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This classic, old fashioned sour cream pound cake is moist and rich with buttery vanilla flavor. Baked in a bundt pan for ease, the secret to its plush texture lies in the temperature of the ingredients, the mixing technique, and the timing of the mixing. Each slice has a beautifully smooth, tight crumb. Perfect for Easter and Mother’s Day!
There’s nothing more delicious than a slice of homemade pound cake. My grandma (on my dad’s side) was more of a cook than a baker, but pound cake was her speciality. She sliced the buttery, golden cake into thick wedges and served them with scoops of vanilla ice cream and berries (simplicity at its best!).
This cake reminds me so much of hers: it’s moist and ultra-plush thanks to the combination of whole eggs, egg yolks, and sour cream.
Like many traditional pound cakes, this cake is made with just 8 ingredients and skips the baking powder and soda altogether. Instead, the rise comes from the air that is mixed into the batter during the creaming process. Step-by-step photos included below!
Craving more pound cake? You may also love my zesty lemon pound cake recipe!
Ingredient Notes
Most pound cake recipes call for room temperature butter, but this recipe uses butter at 60°F, a technique I learned from Cook’s Illustrated. Butter that’s too warm or soft doesn’t aerate as well during mixing, which can leave you with a flat, dense cake.
A combo of whole eggs and egg yolks stabilize and enrich the batter. Just like the butter, it’s best for the eggs to be at cool room temperature (60°F). If they get too warm, they can deflate the batter instead of supporting it.
Soft, low protein cake flour gives this cake a tender crumb. Measure out the flour, then sift it well (sifting twice is even better!). If you don’t use cake flour very frequently and it’s been open for more than a year, start with a fresh box.
How to Make Sour Cream Pound Cake
Start by bringing the butter, eggs, and egg yolks to cool room temperature (60°F). While you wait, measure out the other ingredients and sift the cake flour.
Beat butter and salt at medium-high speed until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes.
With the mixer on medium speed, gradually pour in granulated sugar. Once all of the sugar is incorporated, increase the mixer to medium-high speed and beat until pale and fluffy, about 4 to 5 minutes.
Scrape down the mixer bowl with a spatula. With the mixer running on medium speed, gradually add the egg mixture in a slow, steady stream. Mix until incorporated (about 1 minute), then scrape down the bowl. Increase speed to medium-high and beat mixture until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
With mixer on low speed, add sifted cake flour in 3 additions, alternating with sour cream.
Spray a 12-cup bundt pan evenly with baking spray with flour. Spoon batter into the pan and smooth the top with an offset spatula. Tap pan sharply to settle the batter.
Bake for about 65 minutes, or until golden and a tester emerges clean. Pound cake is done baking when the internal temperature reaches 210°F. Cool for 20 minutes in the pan, then carefully invert onto a wire cooling rack and cool completely.
Pair it with fresh berries and homemade whipped cream, or serve it with a light dusting of powdered sugar. This is the pound cake you’ll come back to again and again!
More favorite cake recipes:
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Moist Pound Cake with Sour Cream (Bundt)
- Prep Time: 35 minutes
- Cook Time: 65 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
- Yield: 12 servings
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Description
This classic, old fashioned sour cream pound cake is moist and rich with buttery vanilla flavor. Baked in a bundt pan for ease, the cake has a plush texture and smooth, tight crumb. Serve slices with fresh berries and homemade whipped cream, or a dusting of powdered sugar.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (224 g) chilled unsalted butter, cubed
- 4 large eggs (200 g)
- 2 large egg yolks (36 g)
- 2 tsp (8 g) pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp (3 g) salt
- 2 1/3 cups (467 g) granulated sugar
- 3 cups (345 g) cake flour, sifted
- 1 cup (240 g) sour cream, at room temperature
Instructions
- Bring ingredients to cool room temperature: Place butter in the bowl of a stand mixer and let stand at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes, until butter reaches 60°F. Combine eggs, egg yolks, and vanilla in a large glass measuring cup and whisk with a fork to combine. Let stand at room temperature until ready to use. Preheat oven to 325°F.
- Make pound cake: Beat butter and salt at medium-high speed until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Reduce speed to medium and gradually pour in sugar. Once sugar is added, increase speed to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy, about 4 to 5 minutes. Stop the mixer and scrape down the bowl with a spatula. With mixer on medium speed, gradually add egg mixture in a slow, steady stream. Once egg mixture is fully combined (after about 1 minute), scrape down the bowl and then beat mixture on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. With mixer on low speed, add cake flour in 3 additions, alternating with sour cream (begin and end with flour mixture), just until combined.
- Spray a 12-cup bundt pan with baking spray with flour. Spoon batter into prepared pan and smooth top with an offset spatula. Tap pan sharply once or twice to settle batter.
- Bake pound cake for 65 minutes, until cake is golden and a tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Cake is done baking when the internal temperature reaches 210°F. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 20 minutes; carefully invert onto rack and cool completely.
- Store leftover pound cake tightly wrapped at room temperature.
Notes
Granulated sugar: I don’t recommend reducing the amount of sugar in this recipe as it plays several roles: sweetens the cake, provides structure, and helps lock in moisture.
Bundt pan: Use a bundt pan with 12 cup capacity (or a tube pan without removable bottom). Do not use a tube pan with a removable bottom; the batter will leak out.
Prepare pan: Use an even coating of baking spray with flour or generously butter and flour the pan. The flour gives the batter something to cling to so it rises evenly. Do not use regular nonstick spray here, the cake won’t rise as much.
Make ahead: This is a great make-ahead dessert because the flavor continues to develop over the next day or so. Let cake cool completely on a wire rack, then wrap well with plastic wrap and store at room temperature overnight.
Freeze pound cake: Let cake cool completely and then wrap well in a layer of plastic wrap and place in a freezer bag. For the best texture and flavor, freeze for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to enjoy, thaw the cake overnight in the refrigerator (still wrapped to prevent condensation from forming on the surface of the cake) and bring to room temperature (or warm slightly) before serving.
Adapted from The Cook’s Illustrated Cookbook.
Very good classic pound cake! I also added some almond extract.
Almond extract sounds delicious. Thanks so much, Diana!
My neighbor wants me to make her a sour cream pound cake. I read her your recipe and she said it sounds great. I’m not a very good cook, let alone a baker. I have a question about the butter. The recipe calls for unsalted butter. Would it make a difference if you use salted butter instead of unsalted butter? I was thinking maybe you could use salted butter, and perhaps the other small salt amount that’s added to the cake flour. Could you let me know soon please? She just got home from 2 weeks in the hospital and thinks pound cake will make all the difference in her recovery. Thanks so much. Julie
Hi Julie, that’s so thoughtful of you! Yes, you can use salted butter and reduce the salt in the recipe to 1/4 teaspoon. Happy baking!
Made this cake yesterday and it was amazing. So light and smooth tasting. Paired it with fresh strawberries.
Thanks so much, Sandy!
Excellent cake, rich, buttery and moist. I served with fresh strawberries and whipped cream!
Just pulled my cake out of the oven and it smells fantastic!! Will be a challenge to try not to taste it until tomorrow.
Great to hear, thank you Carol!
My guests all loved it. Fantastic recipe, may pair it with lemon curd sometime too.