Pound Cake
The very first thing I learnt how to bake as a kid was a pound cake. This rich and buttery cake remains relevant and holds its own among the millions of cake recipes out there. Unlike the original cake from which this cake got its name, this recipe is a lot lighter and richer and does not require a large volume of ingredients. The pound cakes I grew up eating were the first to introduce me to nutmeg as a spice. This is a family recipe I hold dear to my heart and I am happy to share it with you all.
INGREDIENTS:
(1) 240 Grams Cake Flour (2 Cups)
(2) 226 Grams Unsalted Butter (1 Cup)
(3) 200 Grams Granulated White Sugar (1 Cup)
(4) 4 Large Eggs
(5) 2 Teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract
(6) 4 Tablespoons Milk
(7) 1/4 Teaspoon Salt
(8) 1 Teaspoon Baking Powder
(9) 1/2 Teaspoon Grated Nutmeg
A Few Notes: The pound cake is one of those cakes where the ingredients speak for themselves. Please ensure that you use the very best of ingredients when making this cake. Do not be tempted to substitute the butter with margarine or shortening as butter is the principal flavoring agent of this cake. Your eggs should be fresh and your ingredients should be measured as accurately as possible. Do not us artificial vanilla extract as the flavor is very inferior to pure vanilla extract. The nutmeg is not a usual ingredient in pound cakes, but it makes a whole world of difference when you use it. Make sure all your ingredients are at room temperature before you start baking. This rule applies to the butter, eggs and milk.
PROCEDURE:
(1) Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C). The oven needs to be hot when the cake goes in.
(2) Butter or grease a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan. I prefer to butter my pan for pound cakes because of the extra buttery flavor it adds to the cake.
(3) In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Grate your fresh nutmeg into the flour and mix with a whisk to aerate the flour.
(4) In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the butter and mix at medium speed for about 2 minutes or till creamy. Use your rubber spatula to scrape and incorporate butter sticking to the base and sides of the mixing bowl. It is important that your butter be at room temperature so the creaming process can be executed properly.
(5) Stop mixer and scrape bowl with spatula. Switch mixer back on. With the mixer running at medium speed, pour in sugar slowly so it can be picked up by the mixer blade and blended with the butter. Continue to cream your butter and sugar until it is light and fluffy. This takes about 3 to 5 minutes. Use your spatula at intervals to scrape bottom and sides of bowl. This method of baking cakes is called the creaming method as opposed to the genoise method which starts with the eggs and sugar.
(6) After creaming the butter and sugar together, add the eggs one at a time with the mixer still running at medium speed. Do not put in all your eggs at once or the batter will separate.
(7) Add the vanilla extract to the batter and mix well. Scrape sides of bowl.
(8) Finally, add the flour mixture and milk in 3 additions, starting and ending with the flour (flour, milk, flour). This way of incorporating the flour into the batter will ensure that the batter is smooth and not over mixed.
(9) As soon as most of the flour has blended into the batter, stop the mixer and incorporate whatever leftover flour you might have with your spatula. Do not mix the cake for long after adding the flour or the cake will be very dense and hard as opposed to light and fluffy.
(10) Pour cake batter into prepared cake pan and smooth the surface with a spatula. Bake cake in preheated oven for 55 minutes to 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Do not over bake cake as this will make it dry. If cake starts becoming too brown, cover with foil paper about 40 minutes into baking.
(11) Remove cake from oven when ready and place on a wire rack for about 10 minutes for it to cool down a bit. After 10 minutes, remove cake from baking pan and allow to cool down completely on wire rack before slicing. I must confess that this is a tall order as I always find myself slicing into this cake while it is still hot. It is very difficult to resist this cake or the smell of nutmeg that fills your kitchen during the baking period.
Enjoy your rich and buttery cake with your family and loved ones and pass on the tradition of baking.
This pound cake recipe can be doubled and baked in two, 7, 8 or 9 inch pans and frosted to create a celebration cake.
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Terry Adido is passionate about showing people how easy it is to recreate restaurant quality meals in the comfort of their kitchens. With a style of cooking he refers to as Afro-European Fusion, his meals are influenced greatly by French and Italian Cuisine with a West African twist. If you love good food, you are in for the ride of your life.
Thanks Terry
You are welcome
Good Sunday morning Terry, iretired from active ‘caking’ due to illhealth in’08, but got back into the scene ’bout 2months ago. I’m really struggling to upgrade as everything has gone ‘digital’ in this business. I want to thank you specially for this recipe. This is the only pound cake I ever made,liked and ate. I actually used it for my son’s matric cake and topped the cake with another version of helmet(bt used urs as a prototype guide). God bless you for sharing your gifts FREE OF CHARGE. You have a believer in me n I’m following you closely. My problem is I’m Stl trying to learn to work your site. Stay well.
Thanks for your message Toks. I am glad you are back to baking and found this recipe useful. My website ire really quite easy to navigate. The links on the main menu direct you to over pages. Kind regards.
Thank you seems not enough. But will do for now.
Thanks Toks. I appreciate.
