Aunt Sue’s Easy Pound Cake Recipe
Made famous by my Aunt Sue, here’s an easy pound cake recipe that’s guaranteed to deliver a deliciously moist and sweet vanilla pound cake.
I’ve lost count of how many folks have asked for this easy pound cake recipe after I posted a photo of it with Mama’s custard sauce last week. Made famous by my dear Aunt Sue, this one appeared in my first cookbook and is truly the best pound cake recipe I have ever tasted. It is an absolute must-have at our family Thanksgiving and Christmas and we serve it in thick slices with Mama’s custard sauce poured over it – sublime!
Now, when I say this is an easy pound cake recipe, I mean it. All you need are six ingredients and I bet you have most of them in your kitchen right now: eggs, butter, sugar, all-purpose flour, whipping cream, and vanilla extract. It takes about 20 minutes to prep this recipe and then you just need to pop it in the oven. The addition of whipping cream in this pound cake recipe ensures every slice is deliciously moist and tender.
Traditionally, old-fashioned pound cakes were baked in a loaf pan. However, if you don’t have a tube pan, no worries! I make mine in a bundt cake pan instead, anyway. It will turn out just as delicious but you will have the delicious crunchy crust on the bottom instead of the top.
Now, let’s get baking Aunt Sue’s famous pound cake and do her proud! Keep scrolling for lots of fun recipe variations too, so you can make this butter pound cake recipe your own.
Recipe Ingredients
- Eggs
- Unsalted butter
- Sugar
- All-purpose flour
- Whipping cream
- Vanilla extract
Grease and flour a tube or bundt pan and set out the eggs and butter to allow them to come to room temperature.
In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until smooth.
Add the eggs, one egg at a time, beating for one minute after each addition.
Sift the flour and add it to the creamed mixture alternately with the whipping cream.
Mix until fully incorporated.
Stir in the vanilla extract.
Pour into the prepared pan and place in a cold oven. Turn the oven to 300 and bake for 80 to 90 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Cool completely before removing from pan and turning the bundt cake out onto a wire rack.
Serve your butter pound cake with Mama’s custard sauce and some fresh berries.
Enjoy the best pound cake recipe ever!
Storage
Store your pound cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days or in the fridge for up to 1 week. You can also freeze the entire cake or individual slices for up to 3 months. I recommend double wrapping in plastic wrap and then aluminum foil.
Recipe Notes
- Here are some fun recipe variations:
- Top your pound cake with a simple vanilla glaze. You’ll need 1 1/2 cups of powdered sugar, a teaspoon of vanilla extract, and a few tablespoons of milk. Mix together until it has a school glue-like consistency and sticks to the back of the spoon and then pour over the cooled cake.
- Swap the vanilla for lemon extract and lemon zest and top your pound cake with a lemon glaze. Use the glaze recipe above and swap the vanilla for lemon juice.
- Swap for almond extract and top your cake with a vanilla glaze, decorated with slivered almonds.
- Opt for peppermint extract and top your cake with a vanilla glaze, decorated with crushed peppermint candy cane pieces for a festive holiday dessert.
- For extra flavor and texture, add up to a cup of shredded coconut, mini chocolate chips, fresh berries, chopped nuts (pecans or walnuts are my picks), or dried fruit.
- Instead of a glaze, spread some creamy chocolate frosting on your sweet pound cake.
- Serve with whipped cream and fresh berries or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
- You can also use this recipe to make muffins instead. Follow the same instructions but pour the ingredients into a muffin tin and bake for 20 to 25 minutes. This post uses this exact recipe to make mini bundt cakes instead as well.
Recipe FAQs
Why is it called a pound cake?
Traditionally, a classic pound cake was made with a pound of each of the four main ingredients in this recipe: butter, eggs, sugar, and flour.
