is well incorporated. Add the flour in 3 additions, taking care to only mix until *just barely* combined. Once the flour goes in, you want to be really careful not to overwork the batter, or your cake could come out tough. I like to use cake flour when I make pound cake. You can read more about that here: Why Use Cake Flour?. Finally, the vanilla and salt get mixed in. These ingredients bring all the flavors into perfect balance.

DOES POUND CAKE RISE?

You may notice this recipe has no baking powder or baking soda. This might seem strange for a cake recipe, but I promise it’s not a mistake! Traditionally, pound cake is made without any chemical leavening. It gets all its “lift” from that first, all-important stage of the recipe: creaming the butter and sugar together. This step incorporates lots of air so the cake comes out nice and light. When you bake your pound cake, you’ll notice it does rise in the oven. As everything heats up, it expands. It may fall a little bit as it cools, but it shouldn’t completely cave in. If this happens to you, it’s probably because you didn’t bake it quite long enough. When a cake is under-baked, it will fall as it cools because the structure is weak and not fully set.

WHAT KIND OF PAN CAN POUND CAKE BE BAKED IN?

This pound cake recipe can be baked in a 10-cup bundt pan or tube pan. You can also bake it in two 9-inch diameter cake pans. Or, you can halve it and bake it in a 5-cup loaf pan. Just keep in mind that any time a cake recipe is made in a different sized pan, the bake time needs to be adjusted. Smaller or thinner cakes need less time to bake than bigger, thicker cakes do. You’ll know your pound cake is done when a toothpick inserted in the thickest part of the cake comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.

CAN POUND CAKE BE GLUTEN-FREE, DAIRY-FREE, OR VEGAN?

You can make a gluten-free version of this traditional pound cake recipe, just by subbing the cake flour for a gluten-free flour blend. Make sure the product you’re using can substitute 1:1 for regular flour. Here are a few good options:

I would not really recommend making a dairy-free or vegan pound cake. This cake recipe is all about the butter, and the eggs are really important too. If you need a dairy-free cake, check out this White Cake Recipe. The dairy can be swapped for any kind of plant-based milk, just add a little lemon juice or white vinegar to activate the leavening. For a vegan version, just use your favorite egg substitute.

WHAT TO SERVE WITH POUND CAKE

One of my favorite things about pound cake is how versatile it can be. For the pictures and video you see here, I kept things simple and just gave it a little powdered sugar and a dollop of soft whipped cream. But you can top this pound cake in all sorts of ways! Try it with peaches, berries, or any kind of fresh fruit. Or, drizzle it with caramel or chocolate sauce. You can even make strawberry shortcake with it. Or, cut it into bite-sized pieces, and layer it into a trifle. The possibilities are limitless!

HOW TO STORE POUND CAKE

This pound cake will keep at room temperature for around 4 or 5 days. Just keep it tightly wrapped so it doesn’t become dry or stale. You can prolong the shelf life by keeping it in the refrigerator. It should last a week to 10 days, chilled. Or you can freeze it. Pound cake keeps very well frozen. Wrap it tightly, seal it in a zip-top bag, and keep it in the freezer for a couple of months. Thaw it in the fridge or at room temperature, slice, and serve!

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4.64 stars (22 ratings)

Servings: 18

Prep Time: 15 minutes mins

Cook Time: 1 hour hr 20 minutes mins

Total Time: 1 hour hr 35 minutes mins

Traditional Pound Cake: old-fashioned, moist, and so easy to make with just 6 simple ingredients. A butter-y classic that will make you swoon!

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Ingredients

▢ 2 1/2 cups (567.5 g) unsalted butter, (5 sticks) softened
▢ 3 cups (600 g) granulated sugar
▢ 6 (g) eggs, large
▢ 3 cups (375 g) cake flour
▢ 2 teaspoons (8 g) vanilla extract
▢ 2 teaspoons (12 g) kosher salt

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F, and mist a 10-inch tube pan generously with non-stick spray.
Place the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl, and cream together on medium-high speed until very pale and fluffy (at least 5 minutes).
Add the eggs, one at a time, allowing each one to incorporate before adding the next.
Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl with a silicone spatula, then add the flour, a cup at a time, mixing until just barely combined.
Fold in the vanilla and salt, and transfer the batter to the prepared pan.
Bake until a skewer inserted in the thickest part of the cake comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs (approx. 75 to 85 minutes).
Cool for 30 minutes, then remove from the pan and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.

Notes

A few variations on this classic pound cake recipe:

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28 comments

Lynn M. Kowalski — April 2, 2021 @ 2:55 pm Reply

Just the recipe I’ve been looking for. Thank you.

Uroofa — June 11, 2020 @ 4:06 am Reply

Hey
I baked this pound cake last week and it turned out to be one deliciousness ❤❤❤
But the salt settled down and the bottom tasted saltish. Why would I know this happened?

Kayla — May 31, 2020 @ 12:48 pm Reply

Hello there! I am so excited to make this cake, but I had a question. Would it be okay if I halved the recipe and used a single 8-inch round cake pan instead of a bundt, loaf, or tube pan? Thank you!

