Classic Pound Cake
A rich, buttery cake with tender crumb and golden exterior, made with equal weights of butter, sugar, eggs, and flour. Simple yet elegant, this timeless dessert needs nothing but a dusting of powdered sugar.
- Total time
- 65 min
- Servings
- 12
- Calories
- 520
- Protein
- 8g
Ingredients
- 1 pound unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 pound granulated sugar
- 8 whole large eggs, room temperature
- 1 pound all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon lemon zest, finely grated
Instructions
- 1
Remove 1 pound of unsalted butter and 8 large eggs from the refrigerator at least 1 hour before baking — room-temperature ingredients cream together better and incorporate more air, giving you a lighter, more tender crumb. Position an oven rack in the lower third of your oven and preheat to 325°F. Coat a 10-cup loaf pan or bundt pan with nonstick spray, then line the bottom with parchment paper for easy removal.
- 2
Sift 1 pound of all-purpose flour with 0.5 teaspoon of kosher salt into a medium bowl — sifting removes lumps and aerates the flour, preventing a dense cake. Set aside.
- 3
Cut the 1 pound of room-temperature butter into 8 pieces and place in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed for 2-3 minutes until the butter is pale, fluffy, and increased in volume by about half — you should see light streaks running through it and hear the mixer whipping air in. This creaming step is essential; it creates tiny air pockets that expand in the oven for a tender crumb.
- 4
Add 1 pound of granulated sugar gradually while the mixer is running on medium speed, in 3-4 additions over about 3 minutes. After each addition, let it incorporate fully before adding more — you'll see the mixture go from light and fluffy to denser, then fluffy again as air is beaten in. Scrape the bowl and paddle with a rubber spatula as needed. This stage takes time, so don't rush; the final mixture should be pale cream colored and nearly doubled in volume.
- 5
Add the 8 eggs one at a time to the butter-sugar mixture, beating on medium speed for about 20 seconds after each addition. The batter may look slightly curdled or separated after each egg, but it will come together as you beat — this is normal. If the mixture looks very curdled, add a tablespoon of flour from your measured amount to stabilize the emulsion, then continue.
- 6
Stop the mixer and scrape down the bowl and paddle thoroughly. Beat in 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract and 0.5 teaspoon of finely grated lemon zest on low speed until just combined, about 15 seconds — don't overmix, as you want to preserve the air you've incorporated.
- 7
Switch to low speed and add the sifted flour mixture in 4 equal portions, mixing for about 20-30 seconds after each addition — just until the flour disappears into the batter. Stop the mixer and scrape the bowl between additions. Do not overmix once flour is added; overmixing develops gluten, which toughens the cake. The final batter should be smooth, creamy, and fall slowly from the paddle.
- 8
Divide the batter evenly between two prepared loaf pans (or pour into one bundt pan), smoothing the top with an offset spatula or the back of a spoon. Place the pan on the lower-third oven rack and bake for 55-65 minutes, until the top is deep golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean with no wet batter clinging to it — a few moist crumbs are fine. The cake should spring back slightly when pressed gently in the center, and your kitchen will smell like warm vanilla and butter.
- 9
Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in the pan for 15 minutes — this allows the crumb to set while still warm enough to unmold cleanly. Run a thin knife around the edges of the pan to loosen the cake, then turn it out onto a wire cooling rack lined with parchment paper (this prevents rack marks on the bottom). Let cool to room temperature, about 1 hour, before slicing.
- 10
Slice the pound cake with a serrated knife using a gentle sawing motion to prevent compressing the crumb. Dust with powdered sugar just before serving, or enjoy plain with a cup of tea or coffee.
Tools you’ll need
- 10-cup loaf pan or bundt pan
- nonstick spray
- parchment paper
- fine-mesh sifter
- medium mixing bowl
- electric mixer with paddle attachment
- rubber spatula
- offset spatula or spoon
- instant-read thermometer or toothpick
- wire cooling rack
- serrated knife
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