Baking Sense

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Pound Cake Perfection

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Welcome to the 7th and final “Cake Batter” class! In this class we’ll learn how to create pound cake perfection using the “Baker’s Formula”. Don’t worry if you haven’t followed the classes. If you don’t care about the science and are only here for a really great pound cake recipe, jump to the recipe and enjoy! If you’d like to follow the classes in order visit my Baking School page.

pound cake perfection

How to Achieve Pound Cake Perfection

A really great pound cake should have an even crumb with a melt-in-your-mouth texture and buttery, vanilla flavor. So let’s create a really great pound cake recipe given all we’ve learned throughout this “Cake Batter” course.

A successful cake recipe balances the ingredients that strengthen the cake structure (flour and eggs) with the ingredients that weaken and tenderize the cake structure (sugar and fat). Up until now I’ve worked from a formula of equal parts flour, sugar, butter and eggs (8 ounces of each). While that formula is certainly balanced, I found that a pound cake made following the strict quatre quarts recipe is less than ideal. It’s fairly dense, a little chewy and has a slightly flat taste. Before we start perfecting our recipe I’m going to introduce one more concept; the “Baker’s Formula” or “Baker’s Percentage”.

to create pound cake perfection the structure builders and tenderizers must be balanced

To achieve pound cake perfection the structure builders and tenderizers must be balanced

The Baker’s Formula

The Baker’s Formula is used to calculate the proper percentage of each ingredient for a successful recipe. The flour in the recipe is designated at 100% and all the other ingredients are designated relative to the flour.

Our quatre quarts recipe produces a so-called “lean cake”. A “lean cake” has a very simple 1:1 formula balancing the cake structure-builders with the cake tenderizers. In a “lean cake” formula the weight of the flour and sugar should be equal, and the weight of the eggs and fat should be equal. In other words, one structure builder balances one tenderizer.

The only liquid in our original recipe comes from the eggs. Liquid brings together the structure builders and the tenderizers in cake batter. The liquid activates the gluten and swells the starch in the flour. The liquid also dissolves the sugar and helps disperse the fat throughout the batter and, of course, provides moisture.

Thanks to the invention of cake flour, with it’s finely ground starch that absorbs extra moisture, we can change the Baker’s Formula to allow for more liquid. We can also use an emulsifier in the batter to help bind the liquid and fat in the batter. This allows for even more liquid in the recipe, and thus more sugar since you need liquid to dissolve sugar. A cake made with cake flour and an emulsifying agent is called a “High Ratio” cake because the ratio of sugar to flour can now be higher than 1:1 without compromising the cake structure.

A Better Pound Cake

I wanted to tweak the original quatre quarts recipe to lighten the crumb a bit, make the cake a little sweeter and produce a cake that is tender and moist enough to be eaten without buttercream. But I was careful to keep the characteristic even crumb and melt-in-your-mouth texture of a really great pound cake. I was not going for “light and fluffy” with this cake.

The first step was to lighten the cake a tiny bit, so I added a little baking powder to the recipe. A pinch of salt and a teaspoon of real vanilla extract were added to enhance the flavor.

Now that the cake was lighter I wanted to sweeten things up a bit. The Baker’s Formula for a high ratio cake allows for up to about 140% of the weight of sugar to flour. I found in my testing for the “sugar” class that I like pound cake with a ratio of 125% sugar to 100% flour. With this in mind I increased the sugar in the recipe from 8 oz to 10 oz.

I also wanted to add a little extra liquid for moistness, so I needed an emulsifier in the batter. Vegetable shortening will act as an emulsifier, but I prefer an all-butter pound cake for the unparalleled flavor. Instead of using shortening in the batter I used a few extra egg yolks because yolks are great emulsifiers and also add a little extra fat and flavor to the batter. I changed the 8 oz of eggs in the recipe to 4 whole eggs and 3 extra yolks.

Now that we have cake flour and emulsifying eggs yolks in the recipe we can add a little more liquid for additional moisture. I added whole milk to the basic recipe and then created variations using sour cream and honey. I love all three cakes for different reasons. My Pound Cake is the perfect melt-in-your-mouth buttery pound cake that I was looking for. The sour cream variation has an extra moist and tender crumb and the honey variation has a lovely tawny color and slight caramel flavor. I baked all the cakes in a 9”x5” loaf pan, but they also bake up beautifully in a Bundt pan.

