How to Make a Pound Cake for Beginners

If you're new to baking pound cakes you've come to the right place! This beginner-friendly guide is packed with everything you need to know to make a beautiful, moist pound cake that will impress your friends and family! We don't do box cake mixes over here, so I'll be teaching you how to make delicious pound cakes from scratch. So let's get into it so I can show you how it's done!

Begginer-friendly pound cake recipes ---> Sour Cream Pound Cake, Cream Cheese Pound Cake, Whipping Cream Pound Cake, Buttermilk Pound Cake

What Is A Pound Cake?

A pound cake is commonly made in a bundt pan and is also called a bundt cake. It is made from 4 main ingredients- flour, sugar, butter, and eggs; typically a pound of each ingredient.

Of course, there are many variations of how to make a pound cake, but those are the basic ingredients. Pound cakes are moist and tender, yet dense in texture. This old-fashioned dessert has definitely evolved these days and is served with or without icing.

Nowadays recipes also include flavorings/extracts, milk and various other liquids, baking soda, and baking powder, which were not typical ingredients included in pound cakes once upon a time.

Prepare your Pound Cake Ingredients

Pound cake consists of very basic ingredients that are pantry staples. Before preparing a pound cake recipe you want to make sure that all of your ingredients are adequately prepared.

Flour

It's very important to measure the flour correctly. To do so, sift the flour and then spoon it into your measuring cup. Level off the measuring cup with the back of a knife for an even measurement. Do not pack the flour into the measuring cup, just simply spoon it into the cup. I mainly use unbleached all-purpose flour when making pound cakes and usually use the Gold Medal brand.

Butter

I use unsalted butter for my cakes. Most of the time I do still add salt to my cakes, as I am able to control the amount of salt used by not using salted butter. Whether or not you choose to use salted or unsalted butter is personal choice.

What's important is to always make sure to use room-temperature butter. You want to give yourself adequate time to allow the butter to soften. This will depend on the temperature of your home, etc. A good rule of thumb is to take the butter out two hours before you are going to start preparing your cake.

Sugar

Granulated sugar is the most common sugar used for pound cakes. To properly measure your sugar, spoon it into your measuring cup and level it off with the back of a knife.

Eggs

Large eggs should always be used for pound cakes. The should be at room temperature as well. They are typically kept whole until it's time to begin mixing the batter. If the eggs aren't taken out in time, they can be cracked into a small dish and allowed to come to room temperature before being added to the batter.

Liquids, etc.

There are several different liquids that are used in pound cakes these days. Some common liquids are milk, buttermilk, half and half, heavy whipping cream, and even soda like 7 UP. These ingredients should be at room temperature as well. One of my favorite ingredients to use in pound cakes is cream cheese. It adds such decadence to the cake. It should be at room temperature as well.

Baking soda, baking powder, extracts, salt

Always make sure to use exact measurements of these ingredients. Ingredients such as baking soda or baking powder, although not always needed, can improve the texture of the cake and give it more rise. Salt balances the flavors of the cake. And extracts add flavor to the cake. Common extracts are vanilla, lemon, almond, butter, coconut, etc. Make sure these ingredients are not expired for the best results.

Why do my ingredients need to be at room temperature?

The ingredients need to be at room temperature to make sure they incorporate into the batter evenly, to prevent clumping, and to create a velvety batter.

How to prepare the bundt pan?

My favorite method is using a baking spray such as Baker's Joy which includes the flour and oil all in one can. It's always a no-fail method for me and the cake comes right out of the pan. You can also grease the pan with oil (solid or liquid) then dust the pan evenly with flour if you prefer.

What is the secret to a moist pound cake?

My favorite way to add moisture to a cake is to add buttermilk. There are several other ways to ensure your pound cake is moist such as adding cream cheese, sour cream or heavy whipping cream.

How long does the cake stay fresh?

Generally five days for the best freshness.

How to store a pound cake:

To store pound cake, place it in an airtight container, such as a cake container. It can be wrapped in plastic wrap, and/or foil, either whole or sliced. The pound cake also freezes well. You can freeze the cake as is or cut it into slices and freeze it. If you cut it into slices, I recommend wrapping the slices in foil and then placing them into a freezer/ziplock bag before storing it in the freezer. Freeze for up to three months for the best freshness.

Picking the right Bundt Pan:

The type of Bundt pan needed depends on the size of the cake being baked. A 12‑cup Bundt pan is a versatile option that works for most recipes. Since many pound cakes are around 10 cups, using a slightly larger pan provides extra room and helps prevent overflow.

Some of the most reliable pans are those passed down through generations, along with sturdy options from Nordic Ware. Nordic Ware pans are known for producing tall, evenly baked cakes thanks to their durable construction.

I hope this article gave you all the tools you need to start making delicious made-from-scratch pound cakes and create some delicious memories with your family and friends. Take your time and have fun going through the process.

As with anything, baking is a learning process and is definitely trial and error. Take your time! You'll get there!

Happy baking!

Find all of my pound cake recipes here

Find all of my baking guides here

Tools I Use & Recommend

These are the exact tools I use to get consistent, bakery-quality pound cakes every time. Using the right equipment makes a BIG difference-especially when it comes to texture, bake time, and getting that perfect release.

• 12 cup Bundt Pan (Standard size pan for most pound cake recipes)
• 18 cup Bundt Pan (Needed for Mile High Pound Cake recipes)
• Stand Mixer or Hand Mixer
• Silicone Spatula
• Oven Thermometer
• Cake Keeper
• Measuring Cups and Measuring Spoons

👉🏾 "Shop all my favorite baking tools here

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