This Mile High Pound Cake recipe makes a tall, tender Bundt cake with a buttery texture, fine crumb, and gently bright flavor from vanilla and lemon extracts. Made with butter, vegetable shortening, six eggs, whole milk, and three cups of flour, it bakes at 325°F for 1 hour 25 minutes to 1 hour 35 minutes.
The finished cake is deeply golden on the outside and soft in the center, with enough structure to slice beautifully without becoming dry. Serve it plain with coffee, dust it lightly with confectioners’ sugar, or add fresh berries and whipped cream for an easy dessert that looks worthy of a special occasion.
Jump to RecipeWhy You’ll Love This Recipe
This Mile High Pound Cake earns its name from its impressive height and substantial, beautifully shaped profile. The combination of butter and vegetable shortening gives the cake a rich flavor while helping it hold a tender, fine-textured crumb.
It is also a dependable make-ahead dessert. Once cooled, the cake slices cleanly and stays satisfying for days, making it useful for brunches, family dinners, bake sales, and afternoon coffee.
Vanilla provides the familiar pound-cake warmth, while lemon extract adds a small, refreshing note that keeps the flavor from feeling too heavy. The cake is delicious without frosting, so there is no complicated decoration to prepare.
If you enjoy traditional cakes with a rich, old-fashioned character, you may also like this old-fashioned pound cake for another classic baking option.
Ingredients You’ll Need
The ingredient list is straightforward, but each item has an important role in the final texture. Use unsalted butter so the added salt remains controlled, and let the butter soften naturally until it is pliable but not oily or melted.
- Butter and shortening: One cup of unsalted butter supplies rich flavor, while one-half cup of vegetable shortening contributes tenderness and helps the cake maintain its tall shape.
- Granulated sugar: Three cups provide sweetness and help create air pockets during creaming.
- Eggs: Six large eggs add structure, richness, moisture, and emulsifying power. Room-temperature eggs blend into the batter more easily.
- All-purpose flour: Three cups create the sturdy framework needed for a high pound cake.
- Baking powder and salt: Each contributes one-half teaspoon. Baking powder provides a modest lift, while salt sharpens the buttery and citrus flavors.
- Whole milk: One cup keeps the crumb moist and smooth. Room-temperature milk helps it incorporate without making the creamed mixture seize.
- Extracts: One teaspoon each of vanilla and lemon extract gives the cake its balanced, fragrant flavor.
For the most reliable result, measure the flour carefully. Spoon it into measuring cups and level the tops, or weigh out 360 grams for accuracy.
If you want to compare this cake with a simpler butter-forward bake, take a look at our easy butter cake recipe after trying this taller version.
How to Make It Step-by-Step
Step 1: Prepare the pan and oven before mixing the batter. Grease and flour a 10-inch tube or Bundt pan thoroughly, paying attention to the center column and decorative grooves, then preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C).
Step 2: Place the softened butter, vegetable shortening, and granulated sugar in a large mixing bowl. Beat for 4 to 5 minutes, scraping the bowl once or twice, until the mixture is genuinely light, fluffy, and noticeably paler.
Step 3: Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after every addition. Wait until each egg disappears into the mixture before adding the next, because this helps maintain a smooth emulsion instead of a curdled-looking batter.
Step 4: Whisk or sift the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl. This distributes the small amount of baking powder and salt evenly through the flour before it reaches the wet ingredients.
Step 5: Add the dry mixture in three additions, alternating with the whole milk in two additions. Begin and end with the dry ingredients, and mix only until the batter is combined after each addition.
Step 6: Add the vanilla extract and lemon extract. Beat briefly, just until the flavorings are evenly incorporated, since prolonged mixing at this stage can make the finished cake heavier.
Step 7: Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Gently spread the batter into the grooves and around the center tube so the cake bakes evenly and releases with a clear shape.
Step 8: Bake at 325°F for 1 hour 25 minutes to 1 hour 35 minutes. Begin checking at about 85 minutes; the cake should be deeply golden, fully set in the center, and tested with a skewer that comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
Step 9: Let the cake cool in the pan for 15 to 20 minutes before turning it out. Invert it onto a wire rack and allow it to cool completely, because slicing too soon can compress the crumb and cause delicate pieces to break.
Pro Tips for a Tall, Tender Cake
The creaming stage is the most important part of the method. Butter, shortening, and sugar should be beaten long enough to trap air, but the mixture should not be allowed to become warm and greasy.
Room-temperature ingredients make a noticeable difference. Cold eggs or milk can cause the creamed mixture to look broken, while ingredients with similar temperatures form a smoother batter that bakes into a more even crumb.
Do not judge doneness by color alone. A pound cake can look ready on top before the center is set, so test near the middle with a long skewer and give the cake additional time if wet batter clings to it.
- Use a light-colored metal pan if possible, or watch the crust closely if using a dark pan.
- Do not open the oven repeatedly during the first part of baking, since temperature changes can affect the cake’s rise.
- Grease every contour of a decorative Bundt pan, then dust it evenly with flour.
- Mix gently once the flour is added to protect the cake from a tough texture.
- Allow the cake to cool completely before wrapping or storing it.
Serving, Storage, and Variations
This cake is wonderful served in thick slices with coffee, tea, or a glass of cold milk. For a simple presentation, add a very light dusting of confectioners’ sugar just before serving.
Fresh strawberries, blueberries, peaches, or raspberries bring color and acidity to the rich crumb. A spoonful of softly whipped cream is enough to make each slice feel special without covering the cake’s buttery flavor.
Store the completely cooled cake in an airtight container or wrap it well at room temperature. It is best enjoyed within several days, and individual slices can be warmed briefly if you prefer a softer, just-baked feel.
For a fruit-centered Bundt dessert with a different flavor profile, browse this pineapple upside-down Bundt cake. It is a colorful choice when you want a cake with fruit baked into the presentation.
Mile High Pound Cake
Ingredients
Method
- Grease and flour a 10-inch tube or Bundt pan. Preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C).
- Cream the softened butter, vegetable shortening, and granulated sugar for 4 to 5 minutes, until very light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Whisk or sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Add the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture in three additions, alternating with the milk in two additions. Mix only until combined.
- Beat in the vanilla extract and lemon extract.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.
- Bake at 325°F until deeply golden and a skewer inserted near the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs, generally 85 to 95 minutes.
- Cool in the pan for 15 to 20 minutes. Turn the cake out onto a rack and cool completely before slicing.
Notes
Final Thoughts
This Mile High Pound Cake is the kind of recipe that rewards patience with an impressive result. Thorough creaming, room-temperature ingredients, careful mixing, and a full bake create the tall shape and fine crumb that make this cake so memorable.
Let it cool completely before slicing, then serve it simply or pair it with fruit and cream. Whether you bake it for a celebration or keep it ready for afternoon guests, this classic cake brings rich flavor and reliable homemade charm to the table.