Thanks Terry Adido
You are welcome
Thanks Terry.love your recipe.have been baking cake for my family now using your recipes,but i have not tried any of the bread ones,am not too crazy about bread lol.thanks
you are welcome
Thanx boss,pls I need recipe for an irresistable cup cake of about 15 cups.God bless you more
Will work on one.
Am really inspired by your baking.
I love baking as well…but as I work shifts…I find myself very tired.
I only bake when am on leave.
any tips on how to overcome these problem.
Maybe you should try baking during the weekend. You could also measure out your ingredients on one day and bake on the other. All the best.
I love ur recipe.tanx terry. Pls I have a question,we nigerians always confuse margarine for butter.what is d name of d butter u used pls
The container/packet will always state. Margarine almost always come in tubs or sachets. Butter is usually in wrapped blocks.
Terry thanks so much
Thanks..will try that…
Terry please can I use self raising flour for this cake? I have got a whole 1.5kg of self raising which I keep pushing aside to use plain flour. Guess I wont be buying them after this.
As a general rule, I never use self-rising flour as I like to control the amount of leavening in my baked goods. It is also for control reasons that I always use unsalted as opposed to salted butter. But to answer your question, I believe that you can. I cup of self-rising flour contains an average of 1-1/2 teaspoons of baking powder.
Thanks for the response.
Thanks so so much, your procedure is so detailed. I really do appreciate. Pls I want to ask If I can still use this same cake mix for birthday cake.
I will suggest you use the French Vanilla Sponge Cake recipe instead. The pound cake might be too dense for a birthday cake, unless you do not intend to frost it.
Nice, tried the bread recipe(third one) my favorite one so far, thanks to you; have stop buying bread. keep it up. About to try the pound cake, craving something sweet and cake was what came to my mind first.
Don’t have a mixer though; so have always use my hand to mix the sugar and butter together.
Thats ok. It will only take more effort.
Have fun trying out the pound cake.
will try this out tomorrow…its going to be my first baking experience. i just hope i’m not going to mess it up. Thanks for the step by step recipe Terry.
It is too easy to mess up.
Tnx Terry can pound cake recipe b use as cup cake?
Hi. I will advice against that as it might turn out like muffins due to hoe dense it is.
Uhm pls r we to whisk d egg bfore addn it or jus break n put in d batter
Put in batter whole. The mixer will do the job.
Tnk u Terry buh i ll b usn ma hand to cream it so do i stil nid to whisk d egg bfore usin it
Yes you do.
Tnks
You are welcome.
Hi Terry, can I substitute plain flour for the cake flour?
You can, but it would lead to a more dense cake. You may also need to adjust the flour quantity as all purpose flour is heavier than cake flour. 1 cup of cake flour is 120 grams while a cup of AP flour is 130 grams.
I made this cake today,followed every step and it was delicious. The only hard part was waiting for it to cool completely before slicing,guess what,my boys cooled it in their mouths. Thanks.
LOL. You are welcome.
Can I use margarine?
I will advice against that.
Please, what is the difference between pound cake and other cakes?
Adeola, each type of cake has its own recipe and uniqueness. Pound cakes are generally dense with a rich buttery taste.
Pls do u have any cupcake recipe?d bread I did turned out hard. Thanks for the recipes
Hi Shatu, I do not currently have a cupcake recipe.
Thanks for sharing Terry
You are welcome Lyzzy.
Terry, please what type of milk does this recipe call for? I have powdered milk. Thanks
It calls for liquid milk. You can dilute the powdered milk with some water.
Tnx Terry, u’re amazng. Bt recipe 4 cup cake plssss.
Thanks Maimunatu. Soon hopefully.
Terry am currently making this cake now. But my stove was hyperactive and my cake got too brown midway. So sad. Had to reduce the temp. I hope it comes out well.
Fingers crossed. How did it turn out?
Hmmm it was so melting in the mouth but the crust was hard cus it was burnt. Mayb next time I may not pre heat d stove.
ok I must admit I’m really impressed…….. I love the fact that you actually take your time to reply every single comment and question, even if its a quick “you’re welcome” it shows your love and dedication. Kudos to you and more blessings.
Ok so a baking question to a very novice baker, I see you mentioned “cake flour” in the recipe, whats the difference between this and the regular flour. I know you are in Canada, I’m also in Canada, could you please let me know a good brand to try, I’m debating trying this recipe this weekend.
Thanks
Thanks Oyinkan. All 3 flours are different. Self Rising flour has some baking powder added to it. Cake flour has some corn starch added to it to make it light. All purpose flour is regular flour which can be used for most bakes. I use Robin Hood Flour, not because it is the best, but just because that is what is most readily available.
I tried your pound cake recipe today. I’ve baked pound cake before but your recipe brings something different to the mix. The nutmeg definitely enhanced the flavour and mixing/whisking the butter first gave the cake a more fluffy texture. I will definitely be trying this recipe again.
Thanks Terry!
I’m glad you loved it Bunmi. Thanks for the feedback.
thanks for ur recipe,quick question pls whats the best butter to use?
Any butter sold where you live should work. Just make sure its unsalted.
