Here is a truly classic, old-fashioned “best pound cake” recipe — rich, buttery, dense yet tender, and perfect all by itself or with fruit and whipped cream. This is the kind of pound cake people pass down for generations.
🍰 The Best Classic Pound Cake
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 3 cups granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 6 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Instructions
1. Prep
- Preheat oven to 325°F (165°C).
- Grease and flour a Bundt or tube pan very well.
2. Cream Butter & Sugar
- Beat butter on medium speed until creamy (about 3 minutes).
- Gradually add sugar and beat until light and fluffy (5–7 minutes).
This step is key for a tender cake.
3. Add Eggs
- Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
4. Add Dry & Wet Ingredients
- Reduce mixer speed to low.
- Add flour and milk alternately, beginning and ending with flour.
- Mix just until combined.
- Stir in vanilla and salt.
5. Bake
- Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth top.
- Bake for 1 hour 20 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes.
- Cake is done when a toothpick comes out clean.
6. Cool
- Let cake cool in pan for 15 minutes.
- Turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely.
Why This Is the “Best” Pound Cake
✔ Ultra-buttery
✔ Dense but soft
✔ Moist for days
✔ Perfect crumb
✔ No glaze needed
Pro Tips
- Use room-temperature ingredients.
- Do not rush the creaming step.
- Bake low and slow — high heat dries it out.
- Wrap cooled cake tightly; flavor improves next day.
Popular Variations
- Cream Cheese Pound Cake: Replace 1/2 cup butter with 8 oz cream cheese
- Lemon Pound Cake: Add lemon zest + lemon glaze
- Southern Butter Pound Cake: Replace milk with buttermilk
This pound cake is perfect for holidays, Sunday dinners, or anytime you want a show-stopping, bakery-quality cake.
If you’d like, I can also give you a moist cream cheese version, a lemon glaze version, or a small-batch pound cake.
