Our Best Pound Cake Recipes (2024)

Credit: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Lydia DeGaris-Pursell

Perfectly dense and buttery yet somehow light, pound cake is delicious any time of the year and for any occasion. While plain pound cake is fantastic on its own, special touches like flavored glaze or additional ingredients take things up a notch. Of course, you can always learn, and then master, our basic pound cake recipe, but if you'd rather experiment, take a go at one of our seasonal and specialty pound cake recipes.

mr-sandkaka

Sandkaka Recipe

Potato flour serves as the backbone for this delightfully simple Swedish classic. Though gluten-free, sandkaka is similar in texture to a dense, buttery pound cake and, thanks to the starchiness of the potato flour, will retain its moisture for days.

Coconut-Macadamia Nut Pound Cake

Coconut-Macadamia Nut Pound Cake Recipe

Lightly toasting the macadamia nuts brings out their rich, buttery flavor.

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Basic Pound Cake Recipe

So comforting and delicious, with a perfectly crusty bottom. Keep things classic or get adventurous with your glaze.

Triple-Chocolate Buttermilk Pound Cake

Triple-Chocolate Buttermilk Pound Cake Recipe

We took the traditional pound cake recipe and raised it a stunning, triple-chocolate twist. This cake means business. A duo of glazes—one creamy chocolate, the other subtle buttermilk—comes together atop this dreamy confection. It’s indulgent and, we admit, so much fun to eat and serve. Chocolate enthusiasts will be over the moon for this recipe, but it has enough unexpected flavor—thanks to the addition of the buttermilk glaze—that you’ll also win over the harder-to-please dessert eaters at the table. Warning: You—and they—won’t be able to resist a second slice. Go for it. We won’t tell.

Grilled Pound Cake with Brandied Red Plums

Grilled Pound Cake with Brandied Red Plums Recipe

Get the grill going to make this delicious pound cake and top it off with juicy, red plums, whipped cream, and almonds.

Pumpkin Pound Cake with Buttermilk Glaze

Pumpkin Pound Cake with Buttermilk Glaze Recipe

If you’re looking for the perfect fall dessert, let the hunt stop here. This incredibly moist pumpkin pound cake is one of our favorite cakes of all time. Perfect for any fall festivities—Halloween, Thanksgiving, and beyond—this easy pumpkin cake delivers just the right amount ofspice, balanced by the rich tang of buttermilk (in the mouthwatering glaze and the cake itself). A few smart swaps keep this tasty seasonal treat a bit lighter than a traditional pound cake, but you’re not likely to notice enjoying its perfectly sweet flavor and rich texture. Note: Draining the canned pumpkin before mixing it into your batter keeps you from adding too much liquid to the cake, so don't skip on this step.

Mini Triple-Chocolate Buttermilk Pound Cakes

Mini Triple-Chocolate Buttermilk Pound Cakes Recipe

If you want a whole pound cake to yourself, try these individually-portioned chocolaty pound cakes. You'll hardly be able to bake these little gems before they're devoured.

Yogurt Pound Cake with Pomegranate Syrup image

Yogurt Pound Cake with Pomegranate Syrup Recipe

Not your typical pound cake. Shaya adds Greek yogurt to the batter for a slight tang, then soaks the cake in a fragrant lemon-cardamom liquid and serves it with spiced pomegranate syrup.

Powdered Sugar Pound Cake

Powdered Sugar Pound Cake Recipe

With its fine crumb and almost candylike almond-studded shell, this is pound cake gone to fancy class--but still pound-cake-easy.

Strawberry Poke Pound Cake with Strawberry Glaze image

Strawberry Poke Pound Cake with Strawberry Glaze Recipe

Poke cake meets pound cake in this must-make spring dessert.A perfectly moist, dense vanilla pound cake (with a delightful hint of almond) is filled with a fresh strawberry filling—adding to the cake's tender crumb and providing the perfect fruity sweet-tart flavor balance. Finish the whole thing off with an eye-catching fresh strawberry glaze, and you have a supremely awesome cake on your hands. Be warned, if you share this pound cakewith friends, you'll need to be ready to share the recipe as well.

