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This soft, buttery pound cake recipe is perfect by itself or topped with fresh fruit. It bakes up great in a bundt pan or loaf pan too!
Perfect for brunching or afternoon tea, this pound cake recipe is a great addition to your dessert rotation. It’s a classic and rivals other delicious favorites like our Fresh Strawberry Cake and Funfetti Sheet Cake.
Table of Contents
Why I Love Pound Cake Recipe
A great pound cake recipe is a must-have in your recipe box. It’s great to top with macerated berries, icing, or just eat plain. I chose to eat it with fresh berries and my kiddo added a little Reese’s spread to his.
With only 8 easy to find, easy to use pantry ingredients, this recipe is super simple. A pound cake is hard to mess up!
Ingredients
The ingredients are all common pantry ingredients used in most cake recipes. Something magical happens when you mix them up the right way, and the result is this moist, buttery, rich vanilla pound cake!
- Butter
- Granulated Sugar
- Eggs
- Vanilla Extract
- All-Purpose Flour
- Baking Powder and Baking Soda
- Salt
- Milk
How to Make Pound Cake
We’ve got a great video for you to watch below with the printable recipe, but here are some general instructions for baking your cake.
See recipe card below for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
Combine ingredients for the batter. Mix together butter and sugar, then add vanilla and eggs. Separately mix together flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda and salt and pour them into the bowl, alternating a few times with the milk.
Pour into the pan. Generously grease and flour a 12-cup bundt pan, then pour in the batter.
Bake, rest, and release. Bake for about an hour, then remove from the oven and cool slightly before turning out onto a flat surface to release the cake from the pan.
FAQs
Store your cake at room temperature, in an airtight container. It should stay fresh for several days. Don’t refrigerate – it will dry out the cake.
As you might guess from the name, a pound cake is denser and heavier than a traditional cake. Because it’s so rich, it’s best served with light toppings, like berries and fresh whipped or a simple glaze.
What’s the Secret to a Good Pound Cake?
Bundt pans can make anything look pretty, no matter how plain it is. Though, there are a couple of important things to remember when using a bundt pan.
- Always grease generously and flour the pan. If you’re making a chocolate cake, you can use cocoa powder instead of flour too. I’ve tried the cooking spray with flour added and some of the sprays work and some don’t. My go-to is the Baker’s Joy baking spray.
- Let it cool. Let the freshly baked bundt cake cool for 5 minutes before turning it out onto a cake plate to give it a chance to release from the pan. After it’s turned upside down, let it rest for 5 minutes upside down in the pan before you start tapping the pan. If it comes out before the 5 minutes are up, that’s even better.
Recipe Variations
You can make different flavors of pound cake by adding extracts, zests, and fresh fruit.
- Lemon, lime, or orange – Instead of adding 1 tablespoon of vanilla, add 2 teaspoons of the flavored extract, 1 teaspoon of vanilla, and the zest of 1 lemon, lime, or orange.
- Blueberry, blackberry, or raspberry – Add 1 to 2 cups of fresh berries into a bowl with 1 tablespoon of flour. Stir to coat the berries and fold into the mixed batter before baking.
- Rum, maple, or caramel – Substitute the 1 tablespoon of vanilla with 2 teaspoons of flavored extract and 1 teaspoon of vanilla. Add more or less extract depending on how you prefer it.
How to Freeze Cake
Cakes hold up really well in the freezer for up to 6 months if properly stored. Cool the cake completely and slice into individual pieces. Wrap each piece in plastic wrap or parchment paper and place in a freezer bag or airtight container. Thaw overnight and enjoy.
To freeze the entire pound cake as a whole cake, you will still want to wrap it as tightly as possible and place in a large airtight container.
More Cake Recipes
- Lemon Bundt Cake
- Cinnamon Apple Monkey Bread
- Chocolate Peppermint Crunch Bundt Cake
- Tropical Hawaiian Monkey Bread
- Cinnamon Apple Bundt Cake
Pound Cake Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter room temperature
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup milk
- fresh berries for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour a 12-cup bundt pan. Tap out any excess flour.