That’s the same question I was going to ask.
Do you think it’ll turn out differently if I used all purpose flour? Caz I honestly never heard of cake flour before.
It will still work out. It just wont be as soft which in really not a bad thing as pound cakes are usually dense.
Thanks Terry
You are welcome.
tried baking but never comes out nice.I will try dis recipe.
You should. Should come out great.
This should work out. All the best.
I made the pound cake an hour ago and it’s all gone, my parents and brothers have demolished it. Thanks for adding to my “baking rep”
You are welcome Adaeze.
Thanks Terry. Best recipe ever! Tried this today and it was wow!
Thanks once again for sharing.
You are welcome. I am glad you loved it.
ps wats the difference between a pound cake and a normal nigerian or maderia cake?
I cannot say much about Madeira cakes as I do not have a recipe for it. Nigerian cakes are very similar to poubd cakes. The major differences are that Nigerian cakes use margarine as opposed to butter and have more eggs than pound cakes.
Hello Terry. I’ve been put off baking cake because I don’t have cake mixer and can’t be bothered to mix by hand. Can I use food processor instead? Furthermore, can I use already ground nutmeg rather than grating the nutmeg myself?
Your recipes are very easy to follow, thanks.
I have never mixed cake batter with a food processor before. Though technically, they can work, I do not think they are built for things like creaming sugar and butter. I would rather you buy a hand mixer. They are quite inexpensive. Or mix by hand with a wooden spoon and a bowl.
Ground nutmeg can be used. However, you will be missing out on a lot of flavor. You get the best from nutmeg when they are freshly grated.
Please kindly explain what is sponge cake, plain cake, yellow cake, white cake and pound cake, do they all mean the same thing but are called by different names? I always don’t get it when I come across those different cake names, I feel lost and a novice. please help. Thanks
Sponge Cake: very fluffy cake in which egg whites are used as leavening. I have a recipe here.
Plain Cake: I have never heard about this before. Doubt it exists.
Yellow Cake: Cake baked with only egg yokes without the whites. Gives the cake a yellow look.
White Cake: Can mean regular vanilla cake or a cake made with only egg whites like Angel food cake. Recipe here.
Pound Cake: Old fashion rich buttery cake that uses ingredients almost of the same quantity. Recipe here.
Oh Terry, I really appreciate you. Now I know each cake and there differences. Thanks so much. My God increase you….. You are lifted.
You are welcome Shade.
I love your blog,so inspiring, please may I know what cake is best for wedding cakes.
Thanks. It all depends on you. There are no rules.
u are good terry. hmmmmm lack words to say any thing sir. tanks alot dear
You are welcome Florence.
pls can you post a graduation butter cake. God bless you.
Hi. I have none.
Hello Terry. I just wan tot know if you have a recipe for cupcakes.
Also, do know if it would be possible to divide your recipe for the Traditional Christmas Cake into small loaf cake sizes (about 300g sizes) and bake successfully? Would this strategy work with your loaf cake as well for example?
Looking forward to hearing from you.
Best Regards.
Hi, yes you can divide the batter. Cupcake recipe here.
Hi Terry, thanks for recipes.
Can this cake be baked in a round pan n frosted with SMBC? Can d Almond pound cake be done in same way…..baked in round pan n frosted with SMBC? Thanks.
Happy New Year to you n yours.
Hi Onyin, yes. You might need to double recipes.
Thank you for this recipe Terry. May God bless you always.
Thank you so much Terry for this detailed recipe. I have followed a thousand and one other recipes previously but this was the winner for me.
As you had stggested, I made my daughter’s 1st birthday cake using this pound cake recipe tripled and baked in two 8 inch pans and frosted using your buttercream recipe.
You are a genius Terry. Thank you for making my dream of making my child’s 1st birthday cake come true. I won’t forget all your help in a hurry.
You are welcome Oge.
Hi there, nice website.
(2) 226 Grams Unsalted Butter (1 Cup)
(3) 200 Grams Granulated White Sugar (1 Cup)
In regards to the above amounts stated in your recipe..please advise..is it better to weigh out the 226g butter and the 200g sugar? As You put “1 cup” in brackets as equivalents..however the 1 cup doesn’t seem at all like the 226 & 200 grams stated.
Thanks.
1 cup of butter is 226/227 Grams.
1 cup of granulated white sugar is 200 grams.
Hi Terry,great job.please am having issues with cake pan measurement,the 9″ am seeing is different for nigeria 10″.how do u know the sizes.Thanks
I buy standard cake pans. I’m never in doubt as to the size. There can only be one universal 9 or 10 inches. Use a ruler if in doubt.
Hi Terry,
Please do you have recipe for
MADEIRA CAKE?
Thanks & God bless u.
I would like to know the reason that milk is added. Can it be substituted with water for example? Would leaving it out completely affect the recipe adversely?
No to water. Leaving out will result in harder cake.
Hi Terry..can i use a regular baking pan instead of a loaf pan for the pound cake? Also, pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeze i urgently need the recipe for a 10″ pound cake. Tanx a ton!
Yes. Modify the recipe for larger pans.