Of course the “Baker’s Formula” is not only useful for perfecting pound cake recipes. If you want to create a light and fluffy cake that can be filled and iced with buttercream go ahead and test the limits of the “structure builders” and “tenderizers” to create your perfect cake texture.

Pound Cake perfection

Pound Cake Perfection

Yields 12 slices

Serves 12

Pound Cake Perfection using Baker's Formula

A really great pound cake should have an even crumb with a melt-in-your-mouth texture and buttery, vanilla flavor. This is a really great pound cake!

15 minPrep Time

55 minCook Time

1 hr, 10 Total Time

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Ingredients

  • 8 oz (1 ¾ cups, 225 g) cake flour (100%) See Note #1
  • ¼ teaspoon table salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 10 oz (1 1/4 cups, 285 g) granulated sugar (125%)
  • 9 oz unsalted butter (1 cup plus 2 tablespoons, 255 g) room temp (112%)
  • 4 large eggs plus 3 yolks, room temperature (about 9 oz, 255 g) (112%)
  • 2 oz whole milk (1/4 cup, 60 ml)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to at 350°F.
  • Combine the eggs, vanilla and half the milk in a small bowl, whisk to combine and set aside.
  • Sift together the flour, salt and baking powder in a mixing bowl.
  • Add the sugar to the flour and mix at low speed for 30 seconds.
  • Add the butter to the flour and mix until combined. Add the other ½ of the milk and increase the speed to medium high. Mix for a full 2-3 minutes. The batter will lighten in color and texture.
  • Scrape the bowl and paddle thoroughly.
  • On low speed, add the egg mixture in 3 increments, scraping the bowl after each addition.
  • Pour the batter into a buttered and floured 9”x5” loaf pan or 12 cup Bundt pan .
  • Bake until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean (about 55 minutes).

Notes

#1 The percentages listed for each ingredient represent the baker's formula percentage. Flour is set at 100% and the percentages listed for the other ingredients are in relation to the weight of the flour.

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https://www.baking-sense.com/2017/02/28/pound-cake-perfection/

Check out the companion eBook to the pound cake series. My Perfecting Pound Cake  eBook includes 6 exclusive pound cake recipes not available on the blog, including Chocolate Pound Cake, Whipped Cream Pound Cake and an Improved Gluten Free Pound cake.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  3. Thanks for the terrific information! I love knowing what ingredient accomplishes which result... Personally, I always have loved the classic pound each poundcake - but the explanation of your changes gives me the tools for another, lighter loaf cake, and the understanding to then make any changes I want or need. So much better than "Just do it this way, trust me!" LOL (Though I do understand why cake recipes often need to be presented that way...)
    Reply

    • Thanks, Anne. It's nice to know how a recipe works so we can make changes to suit our own tastes. Glad you enjoyed it.
      Reply

    • Hmm, maybe you'll have to send a link to a friend who likes to bake...maybe they'll take the hint and make it for you.
      Reply

  5. I baked it up yesterday during the snow storm - added some Meyer lemon zest and took it into work today - rave reviews. The texture is just perfect!
    Reply

    • That's so great Rebecca. Meyer lemon would be perfect in the pound cake. I've published a little eBook with additional pound cake recipes. It's available on Kindle and I'll also be posting a link to a pdf version on the front page of my blog.
      Reply

  7. Was going to make this using cup measurements but then noticed they don't seem right in comparison to the percentages. Used weight measurements and will be putting in the oven now.
    Reply

    • Hi Lisa, Weight measurements are always the most accurate. But the cup measures for this recipe are correct. I measured the ingredients by volume (cups) then by US weight measures and then by metric weight measures. Using any of the three should work. The percentages don't represent the percentage of that ingredient in the recipe. The percentages represent each ingredient in relation to the weight of the flour. The flour is always designated at 100%. Since there is 8 oz of flour in this recipe, 8 oz is 100%. The recipe has 10 oz of sugar, so that means the sugar is at 125%. There are 2 more ounces of sugar than flour, and 2 is 25% of 8 which is how the 125% is calculated. Does this answer your question about the measurements? Please let me know if you have any other questions.
      Reply

