This versatile and easy-to-bake Old-Fashioned Sour Cream Pound Cake is an evergreen classic pound recipe. This cake has a tangy flavor with a light, fluffy and decadent crumb. It's a perfect treat with a cup of tea or coffee.
Table of Contents
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- This retro pound cake needs only a few basic pantry staples and you can make it in about 90 minutes.
- The luxurious moistness and velvety crumb texture of the cake will just melt in your mouth like this Southern Pecan Praline Cake, Lemon Yogurt Cake and my all time hit Pecan Upside Down Cake.
- The delicate sweetness of this cake is perfectly balanced by a zesty hint of lemon icing making it a delightful and refreshing treat for any occasion like potlucks or brunch parties.
Origin of Pound Cakes
This old-fashioned pound cake harks back to 18th century Britain, where it was named for its simple recipe—equal parts flour, sugar, butter, and eggs, each measured by the pound. Originally made to feed large families, the recipe evolved to include leavening agents like baking powder and baking soda, giving the cake a lighter texture.
Today, pound cakes come in a variety of flavors, from classic vanilla and rich decadent chocolate to creamy versions like creamcheese, and even convenient mug cakes, making them a versatile favorite.
Sour Cream - A Powerhouse of Fat & Acid
Sour cream Sour cream is cream thickened using lactic acid bacteria. It adds moisture to baked goods, creating a tender, velvety texture and a fine crumb.
Sour cream has a higher fat content than buttermilk or whole milk—45 grams per cup compared to 8 grams. These fats contribute to the structure and moisture of baked goods. Its acidity interacts with leavening agents like baking soda, which helps tenderize gluten and improves the cake’s texture and rise. Additionally, sour cream adds a tangy flavor to baked goods.
Ingredients
- All-purpose flour gives structure to this bake.
- Eggs (separated) are important in this cake. Use large eggs at room temperature. The eggs are used separately in this old fashioned pound cake. The yolks are creamed with butter and sugar. The egg whites are beaten separately until stiff peaks are formed and then folded in the batter in the end.
- Sour cream is the hero ingredient of this cake. It adds fats and acid to the cake.
See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and quantities.
Substitutions & Variations
- For this classic pound cake, substitute sour cream with Yogurt (full fat) or Greek yogurt.
- Want a crunchy bite? Add 1 cup of chopped nuts such as pecans or walnuts to the batter.
- For an extra chocolatey indulgence, pour a luscious decadent chocolate ganache over the cooled cake.
This recipe hasn't been tested with alternative substitutions or variations. If you choose to replace or include different ingredients, we'd love to hear about your experience. Please share your feedback in the comments section below!
Baking Pro Tips
1. Unless a recipe says otherwise, always use room-temperature ingredients. This helps them mix together smoothly and evenly, for perfect results every time.
2. Ditch the measuring cups and grab your digital scale. Weighing dry ingredients in grams ensures perfect accuracy and consistent results.
How to Make Old Fashioned Sour Cream Pound Cake
Detailed Instructions Below! See the key steps here, then head to the recipe card below for full instructions.
1. Whisk together all-purpose flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
2. Cream together the butter and sugar for 5 – 7 minutes until is the creamy and airy.
3. Add egg yolks one by one to the butter and sugar mixture. Add vanilla extract and sour cream to the batter.
4. Beat the egg whites in a clean separate bowl and beat them until soft peaks are formed.
5. Add the egg whites to the batter and fold the egg whites into the cake batter until just combined.
6. Bake the cake at 325 F for about 75 – 90 minutes. Check if the tooth pick inserted in the center comes out clean of the cake.
Serving Suggestions
- Berries pair so well with this delicate cake. Serve the cake pieces with strawberries, blackberries or blueberries.
- Whipped cream or Ice-cream are the perfect choice to enjoy this sour cream cake with. Add a generous dollop of whipped cream on each slice or top it off with a big scoop of ice cream. You may also add chocolate shavings, chopped nuts or fresh fruit to your whipped cream or ice cream for an extra flavor and textural dimension.
Expert Tips
- To avoid over-baking, remove the cake from the oven as soon as it's done. Insert a toothpick into the center of the cake; if it comes out clean, the cake is ready.
- Avoid Gluten development as over-mixing activates the gluten strands in the flour, leading to a tough and dense crumb. Imagine tiny, elastic bands tightening up, squeezing out the air and moisture that make your cake so delightful.
