Soft, buttery vanilla pound cake is baked with pure vanilla extract and real vanilla beans for one keeper cake that every baker needs in their repertoire!
Pound cake is one of those desserts that’s just seeped with dessert nostalgia! Yet at the same time remains absolutely timeless because everybody loves a good slice of pound cake.
Today’s recipe is keeping it classic with simple vanilla, but with no shortage of flavor! Slices of this cake are incredible on their own, but also serve as a base for so many dessert creations.
The gist of the matter is that you need this pound cake in your life pronto.
Pound cake may seem like a daunting baking project to pull off at first glance, but I’m here to tell you that anyone can make this cake to perfection! The batter is so quick to come together and composed of only a handful of basic baking ingredients.
Anyways, meet your new cake crush.
This Pound Cake features…
- A rich and buttery texture
- Tons of fragrant vanilla flavor
- A quick batter that comes together in minutes
- A blank canvas for so many dessert options
Making the Pound Cake
(scroll down to the bottom of the post for the full recipe)
Ingredients You Will Need
- Unsalted butter
- Granulated sugar
- Eggs
- Vanilla extract
- Vanilla bean
- Eggs
- All-purpose flour
- Baking powder
- Kosher salt
- 2% or skim milk
Choosing Your Vanilla
For a strong vanilla flavor throughout the cake, I strongly recommend using a double dose of both vanilla extract and vanilla bean.
To prep the vanilla bean, use a paring knife to split it down the middle. Then gently scrape the vanilla beans out of the pod and add to batter.
Tips for Perfect Pound Cake
- Cream softened butter with sugar – this builds the fat base to the pound cake.
- Bring eggs and milk to room temperature – this will help these ingredients mix cohesively into the butter.
- Add eggs one at a time to butter mixture – beat well after each egg to incorporate it into the butter and build the structure of the cake.
- Measure flour correctly – we use the spoon-and-level technique for measuring flour as this will prevent over-measuring your flour. Use a spoon to scoop flour into the measuring cup, then level with the back of a knife.
- Test cake with a toothpick for doneness – the cake is done when a toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean. It will take 55-60 minutes for the cake to bake fully.
- Allow cake to cool 10 minutes in pan – if you let the pound cake sit too long in the pan, the bottom will turn damp. Use the parchment paper to lift cake from pan and transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
Recipe Variations
Try these ideas for a different twist on this cake.
- Add chocolate – add 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips to batter.
- Serve cake with fruit sauce – try topping cake with fresh strawberry, blueberry, blackberry, or peach sauce.
- Top with a glaze – use a simple powdered sugar glaze flavored with extra vanilla.
- Serve with ice cream or whipped cream – try pairing cake slices with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or homemade whipped cream.
- Use it in a trifle – cube the cake and use it in a fruit trifle.
- Dip in chocolate – cube the cake and pair with fruit for melted chocolate dippers.
Storing and Freezing Cake
Allow pound cake to cool completely, then store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 4 days.
To freeze pound cake, allow to cool completely, then wrap well and freeze up to 2 months. Thaw cake completely at room temperature and use within 4 days.
Every luscious bite of this pound cake is an absolute treat. The texture is so rich and buttery with flavorful vanilla beans speckled throughout each slice.
I think you’ll find you need no other pound cake recipe after trying this winner!
Save this recipe using the ‘save to recipe box’ button below. If you make it, please let us know! Leave a comment + star rating below, or take a photo and tag it on Instagram with #wholeandheavenlyoven.
Watch this cake made step-by-step on Google web stories.
Try these other delicious cakes next!
Vanilla Pound Cake
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Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1-1/4 cups granulated sugar
- 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 vanilla bean, split down the center and beans scraped out
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 cup 2% or skim milk, room temperature
- Powdered sugar or glaze for topping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Line a 9×5 inch loaf pan with parchment paper and set aside.
- Place butter and sugar in a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer attached with paddle attachment. Use an electric mixer or stand mixer to beat butter and sugar 1-2 minutes until completely creamy.
- Beat in vanilla, vanilla beans, and eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- In a separate medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and salt. Add half of flour mixture to butter mixture with half of milk, folding gently until combined. Add remaining flour mixture and milk, folding until batter is smooth.
- Scrape batter into prepared pan and smooth top. Bake pound cake at 350F 55-60 minutes until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
- Cool pound cake 10 minutes in pan, then carefully use parchment paper to lift from pan and transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool completely. Once cooled, dust cake with powdered sugar or glaze. Cut into slices and serve. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
This post was updated with new recipe tips and photos on 8/9/24.
Aravind says
How much brown sugar can be used instead of honey
Sarah says
1 cup brown sugar would be the substituted amount! 🙂
Leslie says
I can’t wait to try this! Is there a difference in white whole wheat vs regular whole wheat? Would the cornstarch work just as well lightening one as the other?
Sarah says
White whole wheat is actually a very different type of flour than whole wheat. It is a much finer consistency. You can find it in most grocery stores, especially in the health food aisle!
Dima says
Hello U like your recipe but wanted to ask why did you change the flour to 2 cups instead of the original 1 and 1/4 cup . Isnt whole wheat flour too dence to be increased this much?
Mehnaz Zareen says
How can I substitute the honey with sugar? Will I also have to add extra liquid ingredients if I do that?
Sarah says
No need to add extra liquid! I would recommend 3/4 cup granulated sugar in place of the honey.
Joshua says
Thank you sweet Sarah for this beautiful recipe…I am craving for your delicious cake but
Can I use 3tbps Orange instead of milk?
And 3/4 cup refined palm oil instead of butter?
Thank you 😊
Sarah says
Hi Joshua – I would not recommend substituting orange juice and palm oil for the milk and butter – sorry!
Joanne says
I made 1/2 a recipe and cut the baking time about in half. I used 2 eggs. This cake is not too sweet and is lovely with jam or jelly spread over it. Putting 1 tsp of caraway seeds in the batter would make this a nice British Seed Cake as referenced by Miss Marple.
Sarah says
Oh, I’m so happy to hear that Joanne! Thanks for reporting back and for sharing your modifications!
S F H Shaheed says
Greetings Sarah,
Thanks for making this recipe available. I have not found a pound cake at the grocery that I really wanted to eat. Sadly, butter is not used and yellow #5 and red 40 does not inspire me at all. Consequently, I decided to bake my own cake. You have opened a path to make that happen. However, I am thinking of using raw sugar in place of honey.
Sam says
Can I substitute whole wheat flour for white whole wheat?
Sarah says
Yes, you can!
Sam says
Thanks. Have you tried this recipe with non-dairy milk like almond or cashew?
Sarah says
I have not so I’m unsure as to whether or not that would change the final result – let me know if you give it a try!
Sarah says
I’m so sorry to hear that, Anne! We will return to the test kitchen to make this recipe right.
Hungry says
There is this thing where your flour could be more dry than Sarah’s flour, depending on the humidity where you live. Also, Spoon Measuring is the “right way” to measure and it gives you less flour than taking one big scoop with the cup. FYI