Pound Cake Recipes

The original recipe for classic pound cake had a 1-to-1-to-1-to-1 ratio of eggs, butter, sugar, and flour—often calling for a full pound of butter. The result was confection perfection: compact, moist little crumbs surrounded by a browned sugar crust. Here we reveal our best tricks for producing the same delightful dessert with less than a quarter of the traditional butter quantity.

First up is our Pound Cake with Strawberry Glaze. Look for whole-wheat pastry flour in the baking aisle at major supermarkets. Garnish with additional strawberries and fresh mint leaves.

Swirl in two steps: Alternate batters using two ice-cream scoops; then swirl with a pick for a fantastic treat.

This recipe 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.

Because of the addition of cornmeal to the batter, the texture of this pound cake resembles a sweet and tender cornbread instead of the usual dense texture you might expect from a traditional pound cake. Top this simple cake with whipped cream and berries for a company-worthy dessert.

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 this cake.

An easy, versatile chocolate sauce dresses up store-bought pound cake for a simple dessert offering. For a festive fondue dessert, substitute an orange-flavored liqueur like Triple Sec for the coffee-flavored one (or omit the liqueur altogether), and dunk fresh orange sections, dried apricots, marshmallows, or pretzel rods into the sauce.

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.

This pound cake is delicious right out of the oven, but even better the second day, when the liquer soaks the cake.

Make the cake ahead, and freeze it for up to two weeks. Thaw in the refrigerator, and bring to room temperature before glazing. Follow the directions for applying the glaze in two steps to allow it to permeate the cake more thoroughly. A fresh basil sprig is a lovely garnish.

This lightened version of an old-fashioned sour cream pound cake uses light sour cream and less butter and eggs than a traditional pound cake recipe but keeps all the rich flavor.

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.

The glaze on this mouthwatering cake is enough to make you want to lick your screen. Drain the canned pumpkin before making the cake batter to keep the cake's texture light.