Name: Vanilla Pound Cake
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 75 min
Ingredients: 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pan; 2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled), plus more for pan; 1 cup sugar; 4 large eggs; 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract; 0.5 teaspoon salt

Prep Time:

15 mins

Total Time:

1 hr 15 mins

Servings:

8

With this recipe, you'll have a rich and buttery vanilla pound cake every time by following a few simple steps. The most important thing to remember when making pound cake is to cream the ingredients really well, especially after each addition of egg. This recipe has no leavening agents, so you’re relying on the air you incorporate into the batter to help the cake rise. Once it goes into the oven, the air will expand and the cake will rise. Using room-temperature ingredients also helps achieve volume as the mixer won’t have to work as hard to incorporate the butter and eggs.

What Is Pound Cake?

Pound cake got its name because it used to be made with 1 pound each of butter, sugar, flour, and eggs. The recipe has been improved upon since then, but it is still a dense, buttery loaf cake that can be made quickly and easily. Pound cake has a much higher fat content than regular cakes, and its texture is more solid and coarse.

Where Is the Baking Powder or Baking Soda?

You read that right! Most pound cakes only use eggs to leaven the batter. This means that bakers should take their time mixing to make sure enough air is incorporated into the batter. As the batter bakes, it should slowly and evenly puff up and dome.

Glazes and Frostings for Pound Cake

Some pound cakes are drizzled with glazes or icings. Some are swirled with buttercream or cream cheese frosting. This recipe is sweet enough on its own, but you can always take it up a notch with these additions.

This pound cake recipe is flavored classically with vanilla. You could add other extracts, like almond, or a bit of lemon or orange zest.

Ingredients

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pan
2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled), plus more for pan
1 cup sugar
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
½ teaspoon salt

Directions

Ingredients for Vanilla Pound Cake — Brie Goldman

Preheat the oven, prep loaf pan, and beat butter and sugar:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a 6-cup (8 1/2-by-4 1/2-inch) loaf pan; set aside. Using an electric mixer on high speed, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

Brie Goldman

While it's unlikely the cake would stick to the pan with the amount of butter in the ingredients, we like to butter and flour the loaf pan just in case.
Add eggs, then vanilla and salt:

Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition; add vanilla and salt.

Brie Goldman
Add flour:

With mixer on low, gradually add flour, beating just until combined (do not overmix).

Brie Goldman
Bake the pound cake:

Bake until a toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean, about 1 hour (tent with aluminum foil if browning too quickly).

Brie Goldman
Cool in pan and on rack:

Let cool in pan 15 minutes. Invert onto a wire rack, and turn upright to cool completely.

Brie Goldman

Ways to Serve Pound Cake:

Simply sliced and served with a cup of coffee or milky tea for dipping
Scattered with fresh berries, like strawberries, blueberries, or a combination
Dolloped with lightly sweetened whipped cream or homemade lemon curd
Toasted in salted butter and eaten warm
Warmed and topped with a scoop of your favorite ice cream

Storing Pound Cake:

We recommend storing pound cake unsliced in an airtight container at room temperature for up to five days. If stored in the refrigerator, the pound cake will dry out more quickly.

You can slice leftover pound cake and freeze the slices in sealed freezer-safe bags for up to three months. Thaw slices one at a time at room temperature before enjoying.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I measure flour correctly for pound cake?

Believe it or not, there is a right way to measure flour. Too much and your baked goods could be dry, too little and they might not set properly. The solution is simple: Spoon the flour into dry measuring cups (not glass measuring cups), then level it off with the straight side of a knife so that it's even with the rim of the cup.

How do you keep pound cake moist for days?

Pound cake will remain moist for up to five days when stored at room temperature. If you don't eat it all by then, seal slices in freezer bags and freeze up to three months.

Which is better for pound cake, cake flour or all-purpose flour?

Cake flour has less gluten and a lower amount of protein than all-purpose flour. Baked goods made with cake flour tend to be more soft and delicate. Most pound cake recipes call for all-purpose flour because they rely on the protein content to provide structure. Some are designed to be more tender like shortcakes, in which case cake flour is a good option.

Why does my pound cake fall when I take it out of the oven?

A sinking cake is a surefire sign that not enough air was incorporated into the batter. As you mix in the eggs, make sure you beat the mixture until the eggs are fully incorporated. The batter itself should increase in volume as you mix.