  8. I'll be turning this into a decorated layer cake for my boyfriend's mom (hopefully soon to be mother in-law) for mother's day. Cross your fingers she likes it!!
    Reply

  9. Hi!! I made this today, and it´s delicious, it has an even crumb with a melt-in-your-mouth texture , I didn´t use vanilla extract I added some pure vanilla bean paste, it came out realy great. The only problen that I had, was that I used a 9”x5” loaf pan and the mix overflows.
    Reply

    • Hi Hilda. Hmmm, I'm not sure why your cake would overflow from a 9x5 loaf pan. That's the size pan I used for all the pound cake tests and the batter never flowed over. Are you sure the pan is 9x5? I have another standard loaf pan that is 8.5x4.5 and that .5 inch in either direction would make a big difference.
      Reply

  12. I always love to know the "why" behind a great recipe, and your instructions did not disappoint! This pound cake looks heavenly, I can already picture the endless toppings to go with it! Yummy!
    Reply

  13. Was thinking of using your recipe for an upcoming wedding cake....do you forsee any issues with the batter in an 8", 6" or 4"round pan? Those are the sizes that will be used. Thanks!!
    Reply

    • Hi Samantha, I see no reason that the cake can't be baked in those pans. The pound cake is a little dense, as it should be. If you'd like a slightly lighter texture for the wedding cake I would recommend my Vanilla Cake recipe. It's the recipe I used for 10 years in my wedding cake business.
      Reply

  15. Your cake looks like absolute perfection. One day I like to think I will have the attention to detail to bake like you!
    Reply

  16. I was never a fan of pound cake because most tasted so dry until I had one that changed my life! I can't wait to try this recipe out. It sounds and looks perfect!
    Reply

  18. Any adjustments for high altitude baking? I am at about 5100 ft - on Wyoming ' s eastern slope of the Rocky Mountains.
    Reply

    • Hi Faye, sorry I personally don't know anything about high altitude baking. I'm checking into it with a pastry school friend from Colorado and will let you know what I find out.
      Reply

  19. this cake looks mega moist and tasty, plus a good pound cake recipe is always a must, grilled pound cake is awesome with some berries.
    Reply

  20. Nothing can beat a good pound cake. I love your scientific explanation for each ingredient and the proper ratio. I wish I'd been in your testing kitchen during your research phase!
    Reply

  22. I'm more of a cook, but I love the super well explained recipe here, makes me wanna jump to baking! I love to know every little details of the recipe, like the extra egg yolk to emulsify and the equal parts of flour and sugar (although you like a tad sweeter). Got to try my hand at baking now! Yum!
    Reply

  25. I would like to make this cake two to three days early. It will be used in the strawberry lemonade cake found on pinterest. Should I freeze it or how long will it be fresh. Thank you....great class on baking.
    Reply

    • Hi Barbara. Thanks for visiting the blog. The pound cake will keep for several days, but for optimum freshness I would freeze it if you're making it 2-3 days ahead. Just double wrap in plastic or plastic and foil then allow it to defrost in the wrapper. I'd love to see a photo of your cake when it's done. Please feel free to post and tag Baking Sense on any social media that you use.
      Reply

  26. have only just gone back to baking after 20+yrs and I am not sure what you mean by Cake flour. Is it plain or self-raising flour.
    Reply

    • Hi Marlene. Cake flour is not self-rising flour. It's a flour made with soft wheat. It will say "cake flour" on the label. Cake flour does not contain salt or baking powder.
      Reply

  27. Hi Eileen! This cake looks amazing! Like one of the other commenters, I would like to make in an 8" round cake pan and I would like to add mini chocolate chips (as per my daughter's request) besides coating the chocolate chips in flour to keep them from sinking, do you think there is anything else I need to do differently? Thank you very much!
    Reply

    • Hi Barbara, You could bake the pound cake in a round pan, no real change to the recipe necessary. If you want a slightly lighter cake that can be iced I would recommend my Vanilla Butter Cake. When I add chocolate chips to a cake batter I find that flour alone doesn't really keep them from sinking. I toss the mini chips with a little water, just a teaspoon or two, enough to moisten. Then toss in teaspoon or two of flour. This will form a paste on the chips that will help keep the chips from sinking. Enjoy!
      Reply

    • Hi Ali, the ingredients are listed in metric units so you should be able to follow those and get good results. The flour is regular cake flour, not self rising. 350F is 176C for the oven temp. Let me know if you need any other information.
      Reply

  30. I was never a fan of pound cake - it just didn't seem "sexy" and worth the calories...until a friend bought me a pound cake from a famous Phila bakery known for their pound cake. OMG is all I can say. Since I like to bake I was determined to find/create a pound cake recipe that is at least close to the OMG pound cake. But alas, while many were good, they just weren't OMG. I came across your site and loved how you explained the science with techniques/ingredients/ratios I can try. The photo of this perfection pound cake seems to have the characteristics in that OMG cake - tight, minimal air pocket, and lighter in color. But I'm a bit confused from all I have read - adding more yolks I'd expect a less white cake, and I would expect a leavener would create air pockets ( it's mind boggling how that OMG pound cake, with less air & weighs like a brick, is so light & melts in your mouth!). Before I bake yet another cake, I thought I'd ask if your recipe is close to my goal. Thank you! I may email you photos of that cake or petit fours to see crumb/color.
    Reply

    • Hi Rosanna, I know all the information about cake batter is a lot to take in. I'll try to answer each of your questions. I have added a few extra yolks to help incorporate the liquid from the milk and and extra sugar into the batter (both of these add moisture) but in the overall cake it doesn't make it super yellow. I add just a tiny bit of leavener to lighten the crumb a little. Sifting the leavener with the flour and then mixing the dry ingredients for 30 seconds helps distribute the leavener so it's doesn't make air pockets. I don't know if you read through any of the other "Cake Batter" classes, but if you look at the "Salt & Leaveners in Cake Batter" post you can see photos of how different a cake crumb will look based on how you add the leavener.
      Reply

  31. I made this yesterday and it was the best pound cake I have ever tasted. Thank you for sharing the recipe. I would like to double the recipe can you please advise of any of the ingredients would need to be adjusted, like the baking powder for example. Thanks
    Reply

    • Hi Sharma. I'm so glad you liked the recipe! Do you want to double the recipe and bake in two pans? If that's the case then there are no changes needed to the recipe. Just mix the batter and divide between two pans.
      Reply

  32. I just made it and it *is* perfection. Lovely light crumb, sweetness that is just right - thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe.
    Reply

  33. Hi, This sounds amazing and I’m going to try it tonight. For he flour measurement is it 8oz (1cup) or do I need to add more? I see 3/4 after the cup but only see exactly 8oz, a bit confused :/ I do not bake often
    Reply

    • Hi Jen. I list the ingredients both in volume and weight measurements. You can either use 8 oz or 1 3/4 cups of flour. Some people (especially in the US) like to use volume measurements and some people (me included) prefer weight measurements.
      Reply

    • Hi Jen! Sorry I didn't answer this sooner. Somehow I never saw your question. The recipe calls for 1 3/4 cups of flour (which weighs 8 oz).
      Reply

  35. Hi there! wanting to make this but wanted to know what needed to be adjusted in order to make this in a bundt pan? (double recipe, bake time, etc)
    Reply

    • Hi Austin. You could easily bake this in a Bundt pan. The 9x5 loaf pan that I used for this recipe holds 9 cups. My Bundt pan holds 12 cups. The batter might not totally fill the Bundt pan, but that's fine. The baking time will probably be shorter so just keep an eye on it and check to see that is springs back when pressed in the middle or a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Enjoy!
      Reply

  36. Hey Eileen first I must thank you for sharing your recipes with us. Haven't try any yet but will do . I just joined I am happy have learn a lot so far the pound looks lovely . much love and abundance
    Reply

    • Hi Terry, Depending on the size of the pan you should be able to do 1.5 or 2x the recipe. You'll just have to adjust the baking time accordingly.
      Reply

  38. thank you so much for your recipe I have been trying to remember since I was little how my mom made the perfect pound cake no one could tell me how to make my pound cake not like a cake texture your recipe was just what I'm looking for I tried the pound cake and it is excellent Great Taste and texture thank you.
    Reply

  40. I love learning the chemistry behind successful baking! The reverse creaming method is the best technique I've ever heard of. Looking forward to giving it a try with my new stand mixer. Lol Many thanks!
    Reply

  42. Just tried this with 2 inclusions​....half cup of rum,and a cup of diced strawberries... because hey.... strawberry rum pound cake....also made a dark chocolate rum ganache as a drizzle..... fantastic!
    Reply

  43. I definitely want to make this! My question is if I were to make this in 2-8 inch round pans how long do I have to bake them? I just want to be able to put whipped cream between the layers and almost make it into naked cake.
    Reply

    • Hi Debbie. I can't give an exact time for baking in 8" pans because I haven't tried it with this specific recipe. I would guess about 25-30 minutes, but I always go more by how the cake looks than the time. The center of the cake should spring back when lightly pressed, or use the "toothpick" test. A toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake should come out clean. My favorite layer cake is this Vanilla Butter Cake recipe. That recipe is made in two 8" pans and they take about 25-30 minutes to bake. Enjoy!
      Reply

  44. Hoping this gets a reply as I’m sure you’re probably busy with holiday readiness. Does the oven need to be preheated, or does it start off in a cold oven. I’ve seen recipes done both ways and wanted to be sure. Thanks!
    Reply

  45. My husband wants the perfect poundcake that is dense and moist and lots of vanilla flavor. Will this fit the bill? He is a cook himself and knows what he wants, so I really want the best pound cake ever with a definite vanilla flavor. Should I add more vanilla? We have thought of infusing the sugar with a vanilla bean as well. What are your thoughts? Thanks!
    Reply

    • Hi Kari. Well, of course everyone's definition of "perfect" will vary based on their own tastes. Sure, you could add more vanilla to make the flavor stronger. Vanilla sugar would work well. I would suggest you give it a try and then see how he likes it. If you read through the post you'll see how you can make changes to the recipe to suit your taste. Want it a little denser and moister? You could try adding a little extra milk and/or sugar until you get the texture he likes. Good luck!
      Reply

    • Hi Jess, all purpose flour and cake flour are not interchangeable. You can read about the differences in this post about flour, and this post about flour in cake batter, specifically. To exchange all purpose flour for cake flour the rule is for every cup of cake flour use 3/4 cup all purpose flour plus 2 tablespoons of corn starch. For this this pound cake recipe which has 1 3/4 cups cake flour, that would work out to 1 1/3 cups all purpose flour plus 1 Tablespoon plus 1.5 teaspoons of corn starch.
      Reply

      • Thank you! I can now finally bake this cake. Cannot find any ‘ cake flour’ here . Thank you for the clear instructions/ conversions.
        Reply

      • Hi Eileen. I totally agree with you, that 1 cup cake flour is equivalent to 3/4 cup all purpose flour and 2 tbsp. cornstarch. I dislike cake flour and I always replace it with all purpose flour using this formula. I am an experienced amateur baker, and this formula always work. D)
        Reply

  48. Hi Eileen! Thanks for this recipe, it looks heavenly! I am preparing to bake it, but was wondering if it a pound cake with a 'crusty' top. If so, is it hard crust or lightly crusted? Also, could I add sour cream to this recipe to order to make a Sour Cream Pound Cake? If so, how much sour cream and is it best to add the sour cream when I add the milk to the batter, or should I substitute the sour c. for the milk? Also, (sorry for so many questions) do you have a recipe for Key Lime pie? Thanks again!
    Reply

    • Hi Kay, this cake does get a soft crust, one of my favorite parts of a good pound cake. Here's a recipe for sour cream pound cake. I have a recipe for "Margarita Pie" that's really fantastic. If you don't do alcohol you can leave it out and it's basically a Key Lime Pie.
      Reply

