Sour Cream Pound Cake
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This melt-in-your-mouth sour cream pound cake with a buttery texture and a moist crumb is a cake you can have with a cup of coffee for breakfast or dress up a little for dessert. Enjoy as it or top it with a simple dusting of powdered sugar or serve it with whipped cream and berries!
There are certain staple recipes that every home baker needs. An angel food cake is one and the best sour cream pound cake is the other. The two most versatile cakes are quite similar yet different enough that you want to have a recipe for both!
I’ve also got recipes for a strawberry pound cake and a blueberry lemon pound cake, but sometimes you just need a plain and simple traditional pound cake.
If you’re not sure how a delicious and dense cake can melt in your mouth, trust me, it does. The addition of the sour cream gives it a slight tang, the fat adds moisture, and the acid gives the cake a soft crumb.
It’s so simple, yet utterly fantastic and this recipe for old fashioned pound cake with sour cream is one you’ll keep coming back to.
Serve it as is or with a simple vanilla glaze and serve it with ice cream, whipped topping, and/or fresh berries on the side!
Why you’ll love this recipe
- The texture is perfection. Buttery soft yet dense with a moist and tender crumb.
- It takes just 10 minutes of prep time before it’s in the oven.
- All of the simple ingredients are basic pantry and kitchen staples.
- It’s a classic cake that everyone loves.
- Perfect for any and every occasion!
Ingredients for Old Fashioned Sour Cream Pound Cake
This section includes ingredient notes and substitution options. Get all measurements, ingredients, and instructions in the printable recipe card at the end of this post.
- Granulated sugar – The only source of sweetness in this cake, so we’re not shy about using almost 3 cups.
- Butter – I use unsalted butter to control the amount of added salt. Bring it to room temperature about 30 minutes beforehand, so that it creams easily.
- Large eggs – Bring them out to room temperature with the butter. When ingredients start at room temperature, not only do they combine better but it helps with even baking.
- Pure vanilla extract – Gives the cake its delicious vanilla flavor. Lemon extract or almond extract are great flavor swaps.
- All-purpose flour – Sift the flour to remove any lumps to ensure the flour blends fully and gives the cake a lighter consistency. Use a flour sifter or a fine mesh sieve if you have one.
- Salt – Brings out the flavors in every ingredient enhancing the taste of each bite.
- Baking soda – The reaction between the baking soda and the acid in the sour cream provides an even better rise and a more tender crumb.
- Sour cream – Use full-fat sour cream for the best consistency. If you prefer to replace the tangy sour cream with tangy plain Greek yogurt, you can. Either one also needs to come to room temperature.
What size cake pan should I use?
I recommend a 12 cup bundt cake pan for this pound cake recipe. A 10-inch tube pan10-inch tube pan (also known as an angel food pan) would work as well, but I find a fluted bundt pan makes for a nicer presentation.
How to Make this Sour Cream Pound Cake Recipe
This section shows you how to make the recipe with step-by-step photos and instructions. For the full printable recipe, see the recipe card below.
Step 1: In a large bowl with an electric mixer or the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the sugar and butter until light and fluffy. If using a stand mixer, use the paddle attachment.
Step 2: Crack the eggs in one at a time and beat well after each addition. Pause to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Then, mix in the vanilla.
Step 3: In a separate medium bowl, whisk the sifted flour, salt, and baking soda together.
Step 4: Turn the mixer down to the lowest speed and alternate adding the flour mixture and sour cream to the wet ingredients. Again, mix to combine between each addition and scrape down the sides of the bowl as you go.
Pro Tip:
Do not overmix! This cake is going to be dense, but you don’t want it to be too dense and dry. Just mix the cake batter until everything is combined.
Step 5: Pour batter into a prepared bundt cake pan and bake in a preheated 325°oven for 70-85 minutes. Cool in the pan for 15 minutes before turning it onto a plate or wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy!
Storage
Leftover pound cake can be kept at room temperature for up to 3 days when covered in an airtight container. It’ll dry out quickly if not covered.
To freeze it, wrap the whole cake or individual pieces in plastic wrap, then a layer of aluminum foil, and transfer it to a freezer bag. Keep it frozen for up to 3 months and thaw at room temperature before serving.
This cake is typically eaten at room temperature, but if you want to warm it up a bit, you can reheat it in the microwave for about 20-30 seconds a piece.
Tips for the Best Pound Cake
- Do not turn the heat up. This cake bakes at 325 degrees for a longer period. This gives the cake a chance to rise and completely bake on the inside. It’s a pretty dense cake, so the last thing you want is to overbake the outside with higher heat while the inside isn’t baked through.
- To test the cake for doneness, stick a toothpick in the center of the cake. If it comes out clean or nearly clean with a few moist crumbs, it’s ready!
- For an elegant finish, dust the cake with confectioners’ sugar before serving.
- Serve it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, a dollop of yogurt, homemade whipp cream, and/or fresh fruit and berries.
More Cake Recipes
- Lemon Poke Cake with Jello
- Double Chocolate Coca Cola Cake
- Ricotta Cake with Cake Mix
- Peach Bundt Cake
Sour Cream Pound Cake
Equipment
- 12-Cup Bundt Pan or tube pan
Ingredients
- 2 ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 6 large eggs room temperature
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour sifted
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 8 ounces sour cream room temperature
Instructions
- Place oven rack in the middle position and preheat oven to 325 F. Spray a 10-inch tube pan or 12-cup bundt pan with nonsticking cooking spray and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl (or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment), cream the sugar and butter until light and fluffy, about 4-5 minutes.
- Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
- Mix in vanilla extract.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk to combine flour, salt, and baking soda.
- With the mixer on the lowest speed, alternate adding the dry ingredients and sour cream to the wet ingredients, beating after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. *Only mix until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Pour batter into the prepared pan, smoothing out the top with a rubber spatula if needed.
- Bake at 325° for 70-85 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs.
- Cool in pan for 15 minutes; then turn out onto a plate and allow to cool before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
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