Elderflower Pound Cake with Lemon-Elderflower Glaze image

Elderflower Pound Cake with Lemon-Elderflower Glaze Recipe

This delightfully floral pound cake is a super fun and elegant twist on the classic 7-Up pound cake—not to mention, a most delicious introduction to elderflower if you’re not familiar with its flavor. Easy to whip up and incredibly impressive, this elderflower dessert is a fantastic option for your next dinner party. The floral notes from the elderflower liqueur and tonic water, as well as the lemony tart glaze, perfectly balance the pound cake’s richness. You can find elderflower tonic water at grocery stores such as Whole Foods and Fresh Market, but you can also order it online if you have trouble tracking it down locally. You will have leftover tonic—but don’t worry, that’s just a perfect excuse to make yourself an elderflower gin and tonic to enjoy while your cake bakes. While the flower flavor in this fabulous cake certainly shines, it isn’t at all overbearing.

Two-Step Fresh Peach Pound Cake

Two-Step Fresh Peach Pound Cake Recipe

Turn out a high-rise cake with a moist, tender crumb by layering the ingredients in the bowl in the order specified. Don't have a stand mixer with a 4-qt. bowl and paddle attachment? Prep the batter in the traditional way.

Double-Chocolate Swirl Pound Cake

Double-Chocolate Swirl Pound Cake Recipe

Look for whole-wheat pastry flour in the baking aisle at major supermarkets.

Black Forest Pound Cake

Black Forest Pound Cake Recipe

This decadent dessert is an easy, one-pan twist on the traditional layered cake.

Grilled Pound Cake with Lemon Cream and Blueberries

Grilled Pound Cake with Lemon Cream and Blueberries Recipe

Fire up your grill for dessert! Keep the flame still going and make luscious Grilled Pound Cake with Lemon Cream and Blueberries. The lightly grilled cake will be a favorite all around.

Buttery Pound Cake

Buttery Pound Cake Recipe

Sweet brown sugar pairs perfectly with the apples in this pound cake recipe.

Pound Cake with Strawberry Glaze

Pound Cake with Strawberry Glaze Recipe

Look for whole-wheat pastry flour in the baking aisle at major supermarkets. Garnish with additional strawberries and fresh mint leaves.

Grapefruit Pound Cake

Grapefruit Pound Cake Recipe

Grapefruit Pound Cake blossoms from the floral essence of grated grapefruit rind, while fresh grapefruit juice packs refreshing flavor to the powdered sugar glaze which is drizzled over this moist pound cake.

Canola Oil Pound Cake with Browned Butter Glaze

Canola Oil Pound Cake with Browned Butter Glaze Recipe

Heart-healthy canola oil helps lighten this classic dessert. And an ingenious technique of soaking a vanilla bean in the oil adds deep, rich flavor to Canola Oil Pound Cake with Browned Butter Glaze.

Pound Cake Cupcakes

Pound Cake Cupcakes Recipe

We've stirred up a little magic with our Pound Cake Cupcakes, which are a Thumbelina version of the tube-pan classic.

Sweet Potato Pound Cake

Sweet Potato Pound Cake Recipe

Bored with sweet potato casserole? Try this sweet potato pound cake, a twist on traditional pound cake that features nutrient-rich sweet potatoes. It's the perfect addition to holiday dessert tables.

Lemon Curd Pound Cake

Lemon Curd Pound Cake Recipe

Wait to prepare the Lemon Curd Glaze until the cake comes out of the oven so it will still be warm when spread over the cake.

Candied Ginger Pound Cake Truffles

Candied Ginger Pound Cake Truffles Recipe

If you like spicy sweets, Candied Ginger Pound Cake Truffles are for you. Chopped crystallized ginger make up part of these cake balls as well as the garnish.

Amaretto-Almond Pound Cake

Amaretto-Almond Pound Cake Recipe

Drizzle an almond-flavored pound cake with homemade amaretto glaze for a delightfully decadent dessert.

Bourbon-Pecan Pound Cake Truffles

Bourbon-Pecan Pound Cake Truffles Recipe

We take a favorite Southern dessert and turn it into bite-size Bourbon-Pecan Pound Cake Truffles.