Here are more fantastic cake recipes:
Cheesecake Toppings & An Easy Cheesecake Recipe
Ole Fashioned Southern Sugar Plum Cake
Old Fashioned Hummingbird Cake Recipe
Peach Dump Cake Recipe (3 Ingredients Only)
Pumpkin Praline Cake With Cream Cheese Icing
Vegan Sweet Potato Cake With Maple Cashew Icing
Ingredients
- 6 eggs
- 1 cup butter 2 sticks
- 3 cups sugar
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup whipping cream also known as heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Grease and flour a tube or bundt pan and set out the eggs and butter to allow them to come to room temperature.6 eggs, 1 cup butter
- In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until smooth. Add the eggs, one egg at a time, beating for one minute after each addition. Sift the flour and add it to the creamed mixture alternately with the whipping cream. Mix until fully incorporated.6 eggs, 1 cup butter, 3 cups sugar, 3 cups all-purpose flour, 1 cup whipping cream
- Stir in the vanilla.1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pour the vanilla cake batter into the prepared pan and place in a cold oven. Turn the oven to 300 and bake for 80 to 90 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely before removing from pan.
Notes
Nutrition
“How many slams in an old screen door? Depends on how loud you shut it. How many slices are in bread? Depends on how thin you cut it. How much good inside a day? Depends on how good you live ‘em. How much love is inside a friend? Depends on how much you give ‘em.”
~Shel Silverstein. Submitted by Jenny. Click here to read more or submit your own.
Hi, this is literally the best cake recipe that I have tried. Is there a way I can make this recipe using a cupcake pan. Any suggestions please?
Can this recipe be baked in 2 loaf pans? I’d like to keep one and share the other.
YES!! I use 3 small loaf pans though. I divided the batter into 3 pans. I added cocoa powder and about 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract to that to make a chocolate loaf. I made a vanilla loaf and then made a marbled loaf. All were SOOO good! You will need to adjust cooking times though. I bake gor 35-45 minutes and check every 5-10 minutes after that.
This is absolutely the best pound cake on the planet. I bake mine in a Bundt pan. I always make the custard sauce.
I am so glad you enjoy it Barbara!!
Why not print recipe for sauce?
Hey Wanda, I’m afraid I’m not understanding what you’re asking. A link to the recipe for the sauce is right above the recipe card and there is a print button for it on that post, in a recipe card just like this one. Holler if you meant something different and I’m missing it. 🙂
Using Cake flour do I use the same amount as flour and nothing else changes?
Cake flour is much finer and has less protein than regular flour. I don’t recommend using it in this recipe but if you do it will be a bit of an experiment so let us know how it turns out!
I always make Aunt Sue’s pound cake exactly as she says.
It seems to take longer to bake in a bunt cake pan than a tube . Why?
My bundt pan is much thicker than my tube pan, therefore it takes a little to heat considering it is put into cold oven.
When a recipe calls for eggs, I always use large eggs (unless specified other). Is that true with this recipe? Thanks for the help!
Great tasting poundcake…I made today for our Thanksgiving meal tomorrow.!! I followed recipe except I used cake flour instead of all purpose flour. Thanks
Would it be okay to bake this is a loaf pan?
I have never tried it. In theory it should work though.
Any idea how many loaf pans it would take per recipe, Christy? Also wondering how full to fill each one, assuming it will take more than one.
I have made this recipe in loaf pans. It will take 3 pans. I cannot remember exact cooking times but I am thinking 35-45 minutes(?)….
I have a friend whom loves this recipe and wants me to make it as a layer cake. Could I follow the directions but bake it in regular round baking pans?
Eek. You know I’ve never heard of making a pound cake as a layer cake. Is she wanting icing? Pound cakes are generally rich and served on their own. Having said that, though, perhaps she is a genius and has just come up with the one thing none of us have ever thought of! I’ve never personally made it in a layer pan though and upon asking around can’t find anyone who has, so I can’t tell you anything but that it will probably be fine and we’d love for you to report back!
This is the best pound cake recipe I have ever tried. The only change I make is I only add 2 cups of sugar instead of three. It is still very sweet. Thank you for the recipe.
I am so glad you like it Lisa!!