Classic Pound Cake

Nov 3, 2026 · By VanillaGoods

Baking Cakes cupcakes Vanilla: Extract Easy

A dense, buttery loaf with a fine, tight crumb, made with equal weights of butter, sugar, eggs and flour. This is the half-pound version for one loaf. Makes 1 9x5-inch loaf in about 1 hr 35 min.

Prep 25 min

Cook 70 min

Total 1 hr 35 min

Yield 1 9x5-inch loaf

Ingredients

Adjust yield

9x5-inch loaf

1 cup (227 g)unsalted butter, softened
1 ¼ cups (227 g)granulated sugar
4 (200 g)eggs, room temperature, about 227 g without shells
1 ¾ cups (227 g)all-purpose flour
2 tsp (10 ml)pure vanilla extract
½ tsp (3 g)fine sea salt

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Instructions

Heat the oven to 325 F (160 C). Grease and flour a 9 x 5-inch (23 x 13 cm) loaf pan.
Beat the butter and sugar on medium-high for 5 minutes until very pale and fluffy.
Add the eggs one at a time, beating 1 minute after each, then beat in the vanilla.
Whisk the flour and salt together and fold in by hand in 2 additions until just no streaks remain.
Scrape into the pan and smooth the top.
Bake 60 to 70 minutes until deep golden, a toothpick comes out clean and the center reaches 205 F (96 C).
Cool in the pan 15 minutes, then turn out and cool on a rack.

Tips

Everything must be at room temperature or the batter will split.
Do not overmix after the flour; it makes the crumb tough.
If the top browns too quickly, tent with foil after 40 minutes.
Good with sweetened berries and whipped cream.

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Recipe FAQ

How long does it take to make classic pound cake?

Plan on 25 minutes of prep and 1 hour 10 minutes of cooking. The recipe makes 1 9x5-inch loaf.

How should I store classic pound cake?

Wrap well and store at room temperature for 4 days, or freeze for 2 months.

Can I make classic pound cake ahead?

It is at its best the day it is made; prepare it a few hours before serving.

Can I use a different form of vanilla?

Yes. This recipe uses 2 tsp pure vanilla extract (10 ml). Each teaspoon of pure vanilla extract can be swapped for 1 teaspoon of vanilla bean paste, the seeds of half a vanilla bean, or 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla powder. Paste and seeds add the classic dark specks.

Serve it with sweetened berries and whipped cream.

Estimated · per serving

Nutrition

Per serving = 1 of 1 serving this recipe makes.

304 Calories / serving

17.1g Fat

33.5g Carbs

4.2g Protein

19.2g Sugar

Whole recipe (1 serving): ~304 cal · 17g fat · 34g carbs · 4g protein · 19g sugar

Estimated values per serving, calculated from standard ingredient data. Not verified Nutrition Facts; actual values vary with brands, measurements, and preparation.