Julie Clark
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Old Fashioned Pound Cake Recipe
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7 simple ingredients make up this classic, old fashioned pound cake recipe. It’s thick and rich with a golden interior. Top with a sweet vanilla glaze for a simple dessert.
In an old cookbook of mine, I came across an old fashioned pound cake recipe. It had a unique method of testing the pound cake batter called a “float test”. I’ll talk about that down below, but old cookbooks are known for their strange baking tips and tricks, so I had to try it.
Float test or not, this classic pound cake recipe has a simple flavor. It has just a handful of ingredients and creates a delicious pound cake with just a glaze, but also stands up to toppings such as raspberry sauce, caramelized bananas and ice cream.
About this Old Fashioned Pound Cake Recipe:
- Flavor: The flavor of this cake is simple and slightly sweet. You’ll taste the butter and a hint of vanilla. But you can switch out that vanilla for any flavor you’d like (such as almond extract).
- Texture: Some cakes are light and fluffy, but pound cakes are generally dense, moist and heavy. They don’t feel heavy when eating them, though, because there is just a simple glaze. It’s our best pound cake recipe!
Pound Cake Ingredients
- Butter. Use real butter for the best texture and flavor. Butter should be at room temperature, but not at all melted.
- Sugar. There is only granulated sugar in this recipe. That keeps it light and fresh testing.
- Vanilla. Sometimes I double the vanilla extract. Without doubling, it is just a little hint of vanilla flavor.
- Eggs. 8 eggs? Yes. It’s a lot. But this cake is worth it.
- Cake flour. What flour is best for pound cake? Cake flour! Cake flour helps the crumb stay tender. If you absolutely cannot find cake flour, use all-purpose flour, but make sure you measure it carefully so you don’t add too much.
- Baking powder. You can see that there is only ½ teaspoon baking powder in this cake. It doesn’t rise up light and fluffy, but this little bit of baking powder does give it a little boost. No baking soda is needed.
- Salt. Even if you use salted butter, still add the salt.
How to Make Old Fashioned Pound Cake
Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Grease a bundt pan with shortening, then dust with flour. Or use Baker’s Joy spray or cake release.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer using the paddle attachment (or using an electric mixer), cream the butter for 2 minutes in the large bowl on medium speed.
- Add the sugar and beat until the mixture is light and fluffy. Mix in the vanilla.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Add the flour to the wet ingredients and mix until well combined (about 2 minutes), scraping the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Take a small, pea sized piece of batter and drop it into a cup of water. The batter should float in the water. If it does not float, continue to beat a minute at a time until a small drop of batter floats in water.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick or cake tester comes out clean. (The internal temperature of pound cake should be about 210ºF.)
- Allow the cake to cool for 5 minutes, then invert it to a serving plate.
- To make the glaze, whisk the melted butter, powdered sugar, vanilla and cream together. Add enough cream so that the glaze is a drizzling consistency.
What is the float test?
As I said above, the original recipe from the old cookbook called for doing a “float test” with the pound cake batter. Why is this trick necessary?
I spent some time researching “the float test” and didn’t come up with too much. I’m guessing that you want air beat into the batter. When the batter floats, there’s enough air in there to make your cake have the best texture. The same test is used for sourdough starter to determine when it is ready to bake with!
Pound Cake Toppings
While your cake is baking, you have plenty of time to think about what you’re going to put on your pound cake. Here are a few favorites:
- fresh raspberry sauce
- homemade strawberry topping
- caramelized bananas
- frozen custard ice cream
- Cinnamon Sugar
- Confectioners’ Sugar for dusting
- Cinnamon Butter. Toast the slices of pound cake and brush with this butter. Delicious!
- Melted Peanut Butter
- Fresh strawberries, blackberries, raspberries or other fresh berries and whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
- Cranberry Sauce (for a Christmas treat!)
Can you make pound cake in advance?
Yes. This cake tastes best the day after baking. Of course you can serve it right away, but we found the flavor was excellent the second day.
Storage Instructions
Store this cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Refrigerate for up to 5 days. Or store in the freezer for up to 6 weeks.
To prevent the cut cake from drying out, I often press plastic wrap around the cut ends.
Other Pound Cake Recipes
You may also love our sister site, The Best Cake Recipes. There is a sour cream pound cake recipe over there you’ll love.
Old Fashioned Pound Cake
7 simple ingredients make up this classic, old fashioned pound cake. It’s thick and rich with a golden interior. Top with a sweet vanilla glaze for a simple dessert.
Servings 15 servings
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups salted butter room temperature, 340 grams
- 2 cups granulated sugar 400 grams
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 3 grams
- 8 large eggs room temperature
- 3 cups cake flour 390 grams
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 2 grams
- 1/2 teaspoon salt 4 grams
Glaze:
- 1/4 cup salted butter melted, 2 ounces
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar 195 grams
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 5 grams
- 2-4 tablespoons heavy cream or half and half, 30-60 grams
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Grease a bundt cake pan with shortening, then dust with flour. Or use Baker's Joy spray or cake release.
- In a stand mixer using the paddle attachment (or using an electric mixer), cream the butter for 2 minutes in the large bowl on medium speed. 1 ½ cups salted butter
- Add the sugar and beat until the mixture is light and fluffy. Mix in the vanilla. 2 cups granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. 8 large eggs
- Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Add the flour to the wet ingredients and mix until well combined (about 2 minutes), scraping the sides of the bowl as needed. 3 cups cake flour, ½ teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon salt
- Take a small, pea sized piece of batter and drop it into a cup of water. The batter should float in the water. If it does not float, continue to beat a minute at a time until a small drop of batter floats in water.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick or cake tester comes out clean. (The internal temperature of pound cake should be about 210ºF.)
- Allow the cake to cool for 5 minutes, then invert it to a serving plate.
- To make the glaze, whisk the melted butter, powdered sugar, vanilla and cream together. Add enough cream so that the glaze is a drizzling consistency. ¼ cup salted butter, 1 ½ cups powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 2-4 tablespoons heavy cream
- Drizzle the glaze over the top of the cake. Serve with raspberry sauce, caramelized bananas or fresh fruit.
Notes
- It’s important to use room temperature ingredients so that they blend in well.
- Switch out the vanilla for fresh lemon juice and zests such as lemon zest or orange or lime zests.
- Refer to the article above for more tips and tricks.
Nutrition
Serving: 139g | Calories: 476kcal | Carbohydrates: 57g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 158mg | Sodium: 287mg | Potassium: 85mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 39g | Vitamin A: 836IU | Vitamin C: 0.01mg | Calcium: 33mg | Iron: 1mg
I think the FLOAT TEST IS REAL…..many of the old time recipes, for pound cake did not include baking powder….if NOT you have to whip it, beat it, incorporating AIR INTO THE BATTER. I found this out the hard way…..
But nothing is better or Southern than a good pound cake! Thanks, Yall
LAURA
Any new ideas for gluten-free baking? No wheat or oats.
I made this cake and it was delicious….I did just like the direction said and it is so good….Thanks so much…!!
I just put this in the oven, very easy. Hope this turns out great.
I’m gonna make this soon .it really sounds yummy .i love pound cake but I have never made one ,always store bought .
Just made your pound cake! I added my own touch and made a chocolate- cinnamon glaze. Can’t wait to taste it!