Old-Fashioned Sour Cream Pound Cake
A classic, rich, and buttery pound cake with a beautifully dense yet moist crumb. Careful creaming of the butter and sugar creates the perfect texture, while full-fat sour cream, premium vanilla extract, and a touch of fresh lemon provide an unforgettable flavor.
Equipment
- 10-12 cup Bundt pan
- Stand mixer or electric hand mixer
- Mixing bowls
- Rubber spatula
- Wire cooling rack
- Sifter or fine mesh strainer
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour — measured correctly (spooned and leveled) and sifted
- 0.5 teaspoons baking soda
- 0.5 teaspoons kosher salt
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter — softened to room temperature (about 65-68°F)
- 3 cups granulated sugar
- 6 whole large eggs — must be at room temperature
- 1 cup full-fat sour cream — must be at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon high-quality pure vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice — freshly squeezed
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest — freshly grated
Dry Ingredients
| 3 cups | all-purpose flour | measured correctly (spooned and leveled) and sifted |
| 0.5 teaspoons | baking soda | |
| 0.5 teaspoons | kosher salt |
Wet Ingredients
| 1 cup | unsalted butter | softened to room temperature (about 65-68°F) |
| 3 cups | granulated sugar | |
| 6 whole | large eggs | must be at room temperature |
| 1 cup | full-fat sour cream | must be at room temperature |
| 1 tablespoon | high-quality pure vanilla extract | |
| 1 tablespoon | lemon juice | freshly squeezed |
| 1 teaspoon | lemon zest | freshly grated |
Instructions
-
Preheat your oven to 325°F (165°C). Generously grease a 10-12 cup Bundt pan with butter or shortening, getting into all the crevices, and dust it thoroughly with flour. Tap out the excess flour.
~5 minUsing a baking spray that contains flour is also highly effective for intricate pan designs. -
In a medium bowl, whisk together the sifted all-purpose flour, baking soda, and kosher salt. Set aside.
~2 minSifting the flour ensures no lumps and contributes to the perfect dense-but-tender crumb. -
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the softened butter on medium speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Gradually pour in the granulated sugar while the mixer is running.
~3 min -
Cream the butter and sugar together on medium-high speed for a full 5 to 7 minutes. The mixture must become very pale, fluffy, and significantly increased in volume. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl twice during this process.
~7 minDo not rush this step. This creaming process traps air into the batter, which is entirely responsible for the cake's lift and fine texture alongside the eggs. -
Turn the mixer to medium-low speed. Add the room-temperature eggs one at a time, allowing each egg to fully incorporate before adding the next. Stop mixing as soon as the yellow of the final yolk disappears.
~3 minAdding eggs slowly prevents the emulsion from breaking. If the batter looks curdled, your eggs were likely too cold. -
Beat in the vanilla extract, lemon juice, and lemon zest just until combined.
~1 min -
With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients in three additions, alternating with the sour cream in two additions (start and end with the flour). Mix just until the last streaks of flour disappear. Do not overmix.
~3 minOvermixing at this stage will develop the gluten, leading to a tough, rubbery cake instead of a tender one. -
Remove the bowl from the mixer and give the batter one final gentle fold with a rubber spatula to ensure no unmixed pockets remain at the bottom. Spoon the batter evenly into the prepared Bundt pan. Tap the pan firmly on the counter a few times to release any trapped air bubbles.
~2 min -
Bake in the preheated oven for 70 to 80 minutes, or until a long wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
~75 minDo not open the oven door during the first 60 minutes of baking to prevent the cake from falling. -
Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in the pan on a wire rack for exactly 15 minutes. Carefully invert the pan onto the wire rack, lift off the pan, and allow the cake to cool completely to room temperature before slicing.
~60 minLeaving the cake in the pan for longer than 15-20 minutes can cause it to stick, as the sugar begins to cool and act like glue.
Tips & Storage
- The secret to a perfect pound cake lies in the temperature of the ingredients. Butter, eggs, and sour cream MUST be at room temperature to form a proper emulsion.
- Be diligent about the creaming time. 5-7 minutes might feel like a long time, but it is necessary for aerating the dense batter.
- This cake naturally develops a wonderful, slightly crunchy crust on the outside. Serve it plain, lightly dusted with powdered sugar, or with a side of fresh berries and whipped cream.
- Pound cakes often taste better on the second day as the flavors have time to meld and the crumb settles.
- Storage: Store the completely cooled pound cake tightly wrapped in plastic wrap or in an airtight cake dome at room temperature for up to 4 days. It can also be frozen: wrap the entire cake or individual slices tightly in plastic wrap, then foil, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature.