The moment your teeth sink into this velvety, buttery sour cream pound cake, the moist crumb and delicate crust send you into a state of bliss! The subtle tanginess of the sour cream adds a delightful twist, perfectly balancing the richness of the butter and the sweetness of the cake. This old fashioned sour cream pound cake recipe is a recipe that has been passed down to me from my great aunt and has been captivating tastebuds for years! Each bite is a blend of creamy, moist goodness, leaving you craving more.
For more pound cake recipes, try my sweet potato pound cake and peach cobbler pound cake!
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This Sour Cream Pound Cake recipe holds a very special place in my heart. It's inspired by my late Aunt's pound cake recipe that was simply out of this world. It's buttery and fluffy and so easy to make.
I have so many fond memories of visiting her as a child. I didn't visit often, but every time that I did, she had this Sour Cream Pound Cake freshly baked. It would stop you in your tracks as soon as you took a bite.
It was one of those moments when you close your eyes, sing a song, do a happy dance, and take another bite and repeat.
Why You'll Love this Recipe
- Simple ingredients! Nothing beats an easy recipe with
- Easy to make! This is what makes this the best sour cream pound cake - not only is it absolutely delicious but it's so simple to make with only 15 minutes of prep work!
- Dense cake with a tender crumb! This melt in your mouth sour cream pound cake is the moist delicious buttery cake and has a beautiful golden sugary crust!
- Great for special occasions!
(below is the recipe my Aunt Hazel wrote down for me when I was 8 years old)
It's almost difficult to write this post because it's hard to talk about. With many things, time passed and I hadn't spoke to her in years. One day, I found out that she passed away and I really didn't know how to process it. I believe I was in college and I never got a chance to say goodbye. It really breaks my heart to think about it but I am so grateful that I have so many fond memories to remember her.
Ingredients
(exact measurements in the recipe card)
- Unsalted Butter
- Sugar
- Eggs
- Vanilla Extract
- Orange Extract
- All Purpose Flour
- Baking Soda
- Kosher Salt
- Sour Cream
Pro Baking Tips
- Use Quality Ingredients: Start with fresh, high-quality ingredients. This includes fresh eggs, unsalted butter, all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, and, of course, sour cream. Using the best ingredients will greatly enhance the flavor and texture of your pound cake.
- Use Room Temperature Ingredients: Allow your butter, eggs, and sour cream to come to room temperature before incorporating them into the batter by letting them sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to an hour. This helps ensure proper blending and a smoother texture in the final cake.
- Gradual Mixing: Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. This gradual mixing helps prevent the batter from curdling and promotes a smooth and uniform texture.
- Sift the Dry Ingredients: Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together before adding them to the batter. Sifting removes lumps and aerates the ingredients, contributing to a finer crumb structure.
- Don't Overmix: Once you add the dry ingredients to the batter, mix until just combined. Overmixing can result in a dense and heavy cake.
How to make a Sour Cream Pound Cake
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Spray 12 cup bundt pan with nonstick baking spray, then coat with ¼ cup of sugar. Tap off excess sugar and set aside. (Image 1)
- In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, and kosher salt. (Image 2)
- Add unsalted butter and sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Cream butter and sugar for 5 minutes on medium speed.
- Begin adding eggs to the butter mixture, one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl periodically to ensure all of the ingredients are mixing well together. (Batter may split, this is OK) Add vanilla and orange extract and mix until combined. (Image 3)
- Add in dry ingredients and sour cream and continue to mix until fully combined, about 20-30 seconds. (Image 4)
- Pour batter into the cake pan. (Image 5) Bake for one hour and 10-15 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean or with just a few crumbs.
- Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 5 minutes and then turn over onto a cooling rack to cool completely. Optional: sprinkle the top of the cake with powdered sugar.
What to Serve with Cake
Feel free to add your personal touch to this classic pound cake recipe! You can top it with a homemade whipped cream or ice cream, fresh fruit or fresh berries, or a sprinkle of powdered sugar for an extra touch of elegance.
It's also great with a cup of coffee or tea. Because of the simple flavors, this is the perfect pound cake to serve however you like!
Recipe FAQs
Sour cream adds flavor and richness to a cake due to its acidity and high fat content. It also helps soften the gluten that develops in the batter, making the crumb more moist and tender crumb.
Don't over bake the cake, measure your ingredients properly (for instance, not leveling off your flour when you're measuring it), don't over mix the cake batter - mix together until just combined and no patches of flour exist.
If you haven't eaten it all up at once, it will last up to 4 days in an airtight container/ziploc bag kept at room temperature. You can also freeze this pound cake for about a month, just be sure to allow it to thaw out before eating!
More Cake Recipes!
- Chocolate Pound Cake
- Blueberry Pound Cake Recipe
- Old Fashioned Red Velvet Cake
- Cardamom Cake
- Lemon Pound Cake
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Let's stay connected on social media and continue to cook together! Also, if you decide to make this recipe, please leave a star rating on the recipe card and leave a comment below! Tag @BritneyBreaksBread on Instagram and hashtag #britneybreaksbread so I can see your creations! I hope that you love this recipe as much as we do!
Sour Cream Pound Cake
Equipment
- 12 cup bundt pan
- Stand Mixer
Ingredients
- Nonstick Baking Spray
- 3 cups All-Purpose Flour
- ½ tsp Baking Soda
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1 ¼ cup Unsalted Butter (room temperature)
- 3 cups Sugar (plus an additional ¼ cup sugar for coating the pan)
- 6 Eggs (room temperature)
- 2 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 1 tsp Orange Extract
- ½ tsp Lemon Extract
- 1 cup Sour Cream
Directions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Spray 12 cup bundt pan with nonstick baking spray, then coat with ¼ cup of sugar. Tap off excess sugar and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, and kosher salt.
- Add unsalted butter and sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Cream butter and sugar for 5 minutes.
- Begin adding eggs, one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl periodically to ensure all of the ingredients are mixing well together. (Batter may split, this is OK) Add vanilla and orange extract and mix until combined.
- Add in dry ingredients and sour cream and continue to mix until fully combined, about 20-30 seconds.
- Pour batter into the cake pan. Bake for one hour and 10-15 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean or with just a few crumbs.
- Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 5 minutes and then turn over onto a cooling rack to cool completely.
This is a great recipe with a great family story. Extremely moist, anything with sour cream or cream cheese I’m in.
i'm so happy to hear that, thank you!
It's so wonderful that you have the recipe in her handwriting, and I love that it's got 'kitchen marks' on it. I've got recipe cards from both of my grandmothers, and they're so precious to me.
This is take to a special occasion good! Thank you for the recipe. One thing I did with a special recipe that was written in my grandma's handwriting was I had it printed onto tea towels for the kitchen. I love it so much.
That's such an awesome idea! I'm so happy that the cake turned out well for you! Thank you for your feedback 🙂
I must make this. This sounds like a delicious recipe! Thank you for sharing the story and woman behind it. Food and family and memories are all linked for me as well, so I know how special sharing a recipe like this truly is.
Hi Christine! It's so true, food brings so many memories and is so personal. I hope that you love this recipe 🙂