This Brown Sugar Pound Cake is rich, buttery, and full of warm caramel-like flavor from light brown sugar. Made from scratch with sour cream for extra moisture and tenderness, it's finished with a homemade brown sugar glaze and chopped pecans.

If you love a classic Southern pound cake but want something a little richer, this is the one. Using brown sugar in the batter gives the cake a deeper flavor than a traditional vanilla pound cake, while still keeping that familiar buttery pound cake texture.

And then there's the glaze! It's made on the stovetop with butter, brown sugar, milk, powdered sugar, and vanilla. Chopped pecans add the perfect finishing touch.

This is the kind of pound cake that works just as well for Sunday dinner as it does on a Thanksgiving or Christmas dessert table.

Video Tutorial

Why You'll Love This Brown Sugar Pound Cake

Rich brown sugar flavor: Light brown sugar gives the cake a warm, caramel-like flavor.

Moist and tender: Sour cream adds moisture and richness to the batter.

Buttery: Three sticks of butter give this cake plenty of classic pound cake flavor.

Homemade brown sugar glaze: The cooked glaze adds another layer of brown sugar flavor.

Crunchy pecan topping: Pecans complement the buttery brown sugar flavor perfectly.

Great for the holidays: The warm flavors make this an especially good pound cake for fall, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.

What Does Brown Sugar Do in Pound Cake?

Brown sugar contains molasses, which gives it a deeper flavor and more moisture than granulated sugar.

For this recipe, I use a combination of light brown sugar and granulated sugar rather than making the cake entirely with brown sugar, which can cause a sunken pound cake.

The combination gives the cake that distinctive brown sugar flavor without completely changing the character of a traditional pound cake.

Recommended tools and equipment:

Bundt Pan (A 12-cup bundt pan is needed for this recipe.)
Stand Mixer or Hand Mixer
Silicone Spatula
Oven Thermometer
Cake Keeper
Measuring Cups and Measuring Spoons

Tips for the Best Brown Sugar Pound Cake

Use room-temperature ingredients. Your butter, eggs, and sour cream will incorporate more smoothly when they're at room temperature.

Cream the butter and sugars properly. Give them approximately five minutes to become light and fluffy.

Add eggs one at a time. Allow each egg to incorporate before adding another.

Measure your flour carefully. Too much flour can result in a dry or heavy cake.

Don't overmix. Once the flour is added, mix only until everything is combined.

Prepare your Bundt pan thoroughly. I prefer using a baking spray containing flour, such as Baker's Joy.

Don't rely only on baking time. Ovens vary, so use the toothpick test to determine when your cake is actually done.

Allow the cake to cool before glazing. A warm cake can cause the glaze to melt and run off rather than set nicely on top.

Light Brown Sugar vs. Dark Brown Sugar

For the most consistent results, I recommend using light brown sugar as written in the recipe. Dark brown sugar contains more molasses and can give the cake a stronger molasses flavor and darker color.

Why Is My Brown Sugar Pound Cake Dry?

Overbaking is one of the most common reasons pound cake turns out dry.

Start checking your cake before the maximum baking time since every oven is a little different.

Also make sure to measure the flour accurately. Too much flour can absorb excess moisture and result in a drier cake.

And once you start adding the flour, don't overmix the batter.

Why Is My Brown Sugar Pound Cake Dense?

Pound cake naturally has a tighter crumb than a light layer cake, but it shouldn't feel heavy or gummy.

Make sure you cream the butter and sugars properly, use room-temperature ingredients, add the eggs one at a time, and avoid overmixing after adding the flour.

Can I Make Brown Sugar Pound Cake Without Pecans?

Yes. The pecans add flavor and crunch, but you can leave them out if you prefer. Simply prepare the brown sugar glaze without adding the chopped pecans.

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Why Did My Pound Cake Stick to the Pan?

Make sure your Bundt pan is thoroughly prepared before adding the batter.

Pay particular attention to the decorative grooves and center tube. I prefer baking spray that contains flour because it's easy to get into the detailed areas of a Bundt pan.

Also, don't leave the cake sitting in the pan indefinitely after baking. All it to cool for 10 minutes before removing it from the pan.

How Do I Know When Brown Sugar Pound Cake Is Done?

Insert a wooden toothpick or skewer into the thickest part of the cake. It's ready when the tester comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Wet batter means the cake needs additional baking time.

How to Store Brown Sugar Pound Cake

Once the cake and glaze have completely cooled, store the pound cake tightly covered in an airtight container for up to five days.

For longer storage, wrap the cake or individual slices well before freezing. Individual slices are convenient because you can thaw only what you want to eat.

Brown Sugar Pound Cake recipe

5 from 1 vote

Print Pin Rate

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: brown sugar pound cake, pound cake

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 1 10

Servings: people

Calories: 733kcal

Author: Ashley Frederick

Ingredients

To make the cake:
3 c all-purpose flour - sifted
1 ½ c unsalted butter - room temperature
2 c light brown sugar
1 c granulated sugar
1 tsp salt
5 large eggs- room temperature
1 c sour cream - room temperature
1 tbsp vanilla
1 tsp baking powder
Brown sugar glaze:
½ c unsalted butter
½ c light brown sugar
½ c (whole) milk
½ c powdered sugar
½ c chopped pecans
1 tsp vanilla

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Steps to make this cake:
Preheat your oven to 325 degrees.
Using a hand or stand mixer, blend the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together on medium speed until light and fluffy (approximately 5 minutes).
Add the eggs to the bowl one at a time, mixing well after each addition before adding the next egg.
Next, add the vanilla extract and mix.
Whisk the salt and baking powder into the flour mixture.
Add the flour mixture ½ c to 1 c at a time on low speed until combined alternating with the sour cream.
Using a spoon or spatula scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix ensuring that the batter is fully mixed together.
Spray a 12-cup bundt pan with baking spray.
Pour the batter into the pan and spread it evenly.
Bake for about an hour and 10 minutes. The cake is done when the toothpick comes out clean/with moist crumbs.
Remove the cake from the oven and allow it to cool for about 10 minutes before removing it from the pan. Allow the cake to continue to cool before adding the glaze.
To make the glaze:
In a saucepan, add the butter and melt on medium heat.
Whisk in the light brown sugar and milk. Simmer until the sugar is well blended- approximately 5 minutes.
Whisk in the powdered sugar and simmer for approximately two minutes.
Turn off the heat and add the vanilla extract.
Fold in half of the pecans and reserve the rest to top the cake with.
Pour the glaze over the cake as desired then sprinkle the top of the cake with the remaining pecans.
Serve once the glaze has set.

Video

Nutrition

Frequently Asked Questions

What does brown sugar do to pound cake?

Brown sugar adds sweetness, moisture, and a deeper caramel-like flavor due to the molasses it contains.

Do I have to make the brown sugar glaze?

No. The cake can be served without the glaze, but the homemade brown sugar glaze adds another layer of caramel-like flavor.

Can I leave the pecans out?

Absolutely. Simply omit them from the glaze and topping.

Can I make Brown Sugar Pound Cake ahead of time?

Yes. Pound cakes are excellent make-ahead desserts. In fact, I like giving pound cakes time to rest before serving so the flavors have a chance to come together.

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