Southern Pound Cake
Enjoy tender, moist, comfort-food Southern pound cake with the iconic crusty exterior and soft crumb. The best part? Super easy with just 8 simple ingredients, it’s ideal to impress family and guests. Everything you’ll need is probably already in your pantry.
If you’re addicted to Southern cuisine, you know there’s more to Southern comfort food than just fried and spicy foods. I love this recipe because it uses simple and readily available ingredients. So, wherever you are in the world, you can still make the original recipe without substitutions.
Why It’s Called Pound Cake
The first time I asked this question, the answer surprised me. So logical and simple. The original recipe calls for basic ingredients: a pound each of flour, sugar, and butter, plus a dozen eggs. These simple ingredients cream together for the right consistency.
My recipe is for half a pound cake because my family is smaller than families used to be when they invented this recipe. For an authentic Southern pound cake, double the recipe.
How to Make a Southern Pound Cake
- Cream the butter and sugar on high in a stand mixer until it’s fluffy and starts looking white (5- 7 minutes). (Photos 1-2)
- Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well between each addition. (Photos 3-4)
- Mix the flour, baking powder, and salt into the egg mixture, followed by milk and vanilla extract. Stir well until thoroughly combined without overmixing. Scrape the sides of the bowl down as you mix. (Photos 5-7)
- Pour the batter into a greased cake pan. Tap the pans on the work surface to eliminate any large air bubbles. (Photo 8)
- Bake at 300℉ (150°C) until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean (60-80 minutes).
- Serve: Transfer to a wire rack and let it cool before slicing and serving with whipped cream and fresh strawberries. Enjoy!
Flavor Twists and Tips
- Replace half the butter with full-fat cream cheese for a decadent twist.
- I usually serve this as is, but feel free to rip off the glaze from another recipe. Strawberry, lemon, and pineapple glazes or caramel sauce are excellent options.
- Slice the cake, then top each slice with macerated strawberries and whipped cream for an easy strawberry shortcake.
- Fold a cup of mini chocolate chips into the batter before pouring it into your bundt pan. That will satisfy your cake and chocolate craving at the same time.
Storage and Make-Ahead Instructions
Pound cake tastes even better the next day. Wait for it to cool to room temperature and keep it at room temperature in a covered cake plate for 2-3 days. Refrigerate it for up to a week or freeze it well-wrapped for 3-4 months.
You can also freeze individual slices wrapped tightly in heavy plastic wrap for a quick fix or surprise guests. They thaw quickly, but you could speed up the process by toasting the pound cake slices in the oven for a few minutes.
Perfect Pairings
Southern pound cake is a great finish to a hearty Southern meal. Chicken bog with smothered green beans and delicious homemade dinner rolls delivers a soul-satisfying meal.
When you get to dessert, top your mouthwatering cake with homemade whipped cream and serve it with a steaming cup of tea or coffee.
Other Easy Cake Recipes to Try
- Easy Bundt Cakes
- Cream Cheese Pound Cake
- Lemon Sour Cream Pound Cake
- Cinnamon Apple Cake
- Vanilla Cake
By Imma
Watch How to Make It
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This blog post was originally published in February 2021 and has been updated with additional tips, new photos, and a video.
Southern Pound Cake
Ingredients
- 12 ounces (340g) unsalted butter, softened
- 2½ cups (500g) granulated sugar
- 6 large eggs at room temperature
- 3 cups (360g) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons (10g) baking powder
- 1 teaspoon (5-6g) salt
- ½ cup (120ml) milk
- 1 tablespoon (15ml) vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C). Grease a tube pan generously with cooking spray and set aside.
- Cream the butter and sugar at high speed in a stand mixer until it's fluffy and starts looking white, 5- 7 minutes.
- Add the eggs, a little at a time, beating the mixture well between each addition.
- Mix the flour, baking powder, and salt into the batter, followed by milk and vanilla extract. Stir well until thoroughly combined without overmixing. Scrape the sides of the bowl down as you mix.
