The buttery pound cake of my childhood dreams. This makes a large pound cake in a bundt pan, or it can make two loaves. In the notes I have a half-recipe for those who just want a single loaf.
Ingredients
- 3 cups flour (348 g) – I use all-purpose; some like to use cake flour
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt (1 teaspoon if using unsalted butter)
- 1 cup (2 sticks; 227 grams) butter, softened at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 cups sugar (600 g) – could also be fine at 2.5 cups (500 g)
- 6 eggs, at room temperature
- 1 cup sour cream or plain/Greek yogurt (240 g)
- Zest of 1 lemon
Preparation
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour 9-in tube or bundt pan (3 1/2 in deep), or two 9″x5″ loaf pans.
- Sift together flour, soda, salt. (Confession: I never do this step.)
- In large mixing bowl, cream butter. Add vanilla, then gradually add sugar. Beat 2-3 min. Add eggs, two at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition and for 2-3 minutes after last addition.
- On lowest speed, add half dry ingredients, then all of sour cream, then balance of dry ingredients, beating only until smooth after each addition. Remove from mixer. Stir in lemon zest.
- Pour batter into prepared pan(s). Level out the batter by jiggling pan briskly back and forth several times. Bake 1 hr 15 minutes, until cake tester comes out dry (a long wooden skewer is best if you have one; a toothpick is too short to reach the center). Cool cake in pan 10-15 minutes. Remove cake from pan and cool completely on rack.
Notes
- Proportions for a single loaf: 1 1/2 cups flour, 1/8 teaspoon baking soda, 1/4 teaspoon salt (1/2 teaspoon if using unsalted butter), 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 1/2 cups sugar, 3 eggs, 1/2 cup sour cream or plain/greek yogurt, zest of 1/2 lemon
Here’s a link back to the post and pictures.
