Welcome to the definitive guide for baking what many consider the Best Pound Cake Recipe you’ll ever encounter! This isn’t just any pound cake; it’s a culinary masterpiece. With simple yet profound tricks, like incorporating rich whipping cream, using delicate cake flour, and alternating wet and dry ingredients with precision, you’ll achieve a dessert that’s truly extraordinary. Expect a wonderfully dense, exquisitely moist texture, and a remarkably fine crumb that will make this cake an indispensable staple in your baking repertoire. Get ready to impress with this classic, velvety smooth indulgence.
The venerable pound cake earned its charming name from the straightforward, equal proportions of its original ingredients: a pound each of butter, sugar, eggs, and flour. While my updated recipe doesn’t strictly adhere to those exact weights, the spirit of simplicity and abundant flavor remains. This Whipping Cream Pound Cake promises an unparalleled richness and tenderness that will captivate your taste buds. Prepare for a truly scrumptious experience!
Why This Pound Cake Recipe is a Must-Try
My journey with pound cake began in Junior High Home-Ec, where I stumbled upon a seemingly simple recipe in my mother’s collection. Even a forgotten dash of vanilla couldn’t hide its inherent charm; my teacher lauded its superb taste and texture, sparking a lifelong passion for baking in me. Years later, fate led me to this particular easy pound cake recipe, discovered within the pages of Gourmet magazine. It’s more than just a recipe; it’s a guaranteed showstopper that consistently delivers perfection. I confidently declare it the BEST!
- Legendary Status: This isn’t just a claim; it’s Elvis Presley’s rumored favorite pound cake! A recipe beloved by the King of Rock and Roll has certainly stood the test of time, proving its tried-and-true deliciousness for decades.
- Versatile Canvas: A classic vanilla pound cake offers the ultimate backdrop for a myriad of toppings and accompaniments. Imagine it showcasing vibrant fresh seasonal berries, a scoop of your favorite artisanal ice cream, a cloud of homemade whipped cream, or a delicate fruit compote. It’s the perfect dessert for any season or occasion, effortlessly adapting to your culinary creativity.
- Unmatched Texture and Flavor: Prepare for a cake that is wonderfully dense, profoundly buttery, and utterly delicious. Its signature tight, fine crumb is not only visually appealing but also contributes to its melt-in-your-mouth tenderness and rich mouthfeel. Every slice is a testament to its superior quality.
Glowing Reader Endorsement
Don’t just take my word for it! Here’s what one delighted baker, Jacqueline, shared on Pinterest: “Awesome! This cake is the BOOM BAM BOOM! I have branded myself as a baker with this recipe.” High praise indeed, and a true testament to the unforgettable experience this pound cake offers!
Essential Ingredient Notes for Your Perfect Pound Cake
Crafting the perfect pound cake starts with understanding your ingredients. While many are common kitchen staples, paying attention to their quality and preparation can significantly elevate your final product.
- Kitchen Staples: Sugar, Butter, Vanilla Extract, Salt – These foundational ingredients are critical for flavor and structure. Always use good quality unsalted butter for the best taste and control over saltiness. A high-quality vanilla extract will lend a beautiful aromatic depth to your cake. Be sure to check your pantry for these essentials before you begin.
- Eggs (you’ll need 7!) – The sheer quantity of eggs contributes to the pound cake’s rich flavor and dense texture. It’s absolutely crucial to have your eggs at **room temperature**. This allows them to emulsify more effectively with the butter and sugar, creating a smoother, more uniform batter and a finer crumb in the finished cake.
- Cake Flour – This ingredient is a game-changer for pound cake, providing its characteristic tender and delicate crumb. You’ll typically find it in the baking aisle, often in a box. PRO-Tip: If cake flour isn’t readily available, you can easily make your own. For every cup of all-purpose flour, remove 2 tablespoons, then replace those 2 tablespoons with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch. Sift this mixture together thoroughly. This simple substitution effectively reduces the gluten content, making the flour more suitable for tender cakes.
- Heavy Cream – One of the truly unique and essential ingredients in this specific pound cake recipe, heavy cream is what sets it apart, infusing it with unparalleled richness and moisture. Ensure your heavy cream has a butterfat content of at least 36% for the best results, contributing to that luxurious, melt-in-your-mouth texture.
Discovering Elvis Presley’s Best Pound Cake Recipe
Roughly two decades ago, as Epicurious became my go-to culinary resource, I stumbled upon a recipe famously known as Elvis’ Favorite Pound Cake. This particular rendition stands out due to its clever use of heavy cream and cake flour, which collectively contribute to its truly marvelous, delicate crumb and incredibly moist texture. This isn’t just a cake; it’s a legend.
