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Our easy pound cake recipe is a dense, buttery dream with a caramelized crust. It’s melt-in-your-mouth texture is one you’ll want on repeat.
Homemade Pound Cake to Love
A classic pound cake or 4 quarter cake calls for a pound of flour, a pound of sugar, a pound of eggs, and a pound of butter.
Our easy pound cake recipe includes sour cream but is pretty close to using equally balanced main ingredients. It’s soft, buttery, and perfectly dense.
While it’s shaped like a loaf of bread it’s more like a cake, but it’s ideal for sharing with family and friends, spreading happiness and delight with every slice.
We love it because:
- For all occasions. This quick bread recipe can double as a make-ahead breakfast or a super easy dessert. How good would this be for Fluffy French Toast?!
- Top with favorites. Add a topping of seasonal fruit, fresh berries and Whipped Cream, Chocolate Syrup, Caramel Sauce drizzle, or a delicious glaze.
- Easy prep. With straightforward instructions and minimal prep time, this recipe is perfect for experienced bakers and novices.
Ingredients
PREP TIME: 15 minutes
COOK TIME: 50 minutes
- ½ cup butter softened
- 1 cup sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour – or use cake flour. Cake flour is a bit lighter and helps yield a more tender crumb
- ½ cup sour cream
How to Make Easy Pound Cake Recipe
- PREP. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 5×9 loaf pan with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray.
- BATTER. In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, beat ½ cup butter and 1 cup sugar until light and fluffy. Add 3 eggs and 2 teaspoons vanilla and beat until smooth.
- Mix in ½ teaspoon baking powder, ¼ teaspoon salt, and 1½ cups flour until just combined. Add ½ cup sour cream, and, mix until smooth. Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan.
- BAKE. Bake for 50-60 minutes, until golden brown on top and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. If the top is browning too quickly, place a piece of tented tin foil over the top.
- SERVE. Cool 10-15 minutes, then remove to a cooling rack to cool completely. Cut into slices and serve with whipped cream and berries if desired.
More Like This
- More pound cake recipes: Lemon Pound Cake, Strawberry Pound Cake, Cream Cheese Pound Cake
- More fruit-topped cake: Strawberries and Cream Angel Food Cake, Chiffon Cake, Strawberry Icebox Cake
More collections: Cakes with Fruit, Easy Cake Recipes, Holiday Cakes
Easy Pound Cake Recipe
This deliciously easy pound cake recipe is simply irresistible. It is moist, buttery, and will melt in your mouth!
Ingredients
- ½ cup butter softened
- 1 cup sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup sour cream
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a loaf pan with parchment and spray with cooking spray.
- In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until smooth. Add the baking powder, salt, and flour, and mix until just combined. Add the sour cream, and, mix until smooth. Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan.
- Bake 50-60 minutes, until golden brown on top and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool 10-15 minutes, then remove to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- To serve, cut into slices and serve with whipped cream and berries if desired.
Video
Notes
Top with favorites. Add a topping of seasonal fruit, fresh berries and Whipped Cream, Chocolate Syrup, Caramel Sauce drizzle, or a delicious glaze.
STORE. Store cooled poundcake in an airtight container for 3-5 days.
FREEZE. Wrap this pound cake recipe in plastic wrap then again with aluminum foil. Label and freeze for up to 6 months.
Nutrition
Calories: 225kcal, Carbohydrates: 29g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 11g, Saturated Fat: 6g, Cholesterol: 66mg, Sodium: 140mg, Potassium: 62mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 17g, Vitamin A: 355IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 29mg, Iron: 1mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe FAQ
Light and Airy Cake?
- Beat the butter and sugar until fluffy
- Separate the egg whites and yolks. Add yolks to the main bowl and mix all the ingredients. In a separate bowl whisk the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Add to the main bowl last and fold the whites in.
Check for doneness?
- Cook times can vary. The cake is done when it springs back when pressed and an inserted skewer comes out clean.
Why is my pound cake dry?
- You may have added too much flour or overbaked the cake.
Why does my pound cake crack on top?
- Many quick bread recipes and cakes can form a crack on top. This is due to a top crust forming before the middle of the cake has finished expanding. As the center continues to rise, a crack forms on top.
Different size pans?
- A dark pan will cook more quickly than a light metal pan.
- mini loaf pan: 350°F for 20-25 minutes
- cupcake: 350°F for 18-22 minutes
- mini cupcakes: 350°F for 12-18 minutes
How to store baked pound cake?
- Store cooled pound cake in an airtight container for 3-5 days.
How to Freeze?
- Wrap in plastic wrap and again with aluminum foil. Label and freeze for up to 6 months.
For More Recipes:
Cream Cheese Pound Cake
2 hrs 10 mins
Lemon Pound Cake with Lemon Glaze
1 hr 5 mins
Strawberry Pound Cake
1 hr 15 mins
Easy Pound Cake Recipe
1 hr 5 mins
Can I replace sour cream with milk?
I have not personally tried, so I couldn’t say how it would turn out. I don’t really think that would work well, since milk is a liquid. I would maybe try yogurt or maybe even buttermilk first.
Love this !!.I love to pour some maple syrup on top!!..Linda
Could the vanilla extract be substituted for lemon extract to make this a lemon pound cake?
I’m sure it could!! I haven’t tried, so you’ll have to let us know how it turns out if you do.
Recipe looks great. I will use it today. I will make the peach one also. It would be great if you could make the recipe fit on 1 page
I don’t know what I did wrong, I went exactly by the recipe and it turned out too hard and dry. I used the dark loaf pan at 350 degrees. I don’t know if I should have used 325 degree. This is second time I have made a pound cake and it turned out bad. I know I used a different pan several years and it turned out perfect but was a light colored pan and also a different stove.
Sorry to hear you have had troubles with your pound cakes. So cook times when baking can vary depending on pan size, altitude, oven, and even weather. So yes, my guess is that the cake was probably over-baked. You can certainly play around with baking time and temperature. You’ll know the cake is done when it springs back when pressed and an inserted skewer comes out clean.