Pound Cake with Sour Cream
A rich, buttery pound cake with a fine, tight crumb and golden crust, baked in a loaf pan with sour cream so it stays moist for days.
11% of it needs you at the counter
- Hands-on
- 20 min
- Cooking
- 1 hr 10 min
- Resting
- 1 hr 30 min
- Serves
- 10
- Calories
- 405
- Protein
- 6 g
- Per serving
- $0.66
Why this recipe works
Pound cake is named for its original formula: a pound each of butter, sugar, eggs and flour. This loaf-sized version keeps close to those proportions, adds sour cream for moisture and slices cleanly for days.
- Creaming the butter and sugar for a full 5 minutes does most of the lifting; the small amount of baking powder is insurance.
- Sour cream adds moisture and a slight tang that keeps the dense crumb from tasting dry.
- Baking at 325°F lets the center set before the crust overbrowns in a deep loaf pan.
Ingredients
You will need
- 9x5-inch loaf pan
- Parchment paper
- Stand or hand mixer
- Wire rack
- Skewer
Method
Tap a step number to mark it done.
Prepare
Heat the oven to 325°F. Grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan and line it with a parchment sling that overhangs the long sides.
Cream
Beat the butter on medium until smooth, then add the sugar and beat until pale and fluffy, 5 minutes, scraping down the bowl once or twice.
Add the eggs
Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each, then beat in the sour cream and vanilla. If the batter looks a little curdled, it will come together with the flour.
Add the flour
Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt, add them on low speed and mix just until combined. Scrape into the pan and smooth the top.
Bake
Bake until deep golden, split down the middle, and a skewer in the center comes out clean, 65 to 75 minutes. If the top browns too fast, lay foil loosely over it after 45 minutes.
Cool
Cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then lift out by the parchment and cool completely on a rack, about 1¼ hours, before slicing.
Cook's notes
- Soft butter should dent easily when pressed but still hold its shape. Butter that is melting-soft can't hold air, and the cake bakes up heavy.
- A crack down the middle is normal for pound cake and shows that it rose properly.
- Wrapped tightly, pound cake keeps for 4 days at room temperature or 3 months in the freezer. Toast slices in a buttered pan for a quick dessert.
Nutrition per serving
405 calories
$0.66 estimated cost per serving
Where the calories come from
| Protein | 6% of calories | 6 g |
|---|---|---|
| Carbs | 44% of calories | 45 g |
| Fat | 50% of calories | 23 g |
| Fiber | 1 g | |
| Sodium | 260 mg |
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for the listed ingredients and amounts; not lab-tested. Cost estimated from average US retail prices.
Questions people ask
What is the secret to a good pound cake?
Room-temperature ingredients and a long creaming time. Beating the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy is what makes the crumb tender instead of heavy.
Why is my pound cake dense or gummy?
Usually the butter was too soft or the eggs too cold, so the batter couldn't hold air, or the cake came out before the center set. Test the very middle with a skewer.
Can I bake pound cake in a Bundt pan?
Yes. Double the recipe for a 10- to 12-cup Bundt pan and bake at 325°F for 75 to 90 minutes, until a skewer comes out clean.