With its timeless appeal and superb flavor, this pound cake is an ideal dessert for any season. In spring and summer, it pairs exquisitely with all the glorious seasonal berries – think ripe strawberries, blueberries, or raspberries, perhaps simply macerated or lightly sugared. As the colder months approach, transform it into a cozy treat with a vibrant sauce made from frozen raspberries, or keep it simple with a dusting of powdered sugar and a generous scoop of classic vanilla ice cream. No matter the time of year, this cake is guaranteed to be a hit. Make sure to bake up this show-stopping dessert for your next gathering; its rich, buttery flavor and tender crumb will leave everyone wanting more. With Elvis’s legendary endorsement, you simply can’t go wrong – you won’t be disappointed!
Expert Tips for Pound Cake Perfection
Achieving a truly exceptional pound cake involves more than just following a recipe; it requires a few key techniques. While universal baking tips like using room temperature ingredients and precise measurements are always important, pound cake has its own unique nuances that can elevate it from good to absolutely phenomenal.
Mastering the Batter: Mixing for Success
- Begin with Room Temperature Ingredients: This is a non-negotiable step for any successful cake, especially pound cake. Butter, eggs, and heavy cream should be allowed to sit on the counter for at least an hour before you begin mixing. PRO-Tip: If you’re short on time, you can quickly bring eggs to room temperature by placing them in a bowl of warm (not hot) water for 10-15 minutes. Room temperature ingredients blend more smoothly and evenly, creating a uniform emulsion that traps air more efficiently, resulting in a lighter, more voluminous batter and a superior texture in the finished cake.
- The Power of the Paddle Attachment: When creaming butter and sugar, use the paddle attachment on your stand mixer. This tool is designed to thoroughly combine ingredients without incorporating excessive air, which is crucial for a pound cake’s signature dense yet tender crumb. Beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes, ensuring a velvety smooth base for your batter.
- Eggs: Just Incorporated, Not Over-beaten: Add eggs one at a time, beating just until each egg is fully incorporated before adding the next. Over-mixing the eggs can introduce too much air, leading to a cakier, less dense texture than desired for a traditional pound cake.
- Embrace Cake Flour for a Finer Crumb: Cake flour, with its lower protein content, is essential for achieving the pound cake’s delicate and fine crumb. For an even lighter texture, sift the cake flour not once, but twice before adding it to the batter. This aeration breaks up any clumps and further lightens the flour.
- Avoid Over-mixing After Flour Addition: Once you add the flour, mix on low speed only until just combined. PRO-Tip: Over-mixing at this stage will develop the gluten in the flour, resulting in a tough, chewy cake rather than the tender crumb you’re aiming for. Use the paddle attachment and keep the speed low to gently fold the flour in, stopping as soon as no dry streaks remain. A slightly satiny batter is perfect.
Baking to Perfection: Key Steps for a Beautiful Rise
- Prepare Your Pan Diligently: Generously grease your tube pan with butter or baking spray, then lightly flour it, tapping out any excess. This creates a non-stick surface, ensuring your beautiful cake releases effortlessly. Alternatively, a non-stick baking spray with flour, like Baker’s Joy, works wonderfully.
- Choose the Right Pan: For pound cakes, a traditional 10-inch tube pan (with a solid bottom) or a Bundt pan is ideal. PRO-Tip: Never use a two-piece angel food cake pan with a removable bottom. The thin batter of a pound cake will almost certainly leak through the seams, creating a sticky mess in your oven and a ruined cake.
- The Cold Oven Advantage: This recipe uniquely calls for starting the cake in a cold oven. While it might seem counterintuitive, this technique is a secret weapon for pound cakes. Placing the batter in a cold oven allows the cake to gradually warm up and rise slowly. This extended heating period helps to prevent the top from cracking excessively and promotes a more even bake from the edges to the center, resulting in a uniform texture and beautiful golden crust. It delays the leavening agents from producing carbon dioxide too quickly, leading to a denser, more consistent crumb.
- Patience is a Virtue: Pound cakes typically require a longer baking time, often an hour or more, due to their density. Resist the urge to open the oven door too frequently. Your cake is done when a wooden skewer or toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs attached. The top should be deeply golden brown and spring back lightly when touched.
- Cooling with Care: Once baked, let your pound cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10-15 minutes. This allows the cake to firm up slightly, preventing it from collapsing or breaking when inverted. After this initial cooling, gently shake the pan from side to side to loosen the cake, then invert it onto the cooling rack to cool completely. This ensures proper air circulation and prevents the bottom of the cake from becoming soggy.
Storing Your Masterpiece: Keeping it Fresh
- Room Temperature Storage: A pound cake, properly covered, will remain wonderfully fresh and moist at room temperature for up to 3-4 days. Store it in an airtight container or wrap it tightly in plastic wrap to prevent it from drying out.
- Freezing for Longer Enjoyment: Pound cake freezes exceptionally well, making it perfect for preparing ahead or saving leftovers. For optimal freshness and to prevent freezer burn, wrap the cooled cake tightly first with plastic wrap, ensuring no air pockets, then follow with a layer of heavy-duty aluminum foil. It can be frozen for up to 3 months. To thaw, simply unwrap and let it sit at room temperature for several hours or overnight until soft.
