Description
A true classic, my Pound Cake recipe is easy to follow, made with just six ingredients. This cake is heavy and dense, just like it should be, yet it’s also soft and buttery. It melts in your mouth! It tastes great on its own, but it’s even better with whipped cream and fresh fruit.
Ingredients
- Unsalted butter – 2 cups (455 g) unsalted butter, softened
- Granulated sugar – 3 ½ cups (700 g) granulated sugar
- Whole eggs – 6 large whole eggs¹
- Egg yolks – 6 large egg yolks¹ (these 6 egg yolks are in addition to the 6 whole eggs listed above)
- Vanilla extract – 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- Salt – 1 teaspoon salt
- All-purpose flour – 3 ½ cups (438 g) all-purpose (plain) flour²
Recommended Equipment
- 10″ tube pan or 12-cup bundt pan
- Stand mixer
- Mixing bowls
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C), generously grease a 10-inch tube pan or a 12-cup bundt pan with shortening, and then flour it, shaking out the excess before setting it aside.
- In a large bowl suitable for holding a generous amount of batter, place 2 cups (455 g) of unsalted butter and beat it with an electric mixer until it becomes creamy and smooth, ideally using a stand mixer if available.
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl, add the 3 ½ cups (700 g) of granulated sugar, and beat the mixture until the ingredients are well combined and light and fluffy, which should take about 1-2 minutes.
- In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together 6 large whole eggs, 6 large egg yolks, 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract, and 1 teaspoon of salt until well combined.
- Lightly beat the eggs and yolks with a fork until the yolks are broken up and the salt and vanilla are well incorporated.
- With the mixer on low speed, gradually pour the egg mixture into the batter in about six parts, allowing each addition to be fully incorporated before scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl, then increase the speed to medium-high and beat for another 1-2 minutes.
- Reduce the mixer speed to low and gradually add the flour to the batter, about ¼ cup at a time, until you have incorporated all 3 ½ cups (438 g) of all-purpose flour.
- Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl, then stir again on medium speed until everything is well-combined, beating for an additional minute.
- Spread the batter evenly into the prepared tube pan, using a spatula to smooth the surface.
- Transfer to a 350°F (175°C) oven and bake on the center rack for one hour to one hour and fifteen minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the thickest part of the cake comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs, but be careful not to over-bake as that will result in a dry cake.
- After allowing the cake to cool for at least 20 minutes, run a knife around the sides of the tube pan and the center.
- Allow the pound cake to cool completely by carefully inverting it onto a cooling rack before serving.
Notes
- For this recipe, you’ll need a total of 12 eggs, using 6 whole eggs and 6 egg yolks while discarding the 6 egg whites, which you can save for making meringue cookies or a white cake.
- If you choose to substitute cake flour for all-purpose flour, you can use a 1:1 ratio by weight or measure out 3 ¾ cups plus 2 tablespoons if using cups, and while this will result in a slightly softer and less dense cake, it will still be delicious; just remember not to use self-rising flour and that no additional baking powder is needed.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hours 15 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 sliced
- Calories: 696 kcal
- Sugar: 59g
- Fat: 36g
- Saturated Fat: 21g
- Carbohydrates: 87g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 9g
- Cholesterol: 267mg