I promise my Homemade Vanilla Pound Cake slices like velvet and will shame every store-bought loaf you thought was decent.

Jump to Recipe

I’m obsessed with my messy slice of Vanilla Pound Cake Loaf, and yeah I’ll say it out loud: it’s the Best Pound Cake Recipe for when you want something rich without fuss. I love how the room temp butter sings with vanilla extract, making crumbs that actually mean business.

I eat it plain, with a dollop of ice cream, or alongside black coffee and call it breakfast. No fluff, just butter and sugar doing their job.

It’s simple, dense, buttery, and kind of addicting. And I will defend this loaf in public.

No apologies, I devour it every single weekend.

Ingredients

Print Recipe (No Advertisments)

Room temp butter adds rich flavor and keeps the cake tender and moist.
Granulated sugar gives sweet structure and creates a fine, delicate crumb.
Large eggs add lift, structure, richness, and make the crumb soft.
Pure vanilla brings warm, familiar flavor that smells like comfort.
All purpose flour builds the cake’s body and keeps slices from collapsing.
Baking powder adds gentle lift so the cake bakes light, not dense.
Fine salt brightens flavors and helps the sweetness taste balanced, clean.
Warm milk loosens batter, adds tenderness and gives a smooth crumb.

Ingredient Quantities

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened — wait, sorry, dont use that mark; just make sure it’s room temp

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

4 large eggs, at room temperature

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

2 cups (240 g) all purpose flour, spooned and leveled

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon fine salt

1/2 cup whole milk, warmed slightly

How to Make this

Print Recipe (No Advertisments)

1. Preheat oven to 325 F and grease and flour a 9×5 inch loaf pan or a 10 inch bundt pan, tapping out excess flour.

2. Make sure the butter is room temp and soft. In a large bowl beat the butter and granulated sugar together until light and fluffy, scraping the bowl once or twice; this takes about 3 to 5 minutes with an electric mixer.

3. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition so the batter stays smooth, then stir in the vanilla extract.

4. In a separate bowl whisk together the all purpose flour, baking powder and fine salt to make sure they are evenly mixed.

5. With the mixer on low, add about a third of the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix until just combined.

6. Pour in half of the warmed whole milk and mix briefly, then add another third of the dry ingredients, mix just until combined, add the rest of the milk, and finish with the remaining dry ingredients. Do not overmix or you’ll make the cake tough.

7. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top with a spatula and tap the pan gently on the counter to release any big air bubbles.

8. Bake on the middle rack for 55 to 70 minutes, or until the top is golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs but not raw batter. If the top browns too fast, tent loosely with foil.

9. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 to 15 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack to cool completely before slicing so it sets up and slices cleanly.

10. Serve plain or with fresh fruit, whipped cream or a scoop of ice cream. Store tightly wrapped at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze slices for longer.

Equipment Needed

1. Oven (set to 325 F)
2. 9×5 inch loaf pan or 10 inch bundt pan, greased and floured
3. Electric mixer (hand or stand)
4. 2 large mixing bowls
5. Whisk for dry ingredients
6. Rubber spatula for scraping and smoothing batter
7. Measuring cups and spoons (for flour, sugar, salt, etc)
8. Wire cooling rack
9. Toothpick or cake tester to check doneness

FAQ

1 cup 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened, just make sure it's room temp

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

4 large eggs, at room temperature

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

2 cups 240 g all purpose flour, spooned and leveled

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon fine salt

1/2 cup whole milk, warmed slightly

Q: Can I use salted butter instead? A: Yes, you can. Reduce or omit the added salt in the recipe depending on how salty your butter is.

Q: How do I know the cake is done? A: Insert a toothpick in the center. It should come out with a few moist crumbs but not wet batter. The top should be golden and the edges slightly pulling away from the pan.

Q: Can I substitute milk for another liquid? A: You can use buttermilk or half-and-half for a richer texture. If you use buttermilk, the cake will be a touch tangier and you might reduce the baking powder to 1/4 teaspoon.

Q: Why did my cake sink in the middle? A: Common causes are underbaking, opening the oven door too early, or too much leavening. Make sure oven temp is accurate and avoid peeking for the first 40 minutes.

Q: Can I make this in a bundt pan or mini loaf pans? A: Yes. For a bundt pan increase bake time to about 60 to 75 minutes. For mini loaves reduce bake time to 25 to 35 minutes, check early.

Q: How do I get an extra moist cake? A: Don't overmix, use room temp ingredients, and try adding 1 tablespoon sour cream or Greek yogurt to the batter. Also avoid overbaking.

