A basic Sour Cream Pound Cake that is just like grandma used to make! Top it with whipped cream and fresh berries for a taste of nostalgia.
Prep Time 20 minutesminutes
Cook Time 1 hourhour15 minutesminutes
Total Time 1 hourhour35 minutesminutes
Servings 12
Ingredients
2cups(452g)unsalted butter, softened
3cups(600g)granulated sugar
5large eggs, room temperature
2tablespoonsfresh lemon juice
1tablespoonvanilla extract
½teaspoonsalt
1cup(227g)sour cream, room temperature
3 ¼cups(390g)cake flour, sifted
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 325°F. Grease a 12-cup bundt pan and dust with flour, tapping out any excess; set aside.
Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or handheld electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar together for 5 minutes until light, fluffy, and increased in volume. Stop and scrape down the sides as needed. (If your butter isn't super soft, you may need to add the sugar in 2 addition. Just mix in half at a time then continue to beat for 5 minutes.)
With the mixer on low speed, add the eggs, one at a time, mixing to combine after each addition. Then add the lemon juice, vanilla, and salt; beat until well combined. (The batter may appear curdled at this point. That's okay, it will smooth out once you add the flour.)
Sift half of the flour over the butter mixture and stir gently with a rubber spatula until just incorporated.
Add the sour cream and continue to stir until almost fully incorporated.
Sift in the remaining flour and stir just until the flour is incorporated and no dry streaks are visible. But take care not to over mix or the cake may develop a gluey strip during baking. See Note 3.
Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and bake for 70-75 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with only a few moist crumbs attached.
Cool the cake in the pan for 10 minutes then invert it onto a wire rack to cool completely. Serve with a dusting of powdered sugar or whipped cream and fresh berries if desired.
Notes
It is important to use cake flour for this recipe. All-purpose flour will cause the cake to be dense due to the amount of mixing involved. You can find cake flour on the baking aisle at your local grocery store.
Sifting the flour into the batter makes the cake lighter. It also breaks up any large clumps of flour, making it easier to incorporate into the batter.
There will be "gluey" streaks in the cake if the batter is overmixed. This is just a bit of gluten development and doesn't change the taste of the cake. It's quite common with pound cakes so don't be alarmed if you notice it in yours. I've updated the recipe to use a hand-mixing method for incorporating the flour to help avoid any gluten development.
Make ahead tip
The cake will keep for up to 4 days wrapped tightly and stored at room temperature or for up to 1 week stored in the refrigerator.
The cake can also be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.