The Ultimate Sour Cream Pound Cake And How To Make It
Sour cream pound cake and fresh strawberries. A winning combination. As soon as fresh strawberries start hitting our local market, I am all about making some seriously delicious sour cream pound cake.
Actually, that is all I can think about come strawberry season. It is that good. Top it all off with some homemade whipped cream. Oh. My. Goodness. What a delight for the tastebuds.
The great thing about sour cream pound cake topped with strawberries and whipped cream is how impressive this is. You are sure to impress family and friends when you bring this dessert to the table.
Just between you and me, sour cream pound cake is deceptively EASY. Which makes it a perfect dessert when you are short on time.
This easy sour cream pound cake can be baked the day before and stored at room temperature. The cake can stay out for 1 – 2 days. If you add any type of buttercream frosting or any dairy topping, the cake will need to be refrigerated.
Steps To Making The Ultimate Sour Cream Pound Cake
- Sift dry ingredients together. Set aside.
- Cream butter and sugar till light and fluffy.
- Add eggs, one at a time to creamed butter and sugar.
- Stir in sour cream and vanilla to the wet ingredients.
- Slowly add dry ingredients to wet.
- Pour in prepared pan.
- Bake then cool.
Those are the steps in simplified form. So easy. Please use recipe below for more detailed directions!
Sour Cream Substitutions
I add sour cream to the majority of my loaf cakes and quick breads. I love the flavor and tenderness that sour cream adds to baked goods. However, not everyone loves sour cream like I do. And that is fine. Really. Fine. Really.
Plain greek yogurt is a great substitute. It is nearly the same consistency so you won’t have to worry with the cake batter being too watery. You will save on calories due to the lower fat content of plain greek yogurt. The other plus is greek yogurt provides more protein than sour cream.
You could also use buttermilk if you have that on hand. Just use 1/8 of a cup instead of the 1/4 cup of sour cream. Use less so you don’t water down the batter changing the ratio.
What Is A Traditional Pound Cake
A traditional pound cake consisted of a pound of butter, a pound of flour, a pound of sugar and a pound of eggs. Do the math and that means a pound cake weighs in at 4 pounds! Wow, glad modern pound cakes are much lighter.
This easy sour cream pound cake recipe doesn’t call for quite so much in ingredients. But it does have a fine crumb and buttery taste.
The telltale sign of a good pound cake is the slight crack that runs down the middle.
Which means that the batter for the cake was mixed properly.
The Importance of Creaming The Butter
Pound cake is relatively easy. The main technique is to properly cream the butter and sugar together. Which means you must start out with room temperature butter. It is so much easier to beat softened butter than cold.
Once the butter is beaten, then slowly add the granulated sugar to the bowl. Beating as the sugar is added.
Continue to beat the two together till light and fluffy. You will notice the volume increases. The color changes to a lighter shade as it is being beaten. This technique ensures a fine and tender crumb.
You could cream the butter and sugar by hand but I would highly recommended you use either a hand mixer or a stand mixer. Your hands will thank you for it.
Pound Cake Toppings
Pound cake is delicious all by itself but it gets even better when a topping is added. My favorite fruit to add to pound cake is hands down strawberries . You could add any fruit that is in season.
- Jam (heated) pours beautifully
- Fruit compote
- Lemon curd
- Ice cream
- Whipped cream by itself or with fruit
Loaf Pan Or Bundt Pan
Traditionally, pound cake has been baked in a loaf pan. This recipe is no exception. You need to use a standard 9 x 5 inch loaf pan for this pound cake.
My favorite loaf pan is by Emile Henry. This is a ceramic loaf pan that is dishwasher safe. I love the ruffled edge. The white that is accented by a beige bottom. Love it. Not only is it pretty but it bakes beautiful loaf cakes and quick breads. Baking is much more pleasurable when you are using beautiful and efficient tools.
There are recipes made just for bundt pans which typically hold 10 cups of batter.
For cakes baked in a bundt pan, you may like these:
- Southern Pecan Coconut Pecan Bundt Cake
- Simply The Best Carrot Cake You Will Ever Eat
- Cinnamon Swirl Coffee Cake
Historically, a pound cake is a classic dense cake. Originating in France, consisting of one pound each of butter, sugar, eggs and flour.
This is a delicious pound cake that can be served plain or dressed up. Such a versatile dessert. You will love it.
Have you made this recipe? Please rate it in the comment section below.
The Ultimate Sour Cream Pound Cake
Equipment
- 9 x 5 inch loaf pan
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 cup butter (room temperature)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 4 eggs (room temperature)
- 1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- ¼ cup sour cream
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325℉
- Use a size 9 x 5 inch loaf pan, grease well using non-stick cooking spray or buttering the pan then dusting with flour.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt and nutmeg. Set aside.2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until both sticks are combined. Add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy. You could also beat by hand or use a hand mixer.1 cup butter, 1 cup granulated sugar
- Add the eggs to the butter and sugar mixture, one at a time until fully incorporated. Continue mixing until all the eggs have been added.4 eggs
- Stir in the vanilla extract and sour cream until combined. Scrape the bowl with a spatula, if necessary.1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract, ¼ cup sour cream
- Add the dry ingredients slowly to the wet ingredients. Mix until just blended. Do not over beat.
- Spread the batter into the prepared loaf pan.
- Bake at 325℉ for 55 minutes. Using a toothpick to check for doneness. The toothpick should come out clean. If not, continue baking for an additional 5 to 10 minutes. Checking at 5 minute intervals.
- When finished baking, remove the pan to a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes. Then turn out the cake onto the cooling rack. Serve when completely cooled.
Made this for my husband. He loved it! Has told me he’s not sharing any with me. :p
Thank you for the recipe!
That’s so funny. I hope you got a piece anyway! Glad the recipe was a winner!
Making this recipe for pots of people as we speak! Great recipe!!!
Making this recipe for lots of people as we speak! Great recipe!!!
Thank you, Erica! It’s one of my favorite cake recipes.
Hello, do you use salted or unsalted butter?
Hi Robin,
I use salted butter.