This post may contain affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. Please read full disclosure for more information.
The super-soft pound cake of your childhood is "THE" must-have cake, loved by young and old alike! It's so quick and easy, you'll be licking your lips as soon as it starts baking: the amazing aroma that wafts from the oven to perfume your kitchen is equal to its delicious taste.
With its slightly crispy shell and super moist interior, it's as easy to prepare as it is addictive… You're warned..!
💙 Why you'll love it
- A cinch to prepare - I swear it's one of the easiest cakes to make, since all you have to do is mix all the ingredients together and pop it in the oven.
- A handful of ingredients - the pound cake takes its name from its ingredients, since it requires only butter, sugar, flour and eggs, in equal quantities (so a pound of each). In short, basic ingredients.
- 10 minutes of preparation - the batter is ready in the blink of an eye, and after that, all you have to do is put it in the oven and let the delicious aroma it gives off as it bakes perfume your kitchen.
😉Other ultra-easy cakes
🧈 Notes on the ingredients
You can find a full list of ingredients and measurements in the recipe card below. Here are a few ingredient notes to make this easy pound cake.
- Eggs - ideally pasture-raised organic. You can refer to the Eco Tips I've written on eggs to help you choose the right ones.
- Butter - use good quality butter, with a minimum of 82% fat!
- Sugars - I use a mixture of white sugar and vanilla sugar, to lightly flavor the cake.
🍋Variations
Feel free to change this recipe to suit your tastes. I suggest several options:
- Lemon or orange zest
- Cinnamon or gingerbread mix
- Vanilla or sweet almond extract (be careful to use very little so as not to overpower the other flavors)
- Chocolate chips
- A few slices of apple, pear, banana or blueberry: be careful not to use too much, as it could change the texture of the cake.
- Spread, jam (raspberry, blueberry, strawberry, fig, apricot, peach, pear, etc.): once the cake is cold and unmolded, cut it in half lengthwise down the middle. Garnish with whatever you like, and enjoy!
This recipe has not been tested using any other variations. If you do try substituting ingredients, it may not turn out as it's meant to. Please leave a comment below letting me know if it worked out!
✨How to make the best pound cake?
Recipe details and quantities are in the recipe card below.
- Preheat your oven to 355°F/180°C in fan-assisted mode. Use a digital kitchen scale to weigh the eggs in their shells and, in separate bowls, add the same weight of butter and flour as the eggs. For the sugar, use the weight of the eggs as a basis, but subtract 10 g (example - if the eggs are 230 g, use 220 g of sugar).
- Melt the butter in a micro-wave safe bowl and set aside.
- Mix the flour, sugar, baking powder and vanilla sugar in a bowl.
- Make a well with your hands.
- Add the eggs and beat lightly.
- Add the melted butter and mix gently one last time, until you obtain a homogeneous texture.
- Butter your mold, add a little flour to the bottom and edges, then pour in the batter.
- Place thin slices of butter in the middle of the cake and bake for 40 to 50 minutes, watching regularly. To be sure the cake is perfectly baked, stick a knife into the center. If it comes out almost clean, with no liquid batter (but a few crumbs), it's done! Leave to cool completely before unmolding.
🥰 Chef's tips
- As European, I'm used to working in grams and milliliters. For savory dishes, the American measuring system can work just perfectly most of the time. But for anything sweet, I really recommend using a digital scale, which is much more precise. That way, you'll be sure to succeed with your recipes.
- The temperature of the melted butter is important - if it's really hot, it could cook your eggs and ruin your cake batter.
- Butter and flour your cake mold, as recommended in the recipe. This will make unmolding much easier.
- Preheat your oven when you start preparing the batter, so that you can put your cake in a hot oven.
- To get a nice bump - add thin strips of butter to the middle of the cake just before putting it in the oven. It's a little trick that makes all the difference!
- Bake immediately - if the baking powder is left too long at room temperature with the other ingredients, it will activate, and you really don't want this. Bake as soon as it's ready!
- Leave to cool before unmolding, so as not to risk making a mess.
💡Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, don't worry, I've already done it dozens of times when that's all I had on hand!
I use my usual rectangular ceramic mold, which measures 12 inches x 5 inches x 3 inches. It's important to know that the size, shape and material of the mold will influence the baking time and texture of the cake.
I've never tried it, if you do, let me know in the comments below 🙂
Of course you can! You can use 4, 5, 6 or even 8 eggs if you like! Adjust the quantities of the other ingredients, choose a pan that will hold all the dough, and increase the baking time.
This is often due to thermal shock. Bakery doesn't like them very much… To avoid this, once you've finished baking your cake, turn off your oven and leave the oven door half-open. The oven temperature will gradually drop, so the cake won't suffer from thermal shock.
❄️Storage
Let it cool completely, and once it's chilled, wrap it in aluminum foil. You can keep it at room temperature (the fridge will dry it out and make it hard) for 3 to 4 days.
If you make this pound cake, it would be so nice to leave me a comment and rate the recipe ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️. You can also tag me on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook or Tik Tok, or even send me a photo, I love seeing my little dishes in your homes!
📖 Recette
The best homemade pound cake
Ingredients
- 4 large eggs
- unsalted butter
- sugar
- 1 ⅓ teaspoons baking powder
- 2 ½ teaspoons vanilla sugar
- all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 355°F/180°C in fan-assisted mode. Use a digital kitchen scale to weigh the eggs in their shells and, in separate bowls, add the same weight of butter and flour as the eggs. For the sugar, use the weight of the eggs as a basis, but subtract 10 g (example - if the eggs are 230 g, use 220 g of sugar).
- Melt the butter in a micro-wave safe bowl and set aside.
- Mix the flour, sugar, baking powder and vanilla sugar in a bowl.
- Make a well with your hands. Add the eggs and beat lightly. Add the melted butter and mix gently one last time, until you obtain a homogeneous texture.
- Butter your mould, add a little flour to the bottom and edges, then pour in the batter.
- Place thin slices of butter in the middle of the cake and bake for 40 to 50 minutes, watching regularly. To be sure the cake is perfectly baked, stick a knife into the center. If it comes out almost clean, with no liquid batter (but a few crumbs), it's done! Leave to cool completely before unmolding.
Notes
- Tip - as European, I'm used to working in grams and milliliters. For savory dishes, the American measuring system can work just perfectly most of the time. But for anything sweet, I really recommend using a digital scale, which is much more precise. That way, you'll be sure to succeed with your recipes.
- Storage - let it cool completely, and once it's chilled, wrap it in aluminum foil. You can keep it at room temperature (the fridge will dry it out and make it hard) for 3 to 4 days.
Répondre