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Classic Southern Pound Cake

Classic Southern Pound Cake is perfectly moist and buttery with just the right amount of sweetness. The texture is wonderfully tender and it has a thick layer of crackly crust on top. It’s probably my favorite pound cake.

Slice Of Classic Southern Pound Cake with whipped cream and a strawberry.

I’ve tried oodles of pound cake recipes over the years and nothing beats this pound cake in my opinion.  The simple flavor of a classic pound cake is hard to beat. A combination of butter, cream cheese, and superfine sugar gives this cake a wonderful texture.

I think the superfine sugar is one of the keys to the great texture of tis pound cake. If you don’t have any, it is worth buying. It’s also handy to have on hand for making cocktails since it dissolves so easily.

A fabulous crispy crust develops on top. It’s my favorite part of a pound cake.

Whole Pound Cake on a plate.

Tips for making Classic Southern Pound Cake:

  • There is no leavener in this cake so it is very important to beat the butter, cream cheese, and sugar for at least 5 to 7 minutes. This is going to whip lots of air in which will help the cake rise and give it a lighter texture.
  • For best results, you want the butter, cream cheese, and eggs at room temperature. The butter and cream cheese will incorporate much more air when at room temperature and the eggs will blend into the batter much more easily.
  • To prevent a dry cake, be sure to measure the flour corrrectly. Fluff the flour up some in the bag and then scoop it with a spoon into a measuring cup. Level it with the back of a knife.
  • This pound cake freezes really well. You can either freeze the whole cake or freeze individual slices.

This is one of those southern pound cakes that’s perfect for snacking or even breakfast. It’s sweet, but not too sweet. Serve with whipped cream and strawberries for a wonderful southern dessert.

Slice of Classic Southern Pound Cake with fresh strawberries.

More Pound Cake Recipes You Will Love

Watch the short video below to see how easy this recipe is to make.

Slice Of Classic Southern Pound Cake with whipped cream and a strawberry.

Classic Southern Pound Cake

Classic Southern Pound Cake is perfectly moist and buttery with just the right amount of sweetness. The texture is wonderfully tender and it has a thick layer of crackly crust on top.
PREP: 20 minutes
COOK: 1 hour 20 minutes
SERVINGS: 18

Ingredients

  • 3 cups superfine sugar
  • 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 6 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
  • 4 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 2 large egg yolks, at room temperature
  • 1/4 cup half-and-half
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 300 degrees and spray a 12-cup Bundt pan with baking spray.
  • Using an electric stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat sugar, butter, and cream cheese at medium-high speed until very fluffy and pale, about 5 to 8 minutes.
  • Beat in eggs one at a time on low speed, just until the yellow disappears. Scrape down the sides of the bowl several times.
  • Add egg yolks, half-and-half, and vanilla extract and beat on low just until mixed in.
  • Whisk together flour and salt in a medium bowl and mix it into the batter in 3 additions with the mixer on low speed. Scrape down the sides of the bowl halfway through.
  • Transfer batter to prepared pan. Bake for 1 hour 20 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Let cool 10 minutes in pan and then remove cake from the pan to cool completely.

Notes

Be sure to use a good quality baking spray. I have good results with Baker’s Joy.

Nutrition

Calories: 385kcal
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Southern
Keyword: cake, old-fashioned pound cake

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Recipe source: Southern Living

Classic Southern Pound Cake

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231 thoughts on “Classic Southern Pound Cake”

  1. I am in LOVE with this cake!!! My daughter loves how creamy this recipe is. This will be in my rotation!

  2. Latoya Thomas

    This recipe is top tier. My family loves it and one of my employees requests one for her birthday every year! She does not like icing or frosting.. she loves cake .. no frills .. just homemade pound cake and this recipe delivers every time.

  3. Mandy Eaton

    Hey! I hope this turns out, I just put it in the oven, but I just watched your video to see how you put the batter in the pan as in did you hit it on counter to get bubbles out or anything, but noticed in your video that you put baking powder in your flour mixture, but I didn’t see that in your ingredient steps or directions! Hope it turns out!

  4. Found my new favorite pound cake recipe! I added a splash of almond and it was perfection! I baked for 93 minutes in a tube pan and it had the slightest ribbon that wasn’t quite baked through. I’ll bake 95 minutes next time. I was able to turn it out of the pan with the top staying intact! I prepared my pan with butter and sugar. That crunchy top was amazing! Thanks for sharing this recipe!

  5. Simply the best pound cake recipe I know and I’ve baked pound cakes for years. This is now my go- to. The texture of the cake is superb. I put regular sugar in my VitaMix for about 1 minute to get it superfine.

    1. I’m hoping you see this right away as I’m about to make this pound cake in 30 minutes. I’ll give a rating once I do. I have a question though. I want to make this in my mini loaf (makes 4) stoneware. Will it turn out OK? If so, what temp and time to adjust to?

  6. I made this! It’s amazing! Taste like grandma’s and that’s hard to pull off! Thanks 😊

  7. Jeannette Thurston

    Pan type?? Your photo shows that you have used a tube pan. I can understand that using a two-piece tube pan will preserve the crackly crust on top once the baked cake has been removed without inversion. By using a Bundt pan, you would have to invert the cake for removal which may ruin the integrity of the crackly crust. Going forward, which pan should be used for the best results of preserving the top crust. Thanks you

  8. BAKER MCBAKINGTON
    Referring to your suggestions regarding the sour cream and no half and half are you actually saying this?
    I can make this exact recipe as written and just omit the 1/4 cup half and half and add 12 ounces of sour cream. I’ll have a lighter cake?

  9. Truly the very best pound cake I’ve ever made or eaten. And it is remarkably easy, just follow the directions to a T.

  10. I followed the direction exactly the, but baked it in a tube pan the first time, it didn’t get done in the middle. It is because I made it in the tube pan and had to bake it longer?

    1. Baker McBakington

      Cream cheese recipes are typically thick in the middle and this can happen. You will want to make the batter a bit thinner. I prefer the 12oz sour cream and no half and half version for a lighter and more consistent mix. I also bake about 10 degrees hotter than normal for the first 30 mins and lower the temperature back to normal to finish it out. Oven times and temps and elements fade over time.

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