Perfect Pound Cake Recipe
Perfect Pound Cake Recipe! Traditionally, the pound cake is made from a pound of each ingredient. However, today you will learn how to make a lighter version, tips to make this recipe a success every time you make it, how to substitute cake flour, and produce the same delicious and full of buttery flavor with soft and tender crumbs which I proudly show off in my step by step photos and video in this post!
Pound cake is a popular cake but what’s sad is that many get the instruction wrong, and they end up with a dry cake, other times the cake comes out so dense and greasy, and if you are buying pound cake from a store (from my experience at least) there is some awful after taste.
❤️ WHY YOU’LL LOVE POUND CAKE
- Rich Flavor: Pound cake has a rich, buttery flavor that is deeply satisfying and comforting.
- Simple Ingredients: It is made from simple, common ingredients like butter, sugar, eggs, and flour, making it accessible and easy to prepare.
- Versatility: Pound cake can be enjoyed plain or with a variety of toppings like fruit, whipped cream, or ice cream. It can also be flavored with ingredients like vanilla, lemon, or almond.
- Perfect for Any Occasion: Whether it’s a casual family gathering or a formal event, pound cake fits well in any setting and is always a crowd-pleaser.
- Long Shelf Life: Pound cake tends to stay fresh longer than many other types of cake, making it a great option for making ahead or enjoying over several days.
🍪 INGREDIENTS YOU’LL NEED
- Cake Flour: To have tender crumbs, you must use cake flour. Pound cake is a dense cake and using all-purpose flour will make the cake crumbs dry and crumbly. To learn how to substitute cake flour and get amazing results, read note #1 in the recipe card below.
- Large eggs. To have a smooth batter bring the eggs to room temperature either by leaving it at the countertop for a few minutes or by placing the eggs in a bowl full of warm water for 4 to 5 minutes.
- Milk. The addition of milk to pound cakes is to make it lighter in texture than the original pound cake recipe. The milk makes the crumbs moist, and you will use a quarter cup of it in this recipe.
- Sugar. Fine sugar is best for this recipe; it dissolves fast, and while the cake is baking, it doesn’t release much moisture, which produces air pockets in the cake. Read note #2 in the recipe card.
- Butter is the star of the pound cake recipe. Use unsalted butter, but if you only have salted butter then omit the salt from the recipe. High-quality butter will add amazing flavor to your pound cake.
HOW TO MAKE THE PERFECT POUND CAKE
Step 1
Preheat the oven and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Step 2
In a bowl, add all the dry ingredients and mix them well. Add the butter to the flour mixture and beat well.
Step 3
In a different bowl, beat the eggs and vanilla until well combined, and then add the milk and beat well.
Step 4
Gradually add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix well. Until you get a smooth batter.
Step 5
Poor the batter in the previously prepared baking pan. Bake the cake batter until a skewer inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean.
Step 6
Place the cake on a cooling rack. Slice and serve with whipped cream or fruits.
👩🏽🍳PRO TIPS
- To prevent the cake from sinking: Preheat the oven to an accurate temperature, a cold oven is a reason why most cake recipes fail. Do not increase the amount of sugar. Do not overbeat the cake batter. Beat the eggs until it doubles in volume.
- The ingredients should at room temperature, the butter shouldn’t be melting.
Frequently Asked Questions
– A skewer or a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake will come out with few crumbs. Pull the cake out of the oven and place on the cooling rack, let the cake cool for 9 minutes while in the pan, it will continue to bake the tiny wet crumbs, but the cake won’t over bake.
– The cake will be golden, and the edges will be darker.
– The cake will spring back if gently pressed.
– The cake will separate from the baking pan.
You are in for a pleasant surprise, pound cake tastes like shortbread but with soft crumbs, and will diffidently remind you of yellow cake because it is a dense cake.
You can have a plain slice with your coffee, or a chilled glass of milk. Pound cake has a great flavor and can be devoured plain, but you can serve it with whipped cream and some fruits on the side. Berries go well with pound cakes. Some like to grill both sides of a pound cake slice and top it with grilled peaches and honey.
This amazing cake freezes well, to freeze a whole pound cake, wrap it in plastic wrap in three layers and then wrap with foil — place in the freezer for up to three to four months.
If you prefer to freeze the pound cake in slices, then wrap each slice with plastic wrap in three layers, then place it in an airtight container. The slices can stay good for up to two to three months.
Other Pound Cake Recipes
⭐PLEASE RATE AND REVIEW
If you have tried this Perfect Pound Cake recipe and liked it, please give it a 5-star rating and leave a comment below with your experience!
Perfect Pound Cake Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cup cake flour Read note #1 for substitute
- 4 large eggs 254 gm at room temperature
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup milk at room temperature
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons fine sugar Note #2
- 1 cup 226gm unsalted butter cut in cubes and chilled
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F/180C. Grease and dust with flour a 9×5-inch loaf pan, I prefer to line the baking pan with parchment paper.
- In a bowl, beat the eggs, milk, and vanilla until combined, set aside.
- In a mixing bowl, sift or whisk the flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder.
- Add the butter to the flour mixture and beat until combined; it will take few seconds.
- Gradually add the egg mixture to the dry ingredients and beat on low until combined.
- Turn the hand mixer speed to high and beat the batter for 30 seconds.
- Pour the batter in the prepared baking pan and bake on the middle shelf of your oven for 45 -50 minutes, or until it is golden, and a skewer inserted in the middle of the cake comes out with a few tiny crumbs. The cake will continue cooking while cooling.
- Place the cake on the cooling rack and allow it to cool for 9 minutes while in the pan. Remove the cake from the pan and place it on a cooling rack to cool completely.
- When the cake is cool, slice it, and serve it with whipped cream, or your favorite fruit.
I will try this recipe, and also practice my english while cooking cause I am brazilian and speak portuguese.
Thank ya!
You are welcome, and I hope you enjoy this pound cake recipe 🙂
This is one perfect pound cake, Muna. Really love that tender smooth crumb.
The pound cake tasted so good, I hope you give it a try 🙂
I luv luv yr recipes and the tips u impart.
I would appreciate u mentioning the weight of ingredients in both cups and grams as here in ME, we have cups measuring 250 ml as opposed to 240 ml in the United States.
Thank you
Hi Gracy, there are two types of measuring cups, one for dry ingredients and the other for liquid. In the dry ingredient measuring cup, you should spoon the flour in it and then level it using the back of a butter knife that should give you one cup. As for measuring the wet ingredients I have used the 250ml measuring cup. Hope this helped!
The golden color promises for a really delicious cake, I am sure it’s super soft and delicious.
It is an amazing cake 🙂 … Thanks for your comment!