Buttermilk Pound Cake

Pound cake is classic Southern comfort food, and you can never have too many recipes. There’s just something so soul-satisfying about the perfect ratio of butter, sugar, eggs, and flour. Make it a buttermilk pound cake, and you can overcome anything.

Surprise guests? Throw this deliciousness together while you brew a pot of coffee, and you are good. You might be surprised how popular you become when your friends find out about your new fave recipe. It’s incredibly awesome with sliced fruit and homemade whipped cream. Need I say more?

What Makes a Pound Cake a Pound Cake?

This fantastically decadent cake has been around for ceeenturies! And no wonder! Talk about the original super simple way to remember a recipe. A pound of butter, a pound of sugar, a dozen eggs (way back when eggs were smaller, a dozen weighed about a pound), and a pound of flour with some baking soda. Yum!

Now, it doesn’t have to stop there. The options to make different flavored cakes are endless: lemon, strawberry, peach, and even sweet potato are super fabulicious. And if that weren’t enough, you can start combining flavors. How about strawberry banana, almond cranberry, or mango coconut? The sky’s the limit.

Recipe Ingredients

Buttermilk does so much for your cake to make it extra special. Not only does it add a delicately tangy flavor, but it also interacts with the gluten for that beautifully melt-in-your-mouth texture, has a party with your baking soda for a wonderful bounce, and it makes it super moist. Win-win! So here’s the lineup for your recipe!

• Butter – The creamy authentic flavor adds pure richness to any cake. However, pound cake can’t live without it.
• Sugar – We need all the sweetness in life we can get.
• Eggs – These guys are the perfect binder for any cake or bread, giving it a better lift.
• Flour – I use all-purpose flour for a stable structure.
• Buttermilk – The pleasant tang balances the sweetness without adding a lot more fat. Its acidity also tenderizes gluten and activates the baking powder faster for a better rise.
• Vanilla Extract – This ingredient adds a creamy flavor that marries the sweet and tart in a bond that will last forever.

How to Make Buttermilk Pound Cake

1. Cream the butter with the sugar.
2. Then add the eggs, mixing thoroughly after each egg.
3. Mix in the dry ingredients thoroughly.
4. Stir in the buttermilk and vanilla extract, scraping down the sides of the bowl.
5. Pour the batter into a greased tube pan and bake.

Recipe Tips

• No buttermilk, no problem! Replace it with 1½ of whole milk, then stir in a tablespoon of lemon juice or apple cider vinegar (white vinegar works, too).
• Powdered sugar is deliciously dusted on top. My shortcut is grinding regular granulated sugar in the blender until it’s powdered. I usually make as much as I need for the recipe because the chemical-free version tends to pack down over time.
• If your cake dries out, a simple syrup spiked with rum will fix that problem quickly.

Storage Instructions

Pound cake lasts 4-5 days at room temperature (unless you eat it all before😉), and a week in the fridge. If you want a speedy treat for an emergency, you can freeze individual slices in a freezer bag, then nuke it when the craving hits.

More Pound Cake Recipes

• Strawberry Pound Cake
• 7UP Pound Cake
• Peach Cobbler Pound Cake
• Sweet Potato Pound Cake