This Old Fashioned Sour Cream Pound Cake has a beautiful golden sugary crust and is fluffy yet dense inside. And the vanilla and almond flavor combo is to die for!
One of our favorite treats to make for holidays is today’s old fashioned sour cream pound cake. Once you have this cake you will also want our vanilla bean pound cake, pistachio pound cake, and cranberry orange pound cake!
Our Favorite Sour Cream Pound Cake
This is a family recipe from my husband’s side, and it’s one that I absolutely LOVE!
My mother-in-law makes this pound cake all of the time… and for good reason! It’s got a beautiful golden sugary crust and is fluffy yet dense inside. Plus the vanilla and almond flavor combo is to die for!
And if you are curious why it’s called a pound cake (because I always thought it was a funny name for a cake!) it’s because it used to be made with a pound of flour, a pound of sugar, a pound of eggs and a pound of butter!! No wonder I LOVE this cake so much. 😉
How to Make Sour Cream Pound Cake
Follow the recipe card to achieve this amazing pound cake but make sure to note the following key steps:
- Begin by spraying your bundt pan (or two loaf pans, if you don’t have a bundt pan) with cooking spray and then coat it with about 1 tbsp of granulated sugar! This step is optional but I love the texture it adds and it helps the cake not stick to the pan!
- Add each egg yolk, one at a time and mix after each one
- Alternate adding dry ingredients and sour cream while continually mixing on low
- Gently fold in your egg whites (should be stiff peaks)
- Allow the cake to cool for 15 minutes before removing it from the pan
Recipe Tips:
- Have your ingredients be at room temperature
- Take your time to really cream the butter and sugar so that there’s a good, light, and fluffy texture.
- Sour cream adds extra moistness and some extra fat to make the cake creamier.
- If you don’t own a large bundt pan, you can split the batter between loaf pans or use a smaller decorative bunt along with a loaf pan. Just adjust the baking time accordingly.
Pound Cake Toppings
We usually eat it plain, but this time I decided to do something a little extra- serve it up with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream and fresh berries. It’s got that whole red, white and blue thing going on which is perfectly patriotic 🙂
But you could also do a simple glaze! A simple glaze can be made with powdered sugar, lemon juice, and milk. Then pour it over the cooled cake. Other ides include:
- more berries
- whipped cream
- lemon curd
- chopped peaches
- sliced bananas and toasted coconut
Variations + Storing
Of course, if you want to do something different you can swap out the almond extract for lemon and a bit of zest, then dust the final product with powdered sugar and top it all with strawberries. Mmm.
Some other fun variations include chocolate pound cake, brown sugar pound cake, lemon-blueberry pound cake and so many more that you can find here.
No matter what type of extract you use, it’s going to be moist, flavorful and delicious!
How to Store Pound Cake? It is best to store your pound cake in an airtight container for up to three days.
You can keep it in your refrigerator wrapped in plastic wrap and foil for up to a week!
Or you can wrap it in plastic wrap and then place it in a freezer-safe bag and freeze it for up to 6 months.
When you are ready to have it again, Thaw your pound cake on the counter without unwrapping for the best results!
Don’t wait to bake this lovely pound cake! I promise it’ll be love at first bite! Enjoy & happy baking.
Find more delicious desserts here:
- Lemon Cupcakes with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting
- Homemade Vanilla Bean Ice Cream
- Raspberry Cheesecake Ice Cream
- Classic Angel Food Cake
Print (email required)Old Fashioned Sour Cream Pound Cake Recipe
This Old Fashioned Sour Cream Pound Cake is what dessert dreams are made of—rich, tender, and ready to pair with your favorite toppings, making every slice special.Pin RateServings: 14 servingsCalories: 444kcalIngredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter - (2 sticks), room temperature
- 3 cup granulated sugar
- 6 large eggs - divided
- 2 tsp vanilla - or vanilla bean paste
- 1/2 tsp almond extract
- 3 cup all-purpose flour
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1 cup sour cream - full-fat
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit (150 degrees Celsius). Spray and sugar (I use about 1 tbsp of granulated sugar, however this is optional) in a large Bundt pan, then set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes. Add vanilla and almond extract, then add the egg yolks one at a time, mixing after each addition.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, table salt, and baking soda with mixing speed on low, alternate adding the dry ingredients and sour cream.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whip the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Gently fold in the egg whites using a large spatula. Pour into the prepared pan and bake at 300 degrees Fahrenheit (150 degrees Celsius) for 1 hour or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on a cooling wire rack for 15 minutes before inverting onto a cake stand or plate. If you skip the granulated sugar in the pan, you can dust the top of the cooled cake with powdered sugar.
NOTES
-If you don't own a large classic Bundt pan, you can divide the cake batter between two (9x5) loaf pans and bake them for approximately 45–55 minutes. To STORE your Sour Cream Pound Cake, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or cut it into slices and place it on a covered cake plate. It will last for 3 to 4 days at room temperature. If you need to store it for a longer period, you can store it in the fridge for up to a week. To FREEZE, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and then in aluminum foil, or place it in a freezer-safe bag or airtight container before freezing. It will stay good in the freezer for up to 6 months. When you’re ready to enjoy it again, thaw your pound cake on the counter without unwrapping it for the best results!Nutrition
Serving: 14serving | Calories: 444kcal | Carbohydrates: 64g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 124mg | Sodium: 182mg | Potassium: 85mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 44g | Vitamin A: 623IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 37mg | Iron: 2mg
It would be helpful when writing recipes, to add conversion of cups to grams and mls. Cups don’t really measure accurately.
Can you used this recipe for mini bundts cakes? If so, what be the proper baking time?
I haven’t tried this recipe as minis before (I’m sure it will work just fine) I just can’t really give you specific times. What size mini bunts are you using?
Can you substitute lemon extract for the almond extract? I have a family member with a nut allergy and wanted to make this cake (it’s delicious!) but change it to lemon pound cake. Would I need to do anything else different?
Yes! I’d suggest adding the zest of a lemon or two as well!
I am a professional baker for over 25 years. This is a really good recipe for a simple, but delicious and moist pound cake. I agree with some of the other comments regarding the temp. I baked it at 325 degrees for one hour and it came out flawless! I will be baking again with various flavors!
Could you help convert to grams and mls instead of cups please.