      • Thank you Eileen! Both recipes sounds delicious and I will give them both a try. I have a friend that loves Key Lime Pie...and margaritas also, so perhaps I will try this recipe both ways:) Thanks again for your help!
        Reply

  49. Hello! Just came across your website, LOVE IT and all your amazing useful tips! Can I use your pound cake recipe to make one of these trending alphabet cakes with flowers and strawberries on top? Will it hold well enough? Thanksss :)
    Reply

    • Hi Dalia, I would think it would work. Would you bake in a shaped pan or cut out the shapes from a slab of cake? You can also take a look at my Vanilla Butter Cake recipe. It's a little lighter in texture and might be better for this sort of cake.
      Reply

  50. My favorite pound cake used to be a Sarah Lee one (especially when it just was a bakery and sold everything fresh and not frozen.) Since it has been sold , they changed the recipe for it. Now the cake is not only moist but a little wet. The consistency has been changed drastically. I always say if it's not broke ,don't fix it! Is your recipe more like new or old recipe?
    Reply

    • I'm not sure about the old vs. new recipe. But this recipe makes a cake that is tender and soft, but certainly not wet.
      Reply

  51. Wow! I made this yesterday with the addition of 1/4 cup of orange juice and zest from 2 large oranges for my husband's b-day. It was delicate, fragrant, rich, buttery, with a light closed crumb. Perfection! Thank you.
    Reply

  52. Thanks for the superb testing to produce this pound cake. Just wondering. If I wanted to add some lemon juice, maybe 2 teaspoons and zest to make it a lemon pound cake, would I add 1/4 teaspoon baking soda to neutralize the acid? At least that's how I understand it from your leavener class.
    Reply

    • Hi Ken, you'll get the best lemon flavor from lemon zest and lemon extract. The juice is acidic, but doesn't have as much "lemony" flavor as the zest, because the zest has the lemon oil. My favorite way to make lemon pound cake is to add the zest and extract to the batter, and then use the juice to make lemon syrup. Mix the juice from one lemon (about 2 tbsp), with 2 tbsp water and 1/4 cup granulated sugar. Warm the syrup in a small saucepan until the sugar is melted. Pour the syrup over the cake as soon as it comes out of the oven and it will soak into the cake as it cools. Another option would be to use the juice to make a lemon glaze. Mix the juice with powdered sugar to make a glaze with the texture of heavy cream. Take the cake out of the pan and let it cool a little bit. When the cake is still slightly warm, pour the glaze over the cake. It will set as the cake finishes cooling. Let me know how it works out.
      Reply

      • Hi Eileen. Thanks for the reply. This is THE PERFECT pound cake. I must have tried like 4 other recipes and they were always light but dry, dense and dry, dense and soggy etc... I almost quit trying to bake since the only really "edible" cake I made was from a boxed cake mix. The cake mix had a great texture but tasted fake and plastic-ky. I made your cake for a pot luck on Sunday before I read your reply. The only thing I did different was add the juice and zest of 1 regular lemon at the very end. I was nervous since you really can't tell if a cake is good or not until you cut into it and it would be tacky if I cut into it and brought it to the potluck. Anyway, before I knew it, it was gone!! I didn't even know desert had started. I had to get a bite from someone else to taste it. It was light, airy and moist. And the flavor was delectable. Every one asked me where I bought it and I was like, "Why you don't think I can make this?" LOL. The only thing they said was that I shouldn't have called it a lemon pound cake but more just a lemon cake because it was too light to be a pound cake. I didn't care, it is the kind of texture I like. It must be the reverse creaming method. That's the biggest difference. Well whatever made it "store bought" is good enough for me to make again and again. Thanks Eileen!! (now I might invest in a Kitchen Aid mixer since doing any sort of creaming with a hand mixer is messy and crappy!!)
        Reply

      • PS: No commented on anything at the pot luck except the the amazing ribs made by the host and.... your pound cake!! And there were like 10 other dishes!!
        Reply

        • Thanks for the feedback, Ken. I can tell you that the stand mixer is a good investment if you like to bake. I've actually got 2. Glad you liked the recipe.
          Reply

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