- Pour the batter into a greased cake pan. Tap the pans on the work surface to eliminate any large air bubbles.
- Bake at 300℉ (150°C) until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean (60-80 minutes).
- Transfer to a wire rack and let it cool before slicing and serving with whipped cream and fresh strawberries. Enjoy!
Tips & Notes:
- This recipe is pleasantly sweet, but if you’d like it sweeter, add ½ cup more sugar.
- To macerate strawberries, sprinkle sliced strawberries with a little sugar and a squeeze of lime juice. Mix well and let them set for a few minutes until the sugar dissolves and the strawberries release their juices.
- Bring ingredients to room temperature for smoother batter and more even mixing.
- Use real butter if you can. If you need a dairy-free butter substitute, it will work, but real butter tastes so much better.
- Please remember that the nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used in the recipe.
I had been searching for a truly classic, old-fashioned vanilla pound cake recipe and was surprised by how difficult it was to find—until I discovered this one. This recipe is absolutely perfect. The cake baked up beautifully golden and had a wonderful texture and flavor.
The only modification I made was substituting almond milk for regular milk to accommodate a lactose-intolerant coworker, and the results were still exceptional. In fact, he said it was the best vanilla pound cake he has ever had.
Thank you for sharing such a fantastic recipe. I will most certainly be making this again.
Wonderful!!! And thank you so much for sharing your lactose-free tweaks.
I love your recipes as a touch point to my faves as an American Black woman but gurl, its called a pound cake because you need a pound of butter. But yeah still gave 5 stars because your are in fact holding it down for the Diaspora and I appreciate you so much <3
Thank you so much, Krystle! Yep, it’s a half-pound cake. I appreciate your support :)!
I loved this recipe so much!
Hi John,
I’m delighted to hear you enjoyed the Southern pound cake recipe! Southern pound cake is a classic, known for its rich buttery flavor and dense yet tender crumb. It’s a recipe that’s often passed down through generations and is perfect for any occasion or simply as a comforting treat.
Since you loved the recipe, you might be interested in exploring variations for future baking. Here are a few ideas:
Lemon or Orange Zest: Add the zest of a lemon or an orange to the batter for a citrusy twist.
Vanilla Bean: Use a vanilla bean or vanilla bean paste instead of extract for a deeper vanilla flavor.
Almond Extract: A small amount of almond extract can add a lovely, subtle flavor.
Glaze or Icing: Drizzle a simple glaze or icing over the top for added sweetness and texture.
Mix-ins: Consider adding nuts, chocolate chips, or dried fruit to the batter for added texture and flavor.
Remember, the key to a great pound cake is in the quality of ingredients and the care taken in mixing and baking.
Enjoy your baking adventures, and if you have any other questions or need more ideas, feel free to ask!
Just wondering if 300 degrees is correct?
You can bake a pound cake between 300-400℉. The lower the temperature the fluffier it comes out. If you like a paler, fluffier cake, then 300℉ is great. If you want a denser, crustier cake, then 400℉ works. Most people bake them at 325℉ and swear it’s the best temperature. Please let me know what temperature you used and how it turned out.
If I were to make muffins with this recipe do you know how long I would cook them for? And would the temperature change? Thanks!
Hi, Cindy. You can try baking them in a preheated oven at 350F/175C for about 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Please do let me know how it turns out for you.
I made this yesterday and oh,my, goodness! DELICIOUS! So easy to make with your instructions!
I absolutely loved this amazing pound cake and so did my family. Being from South Carolina originally I still love my southern roots. i will be making this as my go to recipe. Thank you!
Thanks so much, Lynn! I’m happy you loved the recipe!
I loved this recipe. Its so fast and easy to make. And the end result is so satisfying.
yeah, it is super easy to prepare this recipe, thank you for trying this. Browse the blog there are many easy recipes for you to try 🙂