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Best Pound Cake Recipe Ever: Rich, Buttery Southern-Style Cake

Best Pound Cake Recipe Ever

A rich Southern-style pound cake made with butter, vegetable shortening, five eggs, whole milk, vanilla, and lemon extract. It bakes into one golden 10-inch Bundt or tube cake with a dense, fine crumb.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 minute
Total Time 2 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Cake
  • 3 cups All-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon Baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon Salt
  • 1 cup Unsalted butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup Vegetable shortening, softened
  • 3 cups Granulated sugar
  • 5 eggs Large eggs, preferably at room temperature
  • 1 cup Whole milk
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon Lemon extract

Method
 

Step-by-Step
  1. 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.
  2. Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl so the leavening and seasoning are evenly distributed.
  3. 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.
  4. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape the bowl as needed so the mixture stays evenly blended.
  5. Stir the milk, vanilla extract, and lemon extract together in a small measuring cup. This makes the liquid additions easy to divide.
  6. 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.
  7. 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.
  8. 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.
  9. 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

Room-temperature ingredients blend more evenly. Cream the butter, shortening, and sugar thoroughly, but do not overmix once the flour is added. Test the center with a skewer because baking times vary by pan and oven.