Best Old Fashioned Pound Cake Recipe
An all-time favorite, this old-fashioned pound cake recipe is sweet and crusty on the outside with a buttery, dense crumb inside. A tried-and-true crowd pleaser, pound cake is absolutely delicious on its own or perfect when topped with berries and whipped cream.
Servings: 8 people
Calories: 326kcal
Ingredients
Old Fashioned Vanilla Cake
- 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cups granulated white sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ sticks unsalted butter room temperature, cut into 1 inch pieces
- 3 eggs large, room temperature
- 3 Tablespoons evaporated milk room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Place the oven rack in the center of the oven. Butter or spray a loaf pan (a round cake pan or Bundt pan can also be used). Line both the sides and bottom with parchment paper. Butter or spray the parchment paper
- In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs, evaporated milk and vanilla extract.
- Place the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer or large bowl. Beat on low speed using a stand mixer (paddle attachment) or hand mixer. Make sure the dry ingredients are fully combined.
- Add the slices of room temperature butter to the dry ingredients and mix well. Add the whisked egg mixture a little bit at a time .Beat well, starting at low then medium speed and moving to high towards the end. Scrape the sides as needed to ensure an even, thorough mix.
- Pour the cake batter into the lined pan and smooth the top. Bake for about 50-55 minutes. When done, the cake should be a golden-brown color and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake will come out clean. It is normal for pound cake to for even browning. If the cake gets too brown too early, cover it with a with apiece of lightly buttered aluminum foil.
- Remove the pound cake from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool. After about 10 minutes, remove the cake from the pan, remove the parchment and cool completely(1-2 hours).
Video
Notes
- Line the pan with greased parchment paper for easy release. A great way to butter the pan and parchment is to rub it with a soft, stick of butter.
- Mix the batter thoroughly.
- Use cake flour for a lighter crumb and all-purpose flour for a denser, more authentic taste.
- Make sure that the butter and eggs are at room temperature. To soften, leave the butter on a kitchen counter for about 2 hours or put into a proofing oven for about an hour. Butter softened in the microwaving produces mixed results - do not try this if you have a choice.
- Use the freshest, best quality ingredients. Higher quality butter and vanilla extract makes a wonderful difference.
- Adjust the baking time as needed on your oven and pan type. I would start testing the cake before the recommended time so that you get the perfect bake.