Pound cake gets its name because it’s usually made of a pound each of flour, butter, sugar, and eggs. It makes measuring quite simple, doesn’t it?
Over the years, though, this recipe has evolved. We changed ratios, added ingredients, and tweaked taste profiles.
But at its core, this dessert remains to be a well-loved and delicious treat. Thus, I’ve compiled some great recipes for you to try.
As you explore these recipes, though, note that they take you to a dialog window or recipe post. A post may contain affiliate links.
1. Traditional Pound Cake
The best way to start our list is with the most classic of it all.
This recipe uses the essential ingredients and ratios. That is one pound each of large eggs, all-purpose flour, salted butter, and sugar.
If you want a smaller dish, you can adjust the measurements but preserve the equal parts ratio. Although, you might as well call it less-than-a-pound cake, right?
You can use a loaf pan, bundt pan, or tube pan. This one was designed for a 9×5-inch loaf pan.
Your cake comes out clean in less than an hour if you followed the recipe.
2. Cream Cheese Pound Cake
You don’t have to be a baker to make a moist, delicious, and decadent dessert. Just add cream cheese to have a very moist product.
But technique is also crucial in making this dessert great.
For instance, it is important to beat the eggs at low speed, not high or medium speed, to avoid overmixing them. Otherwise, you may affect the the texture.
Cream cheese pound cake also has a delicious tang. Along with the other ingredients, you can expect a dessert with a spectacular taste profile.
It will surely be a show stealer at your afternoon tea, especially topped with whipped cream.
3. Sour Cream Pound Cake
The cream cheese pound cake recipe before this has sour cream, but it’s not the star of the show yet. This time, it is an essential component in this recipe.
This recipe lets you experience the best of both worlds: a creamy and dense inside with a crispy crust.
Besides the standard ingredients, you will also need these: salt, baking powder, and vanilla extract. By the way, use unsalted butter to avoid too much salt.
Within 90 minutes or so, you’d get to taste a creamy and smooth cake.
If you made this recipe, make sure to serve it with whipped cream, fruit sauce, or other fantastic toppings.
4. Greek Yogurt Vanilla Pound Cake
I’ve shared that moisture is a challenge many people encounter when baking. We use dairy products like milk, sour cream, and cream cheese to deal with that.
But besides those three, Greek yogurt is a popular way to make desserts feel moist, tender, and dense.
This recipe uses the four standard ingredients, along with baking soda, vanilla extract, and, of course, Greek yogurt.
You can top it with some whipped cream and fruits, like strawberries. Let it cool completely though before you place toppings.
5. Lighter, Airy Pound Cake
Usually, recipes describe a pound cake as dense and solid. It’s rare to see one that leads to a light and fluffy texture.
However, that doesn’t mean a light one is impossible. The secret? Whipped egg whites.
Aside from the whipped whites, a bit of baking powder and sifting helped make the final product fluffier than it usually is.
If you tried this recipe, you’ll notice an interesting taste profile. It uses cognac and lemon zest, providing unique and great flavors.
6. Vanilla Pound Cake
One of the classic dessert flavors is vanilla. Adding the extract makes a dish tasty and fragrant.
Thus, it’s no surprise that a vanilla version of pound cake exists. This recipe uses vanilla paste or pod to bring out the flavor.
It also has milk in the batter for better taste and texture. The whole cake is then slathered with vanilla icing.
You can prepare this cake an hour or two before your afternoon tea or coffee.
7. Lemon Pound Cake
Most pound cakes vary in flavoring. One of the most popular types is lemon pound cake.
This recipe has deeply instilled the lemon flavor. The cake batter itself contains the fruit’s juice and zest.
To top it all off, there is also a lemon glaze. With all that, you surely wouldn’t miss the fresh citrus pop of lemon.
This recipe also has milk in it for the best flavor and moisture. While there are extra steps to this recipe, it’s all straightforward.
8. Blueberry Pound Cake
A couple of fruits always brightens up a dessert. One of the fruits I like to add to my desserts is blueberries.
Blueberries elevate the taste and texture. They also provide a little surprise for your guests when they dive into the moist and luscious treat.
Besides the blueberries, this recipe also contains sour cream. Like the other recipes above, the sour cream helps maintain moisture.
