This Best Pound Cake Recipe Ever makes one rich, buttery 10-inch Bundt or tube cake with a fine, dense crumb and beautifully golden crust. The dependable Southern-style formula uses 3 cups of flour, butter, vegetable shortening, five eggs, whole milk, vanilla extract, and lemon extract, then bakes at 325°F for 75 to 90 minutes.
Every slice is tender without being cakey, sweet without tasting flat, and fragrant with both vanilla and bright lemon. Serve it plain with coffee, add fresh berries and whipped cream, or toast a slice lightly for an especially comforting dessert.
Jump to RecipeWhy You’ll Love This Recipe
There is a reason traditional pound cake remains a favorite at family gatherings: it is simple, sturdy, and deeply satisfying. This version has the classic richness you expect from a Southern-style cake, while the combination of butter and shortening gives the crumb a pleasant tenderness and the crust a lovely golden finish.
The flavor is also more interesting than a plain vanilla cake. Vanilla extract brings warmth, while lemon extract adds a light citrus note that keeps each bite from tasting overly heavy.
- Reliable texture: The fine crumb is dense enough to hold together neatly when sliced.
- Easy preparation: The batter comes together with a mixer, one bowl for dry ingredients, and one measuring cup for the milk mixture.
- Flexible serving: It is delicious plain, with fruit, or with a simple dusting of powdered sugar.
- Make-ahead friendly: The flavor remains wonderful for several days when the cake is wrapped well.
If you enjoy fruit-forward baking, you may also like our apple cake, which offers a different style of homemade comfort.
Ingredients You’ll Need
The ingredient list is classic, but each item has a specific role in creating the cake’s signature texture. Use all-purpose flour for enough structure, and measure it carefully by spooning it into a cup and leveling the top.
- Flour: Three cups provide the foundation for the tall, substantial cake.
- Baking powder: A small amount gives the cake gentle lift without turning it into a light sponge.
- Salt: Just one-half teaspoon sharpens the butter, sugar, and extracts.
- Butter and shortening: One cup of unsalted butter supplies rich flavor, while one-half cup of vegetable shortening supports a tender crumb.
- Sugar: Three cups sweeten the cake and help the fat mixture become light during creaming.
- Eggs: Five large eggs add structure, moisture, and richness.
- Whole milk: One cup loosens the batter and contributes to a smooth, soft slice.
- Extracts: Equal amounts of vanilla and lemon create a balanced, fragrant flavor.
For the best batter, set the butter, shortening, eggs, and milk out ahead of time so they are at room temperature. Cold ingredients can resist blending, while room-temperature ingredients emulsify more evenly.
How to Make It Step-by-Step
Step 1: Heat your oven to 325°F and prepare the pan before mixing the batter. Grease and flour every part of a 10-inch Bundt or tube pan, paying special attention to the center tube, narrow ridges, and deep crevices.
Step 2: Add the flour, baking powder, and salt to a bowl and whisk until evenly combined. This simple step prevents pockets of salt or baking powder from appearing in the finished cake.
Step 3: Place the softened butter and shortening in a large mixing bowl and beat until smooth. Gradually add the sugar, then continue beating for 4 to 5 minutes, stopping to scrape the bowl, until the mixture looks pale and fluffy.
Step 4: Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each one. Adding them gradually allows the fat and eggs to form a smooth batter instead of a curdled mixture.
Step 5: Combine the whole milk, vanilla extract, and lemon extract in a measuring cup. Keep this mixture close to the mixer because it will be added in alternating stages with the dry ingredients.
Step 6: Add the dry ingredients in three additions, alternating with the milk mixture. Start and finish with the dry ingredients, and mix only until no obvious streaks of flour remain; excessive mixing after flour is added can make the cake tough.
Step 7: Scrape the finished batter into the prepared pan and smooth the surface with a spatula. The batter will be thick, so take a moment to press it gently into the corners and around the center tube.
Step 8: Bake for 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes. Begin checking near the 75-minute mark, and use a skewer inserted near the center as your main test rather than relying only on the clock.
Step 9: Let the cake cool in the pan for about 15 minutes. Turn it out onto a wire rack and allow at least 45 minutes of cooling before slicing so the crumb can finish setting.