- In a large mixing bowl, add butter and sugar. Beat on medium with a hand mixer until creamed.
- Add the vanilla extract and the eggs one at a time. Beat each egg in before adding the next. Scrape the sides of the bowl.
- In a separate bowl, add in the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk to combine.
- Measure out the milk.
- Alternately add the flour and milk always starting and ending with the flour. I added the flour in 3 parts and the milk in 2 parts. Scrape down the sides and mix to combine.
- Pour the batter into the prepared bundt pan. Spread it out evenly in the pan using a spatula.
- Place into the oven and bake for 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Let cool for 5 minutes and turn out onto a cake plate. Let it rest for another 5 minutes. Tap the bundt pan with a knife to help loosen the cake from the pan.
- Garnish with fresh berries.
This is my go to! I’ve used vanilla, almond and lemon extracts, sometimes adding bourbon or rum drizzle, with and without nuts. Ice cream and fresh berries nothing like it! Experimented by adding lemon zest on top of the drizzle for the lemon cake, the old man loved it!
My loved ones are spoiled, they expect to see a cake on the table when they walk in the house ;o)
I broke down and brought a fluted bundt pan dusted the finished product with a little powdered sugar it was beautiful…
I’m visiting a friend tomorrow and baking the cake at her house for her family.
There is no better way to show a little love.
Fantastic feedback Cynthia! Thank you so much for stopping by.
This was my first time making this and it is DEFINITELY a keeper!! I used 3 tsp of lemon extract and 1 tsp of vanilla extract and it is delicious!! The cake is super moist and fluffy! I made it in a 12″ Bundt pan and it rose completely to the top!! You really need to make this cake!! Everyone just raced over it! My friend said she wants me to make this for her birthday!! Thank you for a wonderful recipe!!🥰🌟
You are so welcome Shari Lynn! Awesome feedback, thanks for stopping by.
I just wanted to try it
I like to bake so in going to try this recipe in my fryer see how it going to come out
Hi Dianne, we would love to see your feedback here in the comments. Thanks for stopping by.
The recipe came out great! Sadly, I didn’t have a bundt pan, and apparently I also don’t have any loaf pans. So I ended up making pound muffins instead. The cook time was half of the normal recipe, but they came out great! Everyone loved them, and they’re perfect for strawberry short cake!
That’s great that you were able to make it work for you!
I live in Denver, Colorado, 5,280 feet elevation.
What changes need to be made to the recipe for use at 5,280 feet elevation?
Thank you.
Hi, I found this great resource with the answers to your questions: https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/learn/resources/high-altitude-baking
This came out absolutely perfect!!! Will be my go-to recipe for sure.
I baked mine in a toaster oven, and it was done in just under an hour at 325.
Nice! Thank you so much for stopping Rebe.
I just made it in my toaster oven and it really tasted really nice. I had to make two pans one after the other and the second came out better than the first. Cause I had the first with more in the pan so it took about an hour. The second was like half the amount of the first and it was cooked about 49 minutes. So now I have one to eat with my breakfast and the other is in the freezer. The next time I make it I shall put a bit more lemon in it. Or better yet some limoncello whioh I made myself.
I tried it twice. The suggested oven temp was too low for me. It took the cake almost two hours to cook. I put the oven on 350 and it cooked in the time the recipe said it would. My family loves this cake. It only lasts about 3 days in my house.
I’m glad you were able to make it work for you! It works great for me at the temperature listed. Just keep in mind that ovens can vary. Have you ever tested the temp of yours? You can buy an oven thermometer for about $6 on Amazon to check.
Hi, I haven’t tested my oven’s temp. But I found if I preheat it like the recipe calls then turn it up to 400° then it cooks like it’s supposed to. I’ve made it so many times now and I find tweeting the temp makes it come out perfect. Thanks, I think I will invest in that thermometer!