Allie {Baking A Moment} — June 1, 2020 @ 2:45 pm Reply

Yes, I think that should work just fine. Just be aware that the bake time may need to be adjusted. You’ll know your cake is done baking when a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Good luck!

JoAnn Hawkins White — April 12, 2020 @ 8:23 am Reply

I made this cake and it was absolutely delicious! However, I noticed that at the 60 minute mark, or maybe just before, the cake had fallen in the center, was dark and when I took it out, the edges were crunchy. I took it out after 60 minutes. Can you give me some advise? I baked it in a bundt cake pan.

Allie {Baking A Moment} — April 20, 2020 @ 3:12 pm Reply
See Also
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Oh gosh, that’s terrible! I cannot imagine why it would fall in the middle. Did you open the oven at any point while it was baking? Sometimes if the heat is let out before the cake’s structure has a chance to set, it can cause all the volume to whoosh out. This can also happen if something heavy is dropped on the floor nearby…? As for it being dark, I can tell you that it does tend to be quite toasty and crunchy on the top (which would be the bottom of the cake once it’s flipped out of the pan). But if it was burnt, maybe try using a lighter colored pan next time (lighter colored pans reflect heat whereas dark pans absorb it and will make things browner), and lower your oven temperature by 25 degrees or so. I hope this is somewhat helpful!

Cory O’Neal — April 3, 2020 @ 6:54 pm Reply

Can you bake this cake at 325 degrees to keep it from browning to quick!

Allie {Baking A Moment} — April 4, 2020 @ 8:47 am Reply

Yes, if your oven runs hot you should definitely do that. Just extend the bake time as needed. Good luck!

Dana Barreneche — January 20, 2020 @ 4:52 am Reply

Hello,
How can I keep my pound cake moist and soft after I make it to keep for the next day.
Also what pan is great to use that would be easy to remove my pound cake on to a platter?
One more question do you advise me that wax paper would be good to put on the bottom so it wont stick?
Thank you
Dana Barreneche

Allie {Baking A Moment} — January 20, 2020 @ 9:43 am Reply

Hey there! You can find info on how to keep it fresh under the heading “How to Store Pound Cake.” There’s also a link to the pan I recommend just below that, and directly above the recipe card. I would not advise using wax paper, a generous spritz of non-stick spray should be sufficient. Good luck!

Nina — December 5, 2019 @ 10:28 pm Reply

I can’t wait to try this recipe. I see quite a number of recipes that use only 3 sticks of butter and is cooked at 325? Does it create a difference in the cake texture?
Thanks!

Allie {Baking A Moment} — December 6, 2019 @ 12:13 pm Reply

I’m not sure Nina, I would need to see the recipe you’re asking about in order to answer that.

Caroline Shearin — July 12, 2019 @ 9:19 am Reply

Hello!! Looks fantastic but NO milk of any kind ????

Allie {Baking A Moment} — July 22, 2019 @ 9:51 am Reply

No milk in a pound cake! It’s traditionally butter, sugar, eggs, flour, and flavoring only. If you’re looking for a cake recipe with milk, check out my vanilla cake recipe: https://bakingamoment.com/perfect-vanilla-cake-recipe/.

Joy — April 2, 2019 @ 5:08 pm Reply

This is great . I hope this helps me in my ? during the practical

Elena S — September 28, 2018 @ 3:14 pm Reply

Could I substitute the cake flour with all-purpose flour?

Allie {Baking A Moment} — September 30, 2018 @ 4:18 pm Reply

Hi Elena! Check out this post for more info on cake flour: Why Use Cake Flour. Hope that’s helpful!

Rod Scott — September 15, 2018 @ 11:23 am Reply

I have 20 min left on my timer but the top is starting to brown very dark. I am concerned it’s going to burn on top. I just covered in with foil. Is that the right thing to do?

Allie {Baking A Moment} — September 16, 2018 @ 9:47 am Reply

Hi Rod! Yes that is absolutely the right thing to do. I hope your oven temp is accurate! You might want to invest in a little gauge that hangs from one of the racks. Ovens can wander out of calibration over time. Good luck and I hope it all works out!

Mimi — July 17, 2018 @ 6:51 am Reply

Can you half this recipe?

Allie {Baking A Moment} — July 17, 2018 @ 2:08 pm Reply

Yes I talk about that in the post. There’s instructions for what type of pans can be used above.

TheSuburbanSoapbox — July 16, 2018 @ 12:41 pm Reply

Such a classic!

Erin — July 12, 2018 @ 1:44 pm Reply

Just perfect – a little whipped cream and berries and it is the best!

Simon Knapp — July 10, 2018 @ 8:56 pm Reply

Such a beautiful looking and tasty cake!

Allie {Baking A Moment} — July 11, 2018 @ 3:09 pm Reply

So happy you like it Simon! Thank you so much for stopping by!

Taylor @ Food Faith Fitness — July 10, 2018 @ 5:56 pm Reply

I’ll take a POUND of this cake please!

Jennifer Farley — July 10, 2018 @ 11:27 am Reply

Nothing beats classics like this!

thatskinnychickcanbake — July 10, 2018 @ 9:48 am Reply

There’s no more versatile cake than this one! Totally delicious!!