Pro Tips for a Perfect Pound Cake
The creaming stage is where much of this cake’s texture is created. Beat the butter, shortening, and sugar thoroughly, but keep the mixer on a lower speed and use a light touch once the flour enters the bowl.
Pan preparation matters just as much as mixing. A Bundt cake has many edges and crevices where batter can cling, so brush the softened fat into every surface before dusting evenly with flour.
- Check ingredient temperature: Room-temperature eggs and milk blend into the creamed mixture more smoothly.
- Scrape often: Stop the mixer several times to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl.
- Do not overfill the pan: Use a 10-inch Bundt or tube pan so the dense batter has room to rise and bake evenly.
- Test near the center: A skewer should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs, not wet batter.
- Wait before turning out: Fifteen minutes in the pan helps the cake firm up, but leaving it there too long can make release more difficult.
If you are planning a dessert table, our moist carrot cake is another inviting option with a warmly spiced profile.
Serving Suggestions
This cake needs very little decoration because its golden crust and fragrant interior are the main attraction. Slice it thickly and serve it at room temperature with coffee, tea, or a glass of cold milk.
- Add fresh strawberries, blueberries, or sliced peaches for a colorful summer plate.
- Spoon lightly sweetened whipped cream beside each slice.
- Dust the cooled cake with powdered sugar just before serving.
- Toast slices gently and serve them with butter for breakfast or an afternoon snack.
- Pair it with vanilla ice cream when you want a warm-weather dessert.
For a more decadent occasion, compare its dense crumb with our tres leches cake, a moist milk-soaked dessert with a completely different texture.
Storage and Make-Ahead Advice
Once completely cool, wrap the pound cake tightly in plastic wrap or place it in an airtight cake container. Keep it at room temperature for several days, away from direct sunlight and heat.
For longer storage, wrap the whole cake or individual slices securely and freeze them. Thaw at room temperature while still wrapped, then unwrap shortly before serving so condensation does not collect on the surface.
If the cake seems slightly firm after a day or two, warm an individual slice briefly or toast it lightly. The buttery flavor becomes especially appealing when the edges are just a little crisp.
Troubleshooting Common Problems
A cake that sticks is usually the result of missed areas in the pan or turning it out too soon. Grease and flour carefully, allow the cake to cool for about 15 minutes, and loosen the outer edge gently if needed before inverting.
A tough texture usually means the batter was mixed too long after the flour was added. Stop as soon as the ingredients are combined, and make sure the butter mixture was properly creamed before the flour went in.
If the center needs more time while the outside is already golden, continue baking and check it with a skewer at short intervals. Every oven and pan behaves a little differently, which is why the skewer test is more useful than a fixed minute count.
Best Pound Cake Recipe Ever
Ingredients
Method
- Heat the oven to 325°F. Thoroughly grease and flour a 10-inch Bundt or tube pan, making sure the center tube and every deep ridge are coated.
- Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl so the leavening and seasoning are evenly distributed.
- Beat the softened butter and shortening until smooth. Gradually add the sugar and cream for 4 to 5 minutes, until the mixture is pale and fluffy.
- Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape the bowl as needed so the mixture stays evenly blended.
- Stir the milk, vanilla extract, and lemon extract together in a small measuring cup. This makes the liquid additions easy to divide.
- Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture in three additions, alternating with the milk mixture. Begin and end with the dry ingredients, mixing only until the batter is combined.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Gently tap the pan once or twice on a folded towel to settle the batter without knocking out all the air.
- Bake at 325°F for 75 to 90 minutes, checking near the end of the baking time. The cake is ready when a skewer inserted near the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- Cool the cake in the pan for about 15 minutes, then carefully turn it onto a wire rack. Let it cool for at least 45 minutes, and preferably completely, before slicing.
Notes
Final Thoughts
This Best Pound Cake Recipe Ever is the kind of dependable bake that earns a permanent place in your recipe collection. Butter supplies the full flavor, shortening helps create a tender fine crumb, and vanilla plus lemon extract give the cake a bright, memorable finish.
Take your time with the 4 to 5 minute creaming stage, avoid overmixing the flour, and let the cake cool properly before slicing. With those few details in place, you will have a beautiful 10-inch Bundt cake ready for celebrations, weekend baking, or a simple slice with coffee.