Hi Sherri, That’s great – I’m glad you figured out what works for you!
did you use unsalted butter or salted?
I use salted butter
I made this cake for Thanksgiving dinner and there was not one drop left! I had to make another one for the house the next day! I substituted the milk with half-n-half. Delicious!!!
Nice! Thank you for dropping by Neicy.
I’ve sometimes substituted the milk with buttermilk, or evaporated milk. If I use evaporated milk I cut down on the sugar
I tried this recipe but i am not sure what went wrong. The result was not pleasing.
I’m sorry to hear that. I hope you’ll give it another try – we really love this recipe!
New favorite cake. And honestly, it tastes better the next day!!
Thank you L.
That is so true!
I wish I could give this recipe 200 stars!
Every time I would attempt making a cake from scratch it would turn into a complete disaster. Something always went wrong. But during Covid 19 I decided that this was one skill I had to perfect. I tried this recipe and the cake was perfect, bakery perfect to be exact. I was convinced it once a one time event. I have made this cake several times now and it cones out perfect each time!!! Even after I omitted the baking soda and baking powder (my husband’s tummy doesn’t tolerate both leavening agents). Thank you from the bottom of my heart for this awesome recipe!
With Love from
Nassau, Bahamas
Hi Sophia, Thank you for the review and the 5 stars! So glad you were able to make this recipe work for you. Stay safe!
Great recipe and it was a huge hit with my family. Making this for a second time and just about to take out of the oven. Smells amazing 🙂
Nice! Thanks for stopping by Angie.
A delicious poundcake recipe! I made it for a strawberry shortcake for my family and it got rave reviews. The outside was slightly crusty but not too thick and hard. Overall really light and delicious. I found that it only needed an hour, but be sure to follow the instructions for removing it from the pan because it was very effective. Thanks for a great recipe!
You are so welcome Helena! Thanks for stopping by.
This cake is so fantastic. My bundt pan is a bit thicker than most, so I had to bake an extra 15 mins on top of the suggested hour and 15 minutes, but it came out really tender, tasty, and the crust is crisp. I love this cake!
Thank you so much for stopping by Jennifer.
Any thoughts about adding dried mixed fruit to the recipe?
I haven’t tried any mix-ins. I’d worry they’d just fall to the bottom, but it would be worth a shot.
This is a absolutely delicious and moist pound cake recipe. I have made it several times now and every time it’s a winner!! I added vanilla extract and almond extract …. so delicious. I would like to do a glaze but it isn’t good as is. Thanks for sharing this recipe.
You are so welcome Skeet! Thanks for taking the time to leave some positive feedback.
This recipe is so easy and quick to make and it tastes amazing!!! The first time I made this it was for a berry trifle. This is my second time making it and I’m just going to be adding a quick easy powdered sugar icing with some fresh fruit. Can’t wait!!!!
I appreciate the simple ingredients.. it didnt require sour cream or cream cheese or vegetable shortening.. and it came out fantastic!! I’m serving it wth sliced strawberries!!
Thank you Piper! and thanks for sharing your positive experience.
This pound cake had a sweet light flavor. The outside of the cake was slightly crunchy and full of flavor.
Hi Julia! Thanks for leaving your positive experience.
Made this cake a few times it is one of my favorite cakes to make. My Family reallyl love it. I usually icing it with creamcheese frosting. Delicious. Thank you??❤️??
You’re so welcome Sellie! thank you so much for stopping by!
when i made the batter it smelt so good then when i tried it i wanted to eat the whole thing before I even put it in the oven I’m only 12 but it was easy to cook and smelt delicious and tasted even better and the best part was it looked exactly like the picture I’m writing this recipe down!!!
Hi Brielle! That’s so awesome. Keep up the good work and come back and visit us again.
awesome and good
Thank you Brielle!
Sure looks good n easy to put together
Awesome recipe! I’m making it today for the 3rd time. However my cakes ? keep coming out dark. Only on the sides and bottom. My pan is dark/nonstick. Should I adjust the over temp? And if so any suggestions?
