Classic Pound Cake
intro
Buttery, dense, and perfectly sweet with a crisp golden crust and tender melt-in-your-mouth crumb, this timeless classic needs no fancy mix-ins to shine.
Ingredients
Steps
Prep Oven and Pan
Adjust oven rack to the middle position, preheat oven to 325°F (160°C). Line the 9x5 inch matte silver aluminized steel loaf pan with the cut parchment paper, leaving 2-inch overhang on the two long sides to act as handles for lifting the finished cake. Do not grease the exposed pan sides above the parchment, as the cake will cling to the metal as it rises for better height.
Sift Dry Ingredients
Add the measured all-purpose flour and fine sea salt to the fine-mesh stainless steel sieve positioned over the medium stainless steel mixing bowl. Tap the edge of the sieve gently to sift the ingredients into the bowl, breaking up any lumps. Set the sifted dry ingredients aside until needed; do not pack the flour after sifting, as this will create a dense crumb.
Cream Butter and Sugar
Place the room-temperature unsalted butter into the large stainless steel mixing bowl. Beat on medium speed with the handheld electric mixer for 1 minute until smooth and pale. Gradually add the granulated sugar 1/4 cup at a time, beating on medium-high speed for a full 7 minutes, stopping to scrape down the bowl sides with the beech wood silicone spatula twice during mixing. The finished mixture will be pale ivory, fluffy, and light in texture, almost like whipped frosting, with no gritty sugar texture when rubbed between your fingers.
Incorporate Eggs Slowly
Reduce mixer speed to medium-low. Add one large egg at a time (6 total), beating for 45 seconds after each addition, and scraping down the bowl sides with the silicone spatula after every 2 eggs. Wait until each egg is fully incorporated and the batter looks smooth before adding the next; if the batter appears curdled at any point, add 1 tablespoon of the sifted flour to bring it back together. Once all eggs are added, stir in the pure vanilla extract until combined.
Fold in Sifted Flour
Remove the mixer beaters, set the mixer aside. Add the sifted flour and salt mixture to the wet batter in 3 equal additions, using the beech wood silicone spatula to fold gently: cut down through the center of the batter, scrape across the bottom of the bowl, and fold over the top, turning the bowl a quarter turn after each fold. Stop folding as soon as no dry flour streaks remain; do not overmix, as this will develop gluten and make the cake tough. The batter will be thick, smooth, and hold its shape slightly when lifted.
Fill Prepared Loaf Pan
Scrape all of the finished batter into the parchment-lined 9x5 loaf pan, using the spatula to smooth the top into an even layer. Tap the pan firmly on the counter 3 times to release any large trapped air bubbles, which prevents large holes from forming in the finished crumb.
Bake to Perfection
Place the loaf pan on the middle oven rack. Bake for 65-75 minutes at 325°F (160°C), until the top is deep golden brown, a thin wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out with only 2-3 moist crumbs attached (not wet batter), and the top of the cake springs back slightly when pressed gently. Do not open the oven door for the first 50 minutes of baking, as sudden temperature drops will cause the cake to sink.
Cool Before Slicing
Let the cake rest in the pan on the wire cooling rack for 20 minutes, then use the parchment paper overhang to lift the cake out of the pan and transfer it directly to the rack to cool completely for a full 2 hours before slicing. Do not slice the cake while warm, as the crumb will be sticky and will not set properly.
Tips
2.Avoid overmixing the batter once you add the flour: overmixing develops gluten in the flour, which will result in a tough, bread-like texture instead of the delicate, melt-in-your-mouth crumb. Stop folding as soon as the last streak of flour disappears, even if the batter looks a little lumpy.
3.For the cleanest slices, wait until the cake is fully cooled, and use the long serrated bread knife to cut with a gentle sawing motion. Wiping the knife blade clean between slices will prevent crumbs from tearing the soft cake surface, giving you neat, even slices every time.
OMG this classic pound cake is SO good! I baked it last night for our family Sunday dinner and everyone went back for seconds. The crumb is perfectly tender, not too sweet, and it held up great when I topped it with fresh strawberries and whipped cream. 10/10 will be making this again for next month’s church potluck!
Wait, I was so nervous to make this because I’ve messed up so many easy baked goods before, but this turned out perfect first try?? I even forgot to set a timer and left it in 3 minutes extra and it was still moist! My roommate said it tastes like the pound cake her grandma used to make. Total game changer for someone who can barely make boxed brownies lmao
Solid, no-fuss pound cake recipe. I made this to bring into the office for my team’s weekly snack break and it was gone in 15 minutes. Only thing I changed was swapping a tiny bit of the vanilla for almond extract, gave it a nice warm note. Will definitely keep this in my rotation.
My kids loved it! I’ve been searching for a simple after-school snack that doesn’t have a ton of weird additives, and this fits the bill. I sliced the whole loaf up and stored individual slices in the fridge for quick grab-and-go snacks all week, and they held up perfectly. Even my pickiest eater asked for seconds!
Made this yesterday to have with coffee when my neighbor came over, and wow—so buttery and rich without being heavy. My only tiny note is that I wish the top was a little more crisp, but that’s probably just because my oven runs a little hot, honestly! Quick question though: has anyone tried freezing slices of this? I want to make a double batch next time so I have some on hand for last minute guests.
I’ve been making pound cake for over 50 years, and I have to say this recipe is spot on to the classic version I learned from my own mother. No weird gimmicks, no fancy ingredients, just simple, delicious cake. I baked mine in a bundt pan instead of a loaf pan and it came out beautifully, dusted with a little powdered sugar on top.
Took this to our neighborhood block party potluck last weekend and I cannot tell you how many people asked me for the recipe! It was the perfect dessert to feed a crowd, paired great with the vanilla ice cream someone else brought. I will 100% be making this for every big gathering from now on, it’s so low stress.
Wait y’all, I accidentally used salted butter instead of unsalted when I made this last night and I was convinced I ruined it, but it was still so good? Like, the salt just cut the sweetness a little bit, it was chef’s kiss. Am I crazy for wanting to do that on purpose next time? 😂
I was looking for a classic pound cake recipe to use as a base for my birthday trifle, and this worked perfectly! I cubed it up and layered it with vanilla pudding, berries, and whipped cream, and it held its texture so well without getting soggy. Way better than the store-bought pound cake I usually use for trifles.
Pretty good, easy to follow. I cooked mine on the middle rack like the recipe said and it had a perfect golden crust all around. I will say I wish it had a little more vanilla flavor, so next time I’ll probably add an extra half teaspoon, but that’s just personal preference. Still a solid, reliable recipe.
I’ve made this twice now and it’s turned out perfect both times, hence the 5 stars! I want to make another batch for my book club meeting tomorrow, but I don’t have a loaf pan handy—can I use a 9x9 square pan instead? And if so, do I need to adjust the cook time? Super excited to share this with my book club friends!
SO good. I made this on a lazy Sunday afternoon when I was bored and had all the ingredients in the pantry, and my whole apartment smelled like butter and vanilla for hours. I ate half the loaf straight up with a cup of black coffee over the course of the week, no toppings needed, it’s perfect on its own.
Made this for my dad’s birthday since pound cake is his favorite, and he said it was better than the one his mom used to make (don’t tell grandma lmao). It was dense but not heavy, had that perfect crisp edge, and everyone at the small family dinner raved about it. 10/10, will be our go-to pound cake recipe from now on.
This recipe is so easy my 10 year old was able to help me make it for her 4th grade class bake sale! We added a simple lemon glaze on top and sold every single slice. It’s such a great base recipe to customize with different extracts, glazes, or mix-ins, you really can’t go wrong.