While fresh berries are always the best, you can use frozen ones if you have nothing else.
9. Chocolate Pound Cake
Of course, there’s a chocolate pound cake. Chocolate is a worldwide favorite.
Thus, I’ve included a recipe for this popular and beloved dessert. It’s moist, decadent, and rich.
The chocolate flavors explode in your mouth. You might even find yourself scraping the sides of the bowl to get all the chocolatey goodness.
The ingredients are familiar, like instant coffee, cocoa powder, all-purpose flour, and more.
You just need a toothpick inserted in the cake to come out clean, and voila! You have a rich chocolate treat to serve.
10. Strawberry Pound Cake
This recipe has the strawberries’ rich taste, sweet fragrance, and delicious pink tints. It is a refreshing sweet treat for the summer.
The batter contains many small strawberry bits. These bits pop flavor into your mouth and are a delightful surprise when you cut into it.
A sweet strawberry glaze also helps bring out all the flavors. It gives a pretty look to it, too.
Besides the strawberries, there is also almond extract and yogurt. The yogurt keeps it deliciously moist.
11. Rum Pound Cake
Booze-infused desserts are an adult’s secret delight. I wouldn’t rob you of the chance to taste a boozy pound cake, would I?
This recipe has rum in the batter. A rum glaze also tops it.
You also add buttermilk, which gives the it a creamy texture and tangy flavor.
Because the rum is in both the batter and the glaze, the taste profile is especially elevated. It’s hard to miss both the strong taste and fragrance of this alcohol.
Although the author used a tube pan, you can also opt for a bundt pan.
12. Christmas Cranberry Pound Cake
Planning your Christmas menu can be a bit stressful. To help you a bit, here’s a suggestion: Christmas cranberry pound cake.
Not only is it moist, decadent, and delicious, it’s also a showstopper. It looks beautiful and on theme with the red cranberries and white frosting!
There’s no doubt that your guests would ask for the recipe afterward. Speaking of the recipe, this recipe contains a lot more ingredients than the standard one.
It has stuff like white chocolate, heavy cream, and mascarpone cheese. While these may seem excessive, they contribute to its delicious complexity.
13. Orange Pound Cake
Citrusy flavors like lemon and orange pair well with a pound cake. Since I’ve covered the lemon kind already, you should also check out this orange one.
The recipe highlights the orange taste well because it uses the juice, zest, and fruit segments.
Thus, make sure to use fresh and organic oranges. You can ensure the skin is safe to use and the flavors will pop out.
The final product is pretty, with all the orange segments on top. You also cover it with icing for added sweetness.
14. Marble Pound Cake
Marble cakes have gorgeous streaked or mottled designs composed of light and dark colors. It usually has classic vanilla and chocolate flavors.
While it may seem intimidating, it’s pretty easy to make. You prepare the light and dark batters separately, mix them in a pan and swirl them with a butter knife.
Because the mixing and swirling are random, each one is unique. Thus, it’s always a delightful surprise to have every single time.
Best part? You don’t need a lot of ingredients. Just add milk, vanilla extract, and cocoa powder to the list.
15. Million Dollar Pound Cake
Southern Living takes pride in its million dollar pound cake recipe. It seems like a stretch to get a million-dollar-worth dessert using seven common ingredients, but they promise no less than the best pound cake.
Besides the usual four components, the recipe also uses milk, almond extract, and vanilla extract.
You might think almond and vanilla flavors would clash. However, a taste of this shows that they complement each other well to create a decadent and delicious dessert that deserves its name.
The Perfect Pound Cake
Here is a summary of the tasty pound cake recipes you should try!
Ingredients
Traditional Pound Cake
Cream Cheese Pound Cake
Sour Cream Pound Cake
Greek Yogurt Vanilla Pound Cake
Lighter, Airy Pound Cake
Vanilla Pound Cake
Lemon Pound Cake
Blueberry Pound Cake
Chocolate Pound Cake
Strawberry Pound Cake
Rum Pound Cake
Christmas Cranberry Pound Cake
Orange Pound Cake
Marble Pound Cake
Million Dollar Pound Cake
Directions
- Select your favorite recipe.
- Organize all the required ingredients.
- Prep a pound cake in 30 minutes or less!