Oven temperatures can vary, so adjusting the temp could help. Try lowering it by 25 degrees and see if that does the trick.
my first pound cake and it was wonderful. I don’t usually make comments but this was great, family loved it. My only change was I used vanilla almond milk because that was what I had on hand. Really a great vanilla flavor
Thanks Ardis! great idea about the Vanilla almond milk!
The best pound cake???Thank U soo Much,,They loved it,its really good???
You’re so welcome Anabelle! thank you so much for stopping by!
Your recipe is delicious. How can I convert to make in Loaf Pan?
You can bake it in a 9″ loaf pan.
I normally like to make a recipe the first time exactly as posted then adjust to my taste after that if I need to, but I was in the middle of making this when I realized I was out of milk. I substituted buttermilk instead and it came out fantastic. Thank you for the recipe.
You’re so welcome Dave! thank you so much for stopping by!
my pound cakes do not rise. they are sad!!? any clues.
I’m sorry it didn’t work out for you! Without being there it’s hard to say what may have happened so I can only speculate. Could be oven temperature, over-mixing or even humidity or altitude.
Made individual mini cakes…came out perfect, nice & moist. A spoonful of rhubarb sauce, Garnish w/ a mint leaf…pretty & delicious!!
Thank you Susan! and thanks for sharing your positive experience!
Great recipe! And, a shout out to @Karlie. I recently moved and couldn’t find my bundt pan…so used 2 loaf pans. Worked perfectly. Thanks!
Thanks Deena for stopping by!
This is the best pound cake I ever tasted! It stays moist after many days. I suck at baking but this was so easy for me to do and the result came out really great! I also like the fact that it is not too sweet, everything is perfect regarding this recipe!
Thanks Christelle! Thank you so much for stopping by!
Can I use almond milk
I can’t say for certain because I haven’t tried it, but it’s a reasonable substitution.
This is the best pound cake recipe I ever made . The cake was yummy and stayed moist for almost a week ? . Would definitely recommend this to everyone. Best decision I made to go with your recipe. Thank you
Thank you Mina! So glad you loved the recipe!!
Would it be ok for cup cakes?
Pound cake is pretty dense for cupcakes. I would find a yellow cake recipe and use that instead.
I did it and they came out great!
Hello can evaporated milk be used in place of milk
Evaporated milk would be different so I wouldn’t recommend it.
Hello, I made this recipe and it is the best pound cake I
have ever had!! Do you have a Chocolate pound cake
recipe, preferably without added Chocolate in it other
than cocoa?
I don’t but that sounds delicious. Think we’ll have to give it a try!
Can II bake this pound cake in an angel food pan instead of the bundt pan?
It would probably work, but since I haven’t tried it I can’t say for sure.
Thanks for replying so quickly.
You are so welcome Michelle.
I just made this cake, it is in the oven. Can’t wait to eat it!
Nice! thank you Jeanne! let us know how it came out.
Great pound cake
Can you make this ahead and freeze it?
Absolutely!
I cooked this cake tonight and it turned out well. Thank you for the recipe.
Thank you Matthew for stopping by!
Your recipe and your comments are original and well worth the read. Thank you.
I’ve been looking for a recipe similar to my mom’s … yours came the closest.
Is it alright to use skim milk?
Yes, you can use skim milk.
Well, it isn’t my grandmas but it’s just as good!
Super moist and baked up just like the picture.
Great recipe and well explained too. I am too much into baking, will surely try. Hope comes out good. Three cheers for you ??
Thank you Vandana! and thanks for sharing your experience!
Hello! Can you please tell me the size in cm of the pan? I’m looking forward to bake this cake ? thanks ?
I halfed the recipe and made it in a loaf pan. Baked for a hour, served with a strawberries sauce. It turned out perfect!!♡
That’s awesome Karlie! Thanks for sharing your experience!
Thank you. Miranda love you pound cake recipe
I usually can’t bake to save my life. This is the first cake I’ve baked that actually came out how it supposed too. I didn’t had vanilla extract so I added a little almond extract instead. It’s delicious. We had it with warm custard.