Key Lime Pound Cake

Key Lime Pound Cake Recipe

Dress up traditional pound cake with a little lime zest and a homemade Key lime glaze for a deliciously tropical dessert.

Miss Lizzie's Pound Cake

Miss Lizzie's Pound Cake Recipe

A yummy caramel frosting paired with a moist and delicious pound cake makes for an irresistible dessert.

Raspberry Pound Cake Truffles

Raspberry Pound Cake Truffles Recipe

Raspberry Pound Cake Truffles is our update on the ubiquitous cake ball. We roll these sweet little gems in chopped toasted almonds for added crunch and flavor.

Lemon-Coconut Pound Cake Loaf

Lemon-Coconut Pound Cake Loaf Recipe

Garnish this pound cake with flaked coconut or, for a dressier look, curly shavings of coconut.

Pound Cake S'mores

Pound Cake S'mores Recipe

This is one of the easiest desserts you will ever make, but it is also one of the tastiest. Instead of using traditional graham crackers to complete your s'more, the base becomes soft, moist pound cake. Drizzle with caramel topping and nuts.

Sauvignon Blanc Pound Cake

Sauvignon Blanc Pound Cake Recipe

Sauvignon Blanc goes into the batter and the glaze of this pound cake.

Buttermilk Pound Cake with Custard

Buttermilk Pound Cake with Custard Sauce Recipe

We sampled this traditional pairing several different ways and loved them all, but our favorite was warm cake with chilled custard.

Strawberry Swirl Cream Cheese Pound Cake

Strawberry Swirl Cream Cheese Pound Cake Recipe

Here the cream cheese is added after beating the butter and sugar, and the cake bakes at a slightly higher temperature than usual.

Mexican Chocolate Pound Cake

Mexican Chocolate Pound Cake Recipe

We replicated the flavor profile of Mexican chocolate using semisweet chocolate and cinnamon. If you prefer to use Mexican chocolate, look for it with the hot drink mixes or on the Hispanic food aisle. This moist pound cake is equally delicious without the sauce.

Lemon-Cornmeal Pound Cake with Berries and Cream

Lemon-Cornmeal Pound Cake with Berries and Cream Recipe

Because of the addition of cornmeal to the batter, the texture of this pound cake resembles a sweet and tender cornbread. Top this simple cake with whipped cream and berries for a company-worthy dessert.

Two-Step Pound Cake

Two-Step Pound Cake Recipe

You'll need a heavy-duty stand mixer with a 4-qt. bowl and paddle attachment for this recipe.

Peanut Butter Pound Cake S'mores

Peanut Butter Pound Cake S'mores Recipe

In this takeoff on the campfire classic, crunchy graham crackers are replaced with buttery store-bought pound cake, sandwiched with marshmallow fluff and peanut butter and served alongside a cup of warm melted chocolate for dipping.

Grilled Lemon Pound Cake with Peaches and Cream

Grilled Lemon Pound Cake with Peaches and Cream Recipe

This versatile lemon pound cake is super moist and can be used to make everything from French toast to a stuffing for baked apples.

Baby Pound Cakes

Baby Pound Cakes Recipe

Enjoy these pound cake bites for breakfast or as a late-night snack by the fire, or split and toast them with butter.

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Sour Cream Pound Cake With Mixed Berries Recipe

This pound cake is made with healthier ingredients than most cakes. It calls for Greek yogurt, fat-free sour cream, a mashed banana, oat flour, and it's topped with mixed berries.

Cream Cheese Pound Cake

Cream Cheese Pound Cake Recipe

Look no further for the perfect pound cake recipe. This traditional cake is extra-rich because of the cream cheese and always in style. This beloved cake definitely makes the list for our favorite baking recipes. This showstopping dessert is sure to be a favorite among family and friends at any gathering or festivity.

Caramel Pound Cake

Caramel Pound Cake Recipe

Drizzle this sweet caramel pound cake with homemade caramel frosting for an irresistible dessert.

Pecan Pound Cake

Pecan Pound Cake Recipe

A drizzle of lemon-infused glaze gives this creamy nut-filled cake a sweet finish.