Easy Vanilla Pound Cake Recipe Substitutions and Variations

Easy Vanilla Pound Cake

Ingredients
– 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
– 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
– 4 large eggs, at room temperature
– 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
– 2 cups (240 g) all purpose flour, spooned and leveled
– 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
– 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
– 1/2 cup whole milk, warmed slightly

Method
1. Preheat oven to 325 F. Grease and flour a 9×5 loaf pan, or line with parchment.
2. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 3 to 5 minutes. It might not look perfect, but keep whipping till it’s noticeably paler.
3. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Scrape the bowl so nothing is left behind.
4. Stir in the vanilla.
5. In a separate bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
6. Add the dry mix to the butter mixture in three parts, alternating with the warm milk: flour, milk, flour, milk, finish with flour. Mix until just combined. Don’t overmix or the cake gets tough.
7. Pour batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top, and tap the pan on the counter once to remove big air bubbles.
8. Bake 60 to 75 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. If the top browns too fast, tent loosely with foil.
9. Cool in the pan 15 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.

Notes and quick tips
– Room temp eggs and butter give a better texture, so plan ahead.
– If you want a glaze, sift 1 cup powdered sugar with 1 to 2 tbsp milk until pourable, drizzle over cooled loaf.
– This cake is slightly dense, which is how pound cake should be, but it should still be tender.

Substitutions

Butter: use 1 cup solid coconut oil (mild coconut flavor), or 1 cup vegetable shortening for a neutral taste; results will be a touch different in texture.
Eggs: for 4 eggs, use 1 cup unsweetened applesauce (makes it more moist and denser) or 1 cup pureed silken tofu for an eggless version.
Milk: swap with 1/2 cup buttermilk (adds tang and keeps crumb tender) or 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk for dairy-free.
All purpose flour: for a lighter crumb use 2 cups cake flour (or measure 2 cups minus 4 tbsp all purpose, then add 4 tbsp cornstarch) for a softer cake.

Enjoy.

Pro Tips

1. Make sure the butter and eggs are truly at room temp before you start. Cold butter makes clumpy batter and takes longer to aerate, and cold eggs can cause the batter to seize up. If you forgot to take them out, cut the butter into small pieces and let it sit 10 minutes, or warm eggs briefly in a bowl of warm water for 5 minutes.

2. Measure flour by spooning into the cup and leveling off like you already noted, don’t scoop with the cup. Too much flour makes a dry, heavy loaf. If your kitchen is humid, sift the flour quickly before measuring so it doesnt compact.

3. When you add the dry and wet ingredients alternate in thirds, and stop mixing as soon as you dont see streaks of flour. Overmixing develops gluten and will give you a tough cake. Use a rubber spatula for the last fold to be extra gentle.

4. Bake time varies a lot by pan and oven. If the top is browning too fast, tent loosely with foil. Start checking at the earlier end of the time range and use a toothpick in the center; a few moist crumbs is perfect. Let the loaf cool in the pan 10 to 15 minutes so it firms up, then invert to cool completely or slicing will be messy.

Easy Vanilla Pound Cake Recipe

Recipe by Kate Sinclair

0.0 from 0 votes

I promise my Homemade Vanilla Pound Cake slices like velvet and will shame every store-bought loaf you thought was decent.

Servings

servings

Calories

340

kcal

Equipment: 1. Oven (set to 325 F)
2. 9×5 inch loaf pan or 10 inch bundt pan, greased and floured
3. Electric mixer (hand or stand)
4. 2 large mixing bowls
5. Whisk for dry ingredients
6. Rubber spatula for scraping and smoothing batter
7. Measuring cups and spoons (for flour, sugar, salt, etc)
8. Wire cooling rack
9. Toothpick or cake tester to check doneness

Ingredients

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened — wait, sorry, dont use that mark; just make sure it's room temp
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs, at room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 cups (240 g) all purpose flour, spooned and leveled
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
1/2 cup whole milk, warmed slightly

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 F and grease and flour a 9×5 inch loaf pan or a 10 inch bundt pan, tapping out excess flour.
Make sure the butter is room temp and soft. In a large bowl beat the butter and granulated sugar together until light and fluffy, scraping the bowl once or twice; this takes about 3 to 5 minutes with an electric mixer.
Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition so the batter stays smooth, then stir in the vanilla extract.
In a separate bowl whisk together the all purpose flour, baking powder and fine salt to make sure they are evenly mixed.
With the mixer on low, add about a third of the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix until just combined.
Pour in half of the warmed whole milk and mix briefly, then add another third of the dry ingredients, mix just until combined, add the rest of the milk, and finish with the remaining dry ingredients. Do not overmix or you'll make the cake tough.
Scrape the batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top with a spatula and tap the pan gently on the counter to release any big air bubbles.
Bake on the middle rack for 55 to 70 minutes, or until the top is golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs but not raw batter. If the top browns too fast, tent loosely with foil.
Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 to 15 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack to cool completely before slicing so it sets up and slices cleanly.
Serve plain or with fresh fruit, whipped cream or a scoop of ice cream. Store tightly wrapped at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze slices for longer.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.