Vanilla Pound Cake

If you're looking for a dessert that never goes out of style, this Vanilla Pound Cake is it! It's rich, buttery, and packed with real vanilla bean specks in every bite. I love slicing it thick and serving it with juicy berries and a swirl of homemade whipped cream.

Best Pound Cake

A few months ago, I came across boxes stuffed with old recipes I had written down in junior high and high school. I had forgotten about them being in there, so pulling them out and looking through them was fun.

The first recipe that caught my eye was an easy recipe for pound cake from scratch. Since I had never made a classic pound cake, I decided this was happening immediately.

The instructions were easy to follow, and the cake looked and tasted great. However, it was slightly underdone and had gummy streaks in places.

So, I tweaked the ingredients, the temperature, and the baking time. FIVE pound cakes later, I found the perfect ratios for this moist pound cake recipe.

What Is Pound Cake?

The name pound cake comes from the original recipe, which used a pound each of butter, sugar, eggs, and flour. Given the size and density of this cake, the recipe has been modified over time to make a smaller, lighter cake.

The ingredients for a traditional pound cake have also been changed slightly to give this cake a different texture. You can use other extracts and flavorings to give the buttery cake unique and delicious flavors, like in this key lime pound cake.

Why I Love This Recipe

• Rich Buttery Texture - The flavor comes from the butter, sugar, and vanilla bean paste. It tastes like a yellow cake, but has a richer taste.
• Heavy and Dense - The cake batter in this old-fashioned pound cake recipe bakes up so dense yet still light and fluffy. It literally melts in your mouth!
• Best Vanilla Flavor - Using vanilla bean paste gives this cake a rich vanilla flavor. The black specks always make me smile!
• Simple yet Elegant - I love serving slices of this delicious cake with whipped cream and berries or with lemon curd and blueberry sauce.

Main Ingredients

This simple vanilla pound cake recipe needs just a few easy ingredients. You likely have most of them in your kitchen now.

• Unsalted Butter: Allow the butter to come to room temperature before creaming it with the sugar. This helps to create little air pockets that help it rise during baking.
• Granulated Sugar: Sweetens the cake batter and gives it a caramelized outside crust.
• Large Eggs: Add moisture and richness to the finished baked good.
• All-Purpose Flour: Use the spoon and sweep method to add just the right amount of flour.
• Salt: Balances out the sweetness from the sugar.
• Heavy Whipping Cream: Makes the pound cake very moist and creates a soft but dense crumb texture.
• Vanilla Bean Paste: Gives it that extra special vanilla flavor. Plus, all those vanilla bean specks throughout the cake are so pretty. You can also use vanilla extract in place of this.

BruCrew Tip: You can easily change up the flavor of this cake by using other extracts. A few of our favorites are almond and lemon extract.

How To Make Vanilla Pound Cake

This classic pound cake is easy to make in minutes using simple steps. The whole recipe card is at the bottom of the post.

Beat the softened butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl on medium speed for 4-5 minutes. Please do not skimp on beating time; this will allow air to be added, causing the cake to rise as it bakes.

Add the eggs to the butter mixture one at a time, beating each before adding another. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients and heavy cream to the butter mixture. Stir the vanilla paste in gently.

Spoon the thick batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 50 minutes. Place a piece of tin foil over the top of the cake and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes.

BruCrew Tip: Use a long wooden skewer to test the middle of the cake. If the skewer shows wet batter, continue baking. Remove the pan so it does not overbake if you see moist crumbs.

Let the loaf cake cool in the baking pan for 10-15 minutes, then flip it onto a wire rack. Make sure you flip it back upright as soon as it comes out. If you don't, the top of the cake will have grid marks.

How to Serve Pound Cake

This vanilla cake is absolutely delicious as is. The vanilla paste gives it such a fantastic flavor that it doesn't need anything else.