Chocolate Chip Irish Cream Pound Cake

Chocolate Chip Irish Cream Pound Cake Recipe

Category Finalist, Desserts. "This cake is even better on the second day." --Anna Ginsberg, Austin, TX

mr- million dollar pound cake reshoot

Million Dollar Pound Cake Recipe

Just 7 ingredients - and all of them common pantry staples - are all you need for this rich classic pound cake recipe.

Buttered Rum Pound Cake with Bananas Foster Sauce

Buttered Rum Pound Cake with Bananas Foster Sauce Recipe

Spiced Cornmeal Pound Cake

Spiced Cornmeal Pound Cake Recipe

You can make this pound cake up to 1 day ahead; when cool, wrap airtight and store at room temperature.

Chocolate-Ginger Pound Cake

Chocolate-Ginger Pound Cake Recipe

Crystallized ginger gives this chocolate pound cake a unique flavor.

Lemon Pound Cake with Mint Berries and Cream

Lemon Pound Cake with Mint Berries and Cream Recipe

Prepare this pound cake topped with lemon cream and strawberries for a light and summery dessert.

Ultimate Vanilla Pound Cake

Ultimate Vanilla Pound Cake Recipe

All you need is 6 ingredients to make this go-to vanilla pound cake.

Orange-Glazed Cranberry Pound Cake

Orange-Glazed Cranberry Pound Cake Recipe

This delicious cake combines the sweetness of orange with the tartness of fresh cranberries and sour cream.

Chocolate-Earl Grey Pound Cake

Chocolate-Earl Grey Pound Cake Recipe

This chocolate pound cake is flavored with Earl Grey tea and drizzled with Earl Grey Dark Chocolate Sauce

Black Currant Pound Cake

Black Currant Pound Cake Recipe

Black currant tea's naturally sweet, fruity flavor and aroma stand out in this cake but don't overpower it. If you don't want to pour all the glaze over the cake, drizzle some over individual slices.

Vanilla Buttermilk Pound Cakes

Vanilla Buttermilk Pound Cakes Recipe

Tart buttermilk and sweet vanilla mingle flawlessly in this pound cake. You can also prepare these cakes in two (8 x 4–inch) loaf pans. Bake at 350° for one hour or until done.

Sour Cream-Lemon Pound Cake

Sour Cream-Lemon Pound Cake Recipe

This lightened version of a traditional sour cream pound cake calls for a reduced amount of butter and low-fat sour cream. It's citrusy flavor comes from fresh lemon juice, lemon rind and lemon extract in the batter and the sweet lemon glaze that's drizzled on top of the cake.

Lemon-Poppy Seed Pound Cake

Lemon-Poppy Seed Pound Cake Recipe

This Lemon-Poppy Seed Pound Cake is a classic recipe that is a true crowd-pleaser. Don't forget to brush the lemon glaze over the warm cake as it comes out of the oven. This recipe can be used to make delicious breakfast muffins too.

Chocolate Velvet "Pound" Cake

Chocolate Velvet "Pound" Cake Recipe

Ice cream and warm Chocolate Ganache are also nice accompaniments for this cake.

Double-Banana Pound Cake

Double-Banana Pound Cake Recipe

For banana lovers: This cake packs a double punch of banana with the fruit and liqueur. The banana liqueur is a must; it gives the cake a sweet, rich banana flavor.

Spiced Eggnog Pound Cake

Spiced Eggnog Pound Cake Recipe

Eggnog not’s just for sipping: Use it to add extra richness and flavor to a holiday bundt cake.

Banana-Chocolate Pound Cake

Banana-Chocolate Pound Cake Recipe

The flavors of banana and chocolate combine deliciously in this loaf pound cake.

Lemon-Vanilla Pound Cake with Lavender Glaze image

Lemon-Vanilla Pound Cake with Lavender Glaze Recipe

Pomegranate Pound Cake

Pomegranate Pound Cake Recipe

Pomegranate seeds give this simple vanilla pound cake a bright flavor.

Cornmeal Pound Cake

Cornmeal Pound Cake Recipe

This cornmeal cake has an unexpected crunch from the grits and is great with strawberries and peaches.