- To ensure easy release from deep Bundt cake pans, grease them with baking spray just before putting the cake in the oven. Avoid greasing the pan beforehand, as this may cause the spray to collect in the bottom of the pan. You may also grease the pan using the old method of applying oil and flour to the pan.
Recipe FAQs
The cake is baked at 325°F because pound cakes, with their heavier and denser crumb, require longer baking times to cook thoroughly. This particular cake will typically take anywhere from 70 to 90 minutes to bake at 325°F.
Over time, the various flavors and aromas in the cake meld together, resulting in a deeper and more complex flavor profile. Imagine the symphony of ingredients coming together overnight to create a richer and more nuanced taste experience. That's why it tastes even better the next day.
This cake bakes well in a 12-inch Bundt cake pan, or you may also use two 9 x 5 inch loaf pans, a 9 x 13 inch pan, or a 12-cup tube pan. Be mindful of the varying baking times for each pan size, and check the cake around 40-45 minutes.
How to Store
Room Temperature
Store this pound cake in an airtight container on the counter for up to 2 days.
Refrigerator
You can keep this cake fresh in the fridge for up to a week. Place the cake pieces in an airtight jar and refrigerate.
Freezing Instructions
To freeze the baked old-fashioned sour cream cake for up to 3 months, omit the lemon glaze. Cut the cake into pieces and wrap each piece in plastic wrap, followed by a layer of foil. Freeze the individual pieces and then stash them placing them in a plastic bag for storage.
When ready to serve, remove the cake pieces from the freezer and thaw them in the fridge overnight. Warm the pieces in the microwave for about 30-40 seconds before serving.
Did you make this recipe? Give it a 🌟 rating with a comment.
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Related Pound Cake Recipes
Recipe
Old Fashioned Sour Cream Pound Cake
Ingredients
Sour Cream Pound Cake
- 3 cup all-purpose flour (360 g)
- 3 cup castor sugar (600 g)
- 1 cup unsalted butter (227 g) room temperature
- 6 eggs (separated) room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (5 ml)
- 1 cup sour cream (8 oz/240 g)
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda (1.25 g)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Lemon Glaze (Optional)
- 1 cup icing sugar (115 g/4 oz)
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice (30 ml) fresh
Instructions
Sour Cream Pound Cake
- Preheat the oven at 325 F.
- Sift together the all-purpose flour, baking soda and salt in a bowl. Whisk together and set aside.
- In a bowl of the stand mixer, beat the butter until it turns pale in color.
- Add sugar and beat for 4 - 5 minutes at medium speed until creamy and fluffy. Scrap the sides and beat again.
- Add in the vanilla extract and egg yolks, one by one, and mix until well incorporated.
- Pour in the sour cream and mix until incorporated.
- Add in the dry ingredients and fold until just mixed.
- Take a clean bowl and beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form.
- Fold in the egg whites to the batter.
- Spray the bundt pan with baking spray and pour in the batter. Place the bundt pan in the middle rack of the oven.
- Check at 80 minutes with a wooden skewer inserted in the cake comes out clean.
- Cool the cake for 30 minutes before taking it out. Place it on the wire rack and pour the lemon glaze.
Lemon Glaze (Optional)
- Sift the icing sugar in a bowl and add lemon juice to it until a smooth consistency glaze.
Notes
- To avoid over-baking, remove the cake from the oven as soon as it's done. Insert a toothpick into the center of the cake; if it comes out clean, the cake is ready.
- Avoid Gluten development as over-mixing activates the gluten strands in the flour, leading to a tough and dense crumb. Imagine tiny, elastic bands tightening up, squeezing out the air and moisture that make your cake so delightful.
- To ensure easy release from deep Bundt cake pans, grease them with baking spray just before putting the cake in the oven. Avoid greasing the pan beforehand, as this may cause the spray to collect in the bottom of the pan. You may also grease the pan using the old method of applying oil and flour to the pan.
Naureen
What a detailed all times favourite recipe
Easy to follow
I must say you are perfect in baking and photography as well.this is rare
Keep up the excellent work
Madeeha Anwar
Thanks so much Naureen. I am glad you liked the details and photography. Thank you.
Jugni
I love how you explain the processes making it easier for people like e to give it a go! Will be trying this out for sure.
Madeeha Anwar
Great that the step-by-step instructions are helpful. Thanks Jugni.
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