• Whipped Cream and Fruit: To make this classic pound cake look fancy, serve it with whipped cream and fresh berries. Try this spiced whipped cream to add spice to the fruit and cake. Any berry will work, so use your favorite or whatever is in season at the time. Using raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries gives this easy pound cake a fun Fourth of July look.
• Ice Cream and Syrup: Add a scoop of your favorite ice cream and a chocolate or fruit syrup to a slice of the dense cake. This strawberry chia jam or this cherry preserves recipe would taste great.  
• Ice Cream Cake: Cut the loaf horizontally into three layers. Place one layer back in your loaf pan then top it with softened ice cream. Repeat the layers and then freeze for 4-6 hours or overnight.
• Bananas and Pudding: Cut slices of pound cake into 1-inch cubes. Layer the cubes with your favorite pudding and caramelized bananas. Use small cups or a large trifle dish for a fancy summer dessert.
• Chocolate Fondue: Cut the pound cake into 1-inch cubes, then serve it with your favorite chocolate fondue. You can also skewer the cubes with fruit and marshmallows for easy dipping.

Storage Recommendations

Place the cooled cake in an airtight container or wrap it tightly in plastic. It can be kept on the counter at room temperature for 3 to 4 days. 

You can freeze the whole loaf or single slices. Before putting them in the freezer, wrap them in plastic wrap, like Saran Wrap.

Tips and Tricks

• Set the butter out ahead of time. Before you cream it, you want it to be soft and at room temperature. Depending on how warm your kitchen is, this can take 30 minutes to an hour.
• Make sure you cream the sugar and butter very well. This adds air bubbles to the batter, which helps your cake rise and bake perfectly. The more bubbles you mix in, the lighter and fluffier your cake will turn out. Plus, it gives it a nicer crumb texture!
• Do not overmix the batter. Stop beating it as soon as everything is mixed correctly. Overmixed batter will result in a tough or rubbery cake.
• You can add a fun twist by adding mini chocolate chips, rainbow sprinkles, chopped nuts, or shredded coconut to the batter.

FAQs

More Classic Homemade Cakes

• Flourless Chocolate Cake
• Dark Chocolate Cake
• Tres Leches Cake
• Strawberry Cake
• Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake
• Banana Cake

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Recipe

Vanilla Pound Cake Recipe

Yield: 1 loaf

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

If you're looking for a dessert that never goes out of style, this Vanilla Pound Cake is it! It's rich, buttery, and packed with real vanilla bean specks in every bite. I love slicing it thick and serving it with juicy berries and a swirl of homemade whipped cream.

Print

Ingredients

• ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour (180g)
• 1 teaspoon table salt
• ½ cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Spray a 9x5 loaf pan with nonstick baking spray.
2. Beat the butter and sugar on medium speed for 4 minutes. Do not shorten this time as it needs to be light and creamy.
3. Add the eggs one at a time to the butter mixture, making sure to beat each one in.
4. Stir together the flour and salt. Alternately add this and the heavy cream to the butter mixture until everything is mixed in.
5. Add the vanilla bean paste and stir in gently. Spoon the cake batter into the prepared pan.
6. Bake for 50 minutes. Lightly cover the cake with tin foil and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with only a few crumbs.
7. Remove and cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes. Flip the cake out onto a cooling rack. Make sure to flip the cake back over so you do not get grid marks on the top. Cool completely before serving.

Notes

• Set the butter out ahead of time. Before you cream it, you want it to be soft and at room temperature. Depending on how warm your kitchen is, this can take 30 minutes to an hour.

• Make sure you cream the sugar and butter very well. This adds air bubbles to the batter, which helps your cake rise and bake perfectly. The more bubbles you mix in, the lighter and fluffier your cake will turn out. Plus, it gives it a nicer crumb texture!
• Do not overmix the batter. Stop beating it as soon as everything is mixed correctly. Overmixed batter will result in a tough or rubbery cake.
• You can add a fun twist by adding mini chocolate chips, rainbow sprinkles, chopped nuts, or shredded coconut to the batter.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

• 
  AmazonBasics Nonstick Carbon Steel Bread Pan - 9.5" x 5", 2-Pack
• 
  KitchenAid Stand Mixer with Pouring Shield, 5-Quart, Empire Red
• 
  Gourmet Pure Vanilla Bean Paste - Organically Grown, Contains Whole Vanilla Seeds from Hand Picked Heilala Vanilla Pods, All Natural, Superior to Tahitian, Mexican or Madagascar Paste

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 316Total Fat: 17gSaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 104mgSodium: 205mgCarbohydrates: 37gFiber: 0gSugar: 25gProtein: 4g

Nutrition facts are an estimate and are not guaranteed to be accurate. If you need special diet advice, please see a registered dietician.

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