Perfect Pound Cake

No ratings yet

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.

The Perfect Pound Cake comes together easily and it feels a bit fancier than a normal cake; perfect for a holiday or special occasion.

Whole Wheat Honey Cake, Lemon Chiffon Cake, Rich and Fudgy Flourless  Chocolate Cake Recipe are a few of my solid cake recipes that I know you’ll enjoy.

Mother's Day bundt cake, Mother's day cake. easy pound cake, cold oven pound cake, America's Test Kitchen pound cake recipe
Want to save this recipe?
Just enter your email and get it sent to your inbox! Plus you’ll get new recipes from us every week!
Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.

Perfect Pound Cake

I decided a while ago that I would make a virtual treat for my mom in this post. She’s in Kentucky and I’m in Utah so we rarely get to sit together and enjoy a meal or dessert. She’s enjoys the simple things in life, scrapes the icing off of cupcakes, always gets a vanilla cone at DQ, and Angel Food cake is consistently her Birthday cake request. When looking though the cookbook I knew that the Cold Oven Pound Cake would be a perfect treat for me to “make” for her. This pound cake recipe is slightly different in the fact that you don’t preheat the oven before putting the cake in. The extra time that the cake has to sit in the oven gives it time to develop and rise. The results were a perfectly moist and dense pound cake that wasn’t as sweet as I was expecting. Sweet yes, but not so sweet that a few strawberries and whipped cream weren’t welcome additions.

Mother's day book

The cake comes together easily and it just feels a bit fancier than a normal cake; perfect for a holiday dedicated to spoiling your favorite ladies. It was delicious the second day too, so feel free to make it ahead of time.

ATK sent me a copy to give my mom! This is her book all wrapped up and ready for the mail. And yes, I call her Momma Lou 🙂

Tips and Tricks for making Perfect Pound Cake:

  • Do NOT preheat the oven. The cake won’t turn out if you do.
  • Take care to use room temperature ingredients… it matters.
  • This was wonderful with sliced strawberries and fresh whipped cream.

Why is it called pound cake?

Pound Cake is a recipe that originated in the 1700s. Originally the recipe called for one pound each of flour, sugar, butter, and eggs.

How do you cool a pound cake?

Let the cake cool in the pan for ten minutes and then use a small knife and cut around the edge of the cake to make it loose. Flip the cake upside down so that it come out of the pan and let the cake cool on a wire rack for at least 2 hours before serving.

mother's day cake close up, mother's day cake, ATK's ound cake, cold oven pound cake

No ratings yet

Perfect Pound Cake

The Perfect Pound Cake comes together easily and it feels a bit fancier than a normal cake; perfect for a holiday or special occasion.
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 12 -14

Ingredients 

  • 3 cups cake flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup whole milk, at room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 2 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 1/2 cups sugar
  • 6 large eggs, at room temperature
Save This Recipe!
Get this sent to your inbox, plus get new recipes from us every week!
Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.

Instructions 

  • Grease and flour a 16-cup tube pan (you might think of it as an Angel Food cake pan). In a medium bowl add the flour, baking powder, and salt. Whisk to combine. In a small bowl add the milk and vanilla.
  • In a large bowl beat the butter and sugar together on medium speed (electric mixer or stand mixer) until it is very light and fluffy, 3 to 6 minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until everything is well combined.
  • Turn the mixer speed to low and add 1/3 of the flour, followed by half of the milk, then another third of the flour, the second half of the milk, and then the rest of the flour. Once the last of the flour is added, mix until it is just incorporated.
  • Scrape the batter into the pan that you greased and floured. Smooth the top of the batter and wipe up any batter that dripped onto the sides. Tap the pan a few times on the counter to settle the batter. Adjust the oven rack to the lower-middle position and place the cake on the rack. Shut the oven door and then turn on the oven to 325 degrees. Let the cake cook, without opening the oven door, for 70 to 80 minutes until a wooden toothpick inserted into the middle comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached.
  • Let the cake cool in the pan for ten minutes and then use a small knife and cut around the edge of the cake to make it loose. Flip the cake upside down so that it come out of the pan and let the cake cool on a wire rack for at least 2 hours before serving.

Notes

Do NOT preheat the oven. The cake won’t turn out if you do.
Take care to use room temperature ingredients… it matters.
This was wonderful with sliced strawberries and fresh whipped cream.

Nutrition

Calories: 466kcal, Carbohydrates: 64.4g, Protein: 6.3g, Fat: 20.7g, Cholesterol: 134.4mg, Sodium: 223.4mg, Sugar: 39.6g
Like this recipe? Rate and comment below!

If you like this recipe, I think you’ll love these too:

Enjoy the Perfect Pound Cake that comes together easily and it feels a bit fancier than a normal cake; perfect for a holiday or special occasion.

About Melissa

You May Also Like:

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




100 Comments

  1. Julie says:

    I love pound cake and this looks so tasty!

  2. Jamie Higgins says:

    I have been craving pound cake with strawberries and whip cream, I think I will have to try this this weekend!

  3. Heather says:

    I really need this book!

  4. huntfortheverybest says:

    pound cake is one of those simple yet wonderful things!

  5. Stampendous says:

    This looks so yummy! Can’t wait to try making it, maybe for Mother’s Day at the office, we have so many nice ladies here.

  6. Miranda says:

    This looks delicious and easy! Can’t wait to try it!

  7. Kelly M says:

    Great giveaway! Love ATK!

  8. Rachel says:

    I love baking! The last time I made pound cake it didn’t turn out so well, so I am excited to try this amazing cake!

    1. Melissa says:

      Rachel- My only pound cake experience before this was a flop too, so I was nervous! But it turned out really well 🙂 Let me know how it turns out for you!

  9. Suz says:

    Yummmy!!

  10. Kim says:

    I just bought four pounds of strawberries! I will have to make this.