Frequently Asked Questions About Pound Cake
For a classic pound cake, a 10-inch tube pan (sometimes called an angel food cake pan, but ensure it’s a solid, one-piece design) or a Bundt pan is ideal. The central core of these pans helps the dense batter bake more evenly and thoroughly. This prevents the edges from over-baking while the center remains raw.
Crucially, avoid using a two-piece angel food cake pan with a removable bottom. Pound cake batter is thinner than angel food cake batter, and it will almost certainly leak out of the seams where the two components meet, creating a considerable mess in your oven and potentially ruining your cake.
You can also adapt this recipe for loaf pans, perhaps using two standard loaf pans. If you opt for loaf pans, be sure to decrease the baking time significantly, as smaller pans will cook faster. Keep an eye on them after about 45-50 minutes. You can find a link to the nonstick tube pan I personally recommend further down in the recipe card.
The name “Pound Cake” originates from the traditional British recipe, which historically called for one pound each of its four main ingredients: butter, sugar, eggs, and flour. This simple, balanced ratio yielded a rich, dense cake that became a beloved classic, and its name serves as a charming nod to its foundational measurements.
Absolutely! Pound cake is an excellent candidate for freezing, and it holds up remarkably well. To ensure it stays fresh and free from freezer burn, allow the cake to cool completely after baking. Then, wrap it tightly first in a layer of plastic wrap, making sure to eliminate any air pockets around the cake. Follow this with a second layer of heavy-duty aluminum foil. This double layer provides superior protection. Properly wrapped, pound cake can be frozen for up to 3 months. Always remember to label the package with the date so you can enjoy it at its prime. To thaw, simply unwrap the cake and let it come to room temperature on your counter for several hours or overnight.
This recipe distinguishes itself through several key elements. The inclusion of heavy whipping cream adds an unparalleled richness and moisture, contributing to an incredibly tender crumb. Using cake flour ensures a delicate, fine texture that many pound cakes lack. Furthermore, specific techniques like starting the cake in a cold oven and precise mixing methods (using a paddle attachment, avoiding over-mixing flour) are carefully detailed to guarantee a consistently dense, moist, and perfectly textured cake every single time. Plus, it’s rumored to be Elvis’s favorite, adding to its legendary appeal!
Explore More Delicious Cake Recipes
If you’ve fallen in love with this pound cake, you’re in for a treat! Here are more fantastic cake recipes you might enjoy:
- Million Dollar Pound Cake from Melissa’s Southern Style Kitchen
- Sour Cream Pound Cake
- Strawberry Pound Cake
- Streusel Pound Cake
- Lemon Pound Cake
- More of my Best Cake Recipes
- More of my Best Dessert Recipes
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Best Pound Cake Recipe
25 minutes
1 hour 15 minutes
1 hour 40 minutes
12 servings
This is Elvis’ favorite pound cake recipe, expertly adapted from Gourmet Magazine for unparalleled taste and texture.
Ingredients
- 2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus extra for greasing the pan
- 3 cups granulated sugar
- 7 large eggs, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 3 cups cake flour, sifted twice
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream (36% butterfat), at room temperature
Instructions
- Generously butter and flour a 10-inch tube pan or Bundt pan. (Do not use a two-piece angel food cake pan, as the batter will leak.) Alternatively, use a flour and oil cooking spray like Baker’s Joy.
- In a large mixing bowl, using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar. Beat on medium-high speed for 5 minutes, until the mixture is light, fluffy, and pale.
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula. Add the room temperature eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition until just incorporated. Beat in the vanilla extract, then mix in the salt.
- With the mixer on low speed, gradually add half of the sifted cake flour, mixing until just combined. Then, pour in all of the heavy cream and mix until smooth. Finally, add the remaining cake flour and mix on low until the batter is just smooth and satiny, being careful not to over-mix. Scrape down the bowl thoroughly, then beat on medium-high for one final minute to ensure everything is well combined and aerated.
- Pour the prepared batter evenly into your greased and floured pan. Gently tap the pan on the counter once or twice to release any trapped air bubbles. Place the pan directly into the lower third of a cold oven.
- Set your oven temperature to 350ºF (175ºC). Bake for 60-75 minutes, or until a wooden skewer or toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs attached. The top should be golden brown and spring back when lightly touched.
- Allow the pound cake to cool in the pan on a wire rack for 30 minutes. This allows the cake to set and firm up. After 30 minutes, carefully invert the cake onto a serving plate or another cooling rack to cool completely before slicing and serving.
Notes
For smaller batches, I have successfully baked half of this recipe using 3½ large eggs (approximating the volume of a half egg as needed) and baked it in a standard loaf pan for approximately 45 minutes, adjusting the baking time as necessary.
Watch the video tutorial for a visual guide!
Recommended Products for Baking
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- High-Quality Silicone Spatulas
- KitchenAid Artisan Tilt-Head Stand Mixer (5-Quart)
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
12
Serving Size:
1 slice
Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 564Total Fat: 26gSaturated Fat: 15gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 171mgSodium: 257mgCarbohydrates: 78gFiber: 1gSugar: 51gProtein: 7g
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