Thank you for posting this recipe. I will definitely make this 100 more times.
Tried this recipe with my granddaughter this evening…it’s heavenly! Everyone loved it, and we made a nice blueberry sauce to go with it. Thank you for sharing!
Thank you Jen!
Delicious cake.
I like this pound cake recipe very much. Thank you for sharing with us.
Waiting for the next post…
Thank you Jacob!
Can I use buttermilk insread of milk?
It would alter the taste of the cake, but I think would could use it.
I have been searching and trying and searching and trying pound cake recipe. Will try this one very soon . Just has to comment on the “cough a lung up when using Baker’s Joy. I thought it was just me that this had an affect on. LOL.
Light, beautiful, flavorful and savory. This cake is GREAT with fresh fruit or just by itself. I’m going to add some lemon zest the next time around for that hint of lemon. Yummmm
Thank you SandyB!
Folks, seriously Miranda’s Pound Cake is perfect!! Thank you for the recipe. : )
Thank you Michael!
Can i use arm and hammer baking soda for this cake
Whatever brand of baking soda you have on hand will be fine.
Great cake!!!!
Thank you Janet!
Lovely cake I thoroughly enjoyed it !!!!
Made this recipe for a work party and it was a huge hit! A coworker has Celiac’s disease, so I substituted King Arthur’s gluten free flour (same measurement), and it turned out great.
Thanks Lauren! I love that you were able to make it work for you!
This. Is. Amazing! Perfect flavor, perfect texture. Just made one for some friends for their Valentine’s dinner. Drizzled with dark chocolate ganache and garnished with strawberries. Thanks for the recipe!
Thank you Julie!
Thanks so much I had to do this for school and it was so good! (^_^)
Thank you K&C!
excellent ! perfcake.ect receipe for a delicious
Love this! I replaced the Vanilla with Orange Extract and it was a big hit! It was just what my coffee needed. ?
I’m excited to make my first pound cake for my husband’s bday today. I looked at several recipes and picked yours because most of them required at least 6 eggs and I only have 4 in the house. It is -20 degrees outside in Chicago and I’m not about to go out to the store for more eggs, so happy to find this. Hope it turns out great!
It’s a perfect day for baking – stay warm!
Can I use cake flour to have a less dense texture?
Pound cake is naturally a dense cake. I haven’t tried this recipe with cake flour but I don’t see how it could ruin it.
Just made my 1st poundcake using this recipe
Nice! Thanks for stopping By Alisha!
I’m excited to try this, as a brand new baker. I so appreciate the tips for the bundt pan.
I’m wondering what you think of using substituting almond milk for the cow’s milk?
Easy swap!
Can I make this pound cake using a loaf pan?
Yes, you can make this in a loaf pan. Just watch the cooking time. (I haven’t tried this recipe in a loaf pan myself).
You have 1 T for vanilla extract does that mean tablespoon or 1 tbs
Ingredients
1 cup butter room temperature
2 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
1 T. vanilla extract
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup milk
fresh berries for garnis
In baking, the abbreviations are T=tablespoon and tsp=teaspoon. I do try to make sure that the measurements are spelled out and missed this one.
Thanks a lot for showing me how to make my first pound cake and everyone who had some said this is a very good pound cake and now I am making 3 for my family .again thanks for all your help.
Thank you Robert! So happy that you and your family loved this recipe!
Thank you so much for sharing your recipe. This was my first time making a pound cake from scratch, and it came out pretty good! I can’t wait to make my next homemade cake ?!
Great recipe!!!Must try.
I made this recipe and it was delicious. I sold it at an office silent auction bake sale and my office raved about how wonderful it was. The person that ‘won’ the auction called the cake ‘addictive’. Come to find out I misread the recipe and added a 1 pound of butter instead of 1 cup. Apparently it was a hit! Give it a try!
Thank you for sharing your review, Joe!