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Classic Buttery Pound Cake
The name “pound cake” comes from the way the recipe used to be made: it called for one pound each of butter, sugar, eggs, and flour. This simple formula made it easy to remember. Pound cake recipes have become more sophisticated over the years. This version uses sour cream to add to the density, but it’s just as tasty as ever.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: Serves 12 1x
- Category: Bakery
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for the pan
- 16 tablespoons
- (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup vegetable shortening
- 3 cups granulated sugar
- 5 large eggs
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
- Confectioners’ sugar for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour two 6-cavity mini Bundt pans.
- Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and shortening on medium speed until fluffy. Add the sugar gradually until fully mixed in. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking powder. In a measuring cup, combine the milk, sour cream, and vanilla.
- On low speed, add the flour mixture to the butter mixture in 3 batches, alternating with the sour cream mixture in 2 batches, beating until combined. Stir in the lemon zest.
- Fill each mini Bundt cavity three-quarters full.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until the cakes are golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack and let cool completely.
- Transfer to individual dessert plates, dust with confectioners’ sugar, and serve.
Notes
- If you’d like to make one large cake instead of individual cakes, grease and flour a 12-cup Bundt pan. Make the batter as directed, then bake the cake for 1 1/2 hours. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, before turning it out onto a wire rack and letting cool completely.
