12 pound cake recipes for an old-fashioned treat

Have you ever wondered what sets pound cake apart from any other? The answer actually lies within the name itself. The original recipe was made using one pound of each of the primary ingredients — butter, sugar, flour and eggs. This resulted in the very dense and squat loaf-style cake that we imagine. However, the definition of pound cake has broadened a bit in these modern times. Some recipes stay true to tradition, while others tweak the ratios more liberally. 

The shape has even changed over time. Pound cakes are often baked in Bundt pans and more accessible square or rectangular baking dishes. No matter the shape or ingredient ratios, pound cake should be moist, buttery and not overly dense. They’re usually made with a higher amount of butter and eggs than a standard layer or sheet cake — each of these not only contributes to the overall flavor, but also helps keep the cake fresh for several days to boot. 

Pound cake is one of the easiest cakes to make and yet , it’s easy to turn it into a showstopping dessert. Flavor it with bourbon or rum, load it up with rainbow sprinkles or fill the center with a crumbly streusel — the options for customization are endless. One of our favorite ways to serve it is with a generous dollop of whipped cream and a handful of fresh fruit, such as berries or sliced peaches. This doesn’t even have to be done with a homemade pound cake — in this case, store-bought is perfectly fine. 

So the next time you’re wondering what to whip up for dessert, give one of these pound cake recipes a try. 

Pound cake is often thought of as a loaf shape, but nothing says it can’t be made in a Bundt pan. This particular recipe is a bit lighter and fluffier than an ordinary pound cake because the delicate cake flour is mixed with a packet of Dream Whip. 

There’s no shame in using a few store-bought ingredients to whip up a quick dessert. Here, slices of pound cake are served with a dollop of whipped ricotta and mascarpone cheese, fresh berries and a sprinkle of toasted almonds. 

This no-fuss pound cake is moist, buttery and perfect for any celebration, big or small. Colorful rainbow sprinkles are speckled throughout the batter, and even more are sprinkled on top of the glazed cake. 

Sour cream (and plenty of butter) keeps this pound cake nice and moist for several days. It’s delicious on its own, but even better with a dusting of powdered sugar, some fresh berries and a few dollops of whipped cream. 

A Neapolitan sundae combines chocolate, vanilla and strawberry ice creams for a fantastic dessert. The same idea is applied here, where layers of flavored cake batters are baked together. We’ve added a luscious chocolate glaze on top to tie it all together. 

Pound cake can even be made using boxed cake mixes. A combination of yellow cake mix and instant pudding is used to make this recipe. An extra egg is added to make the dessert rich like pound cake. Once it comes out of the oven, the cake is glazed with a white wine and butter syrup. 

This brown sugar and bourbon-infused loaf cake gets an extra hit of boozy flavor from a sweet and sticky bourbon syrup that is brushed on top. The lightly macerated peaches complement these flavors for the perfect summer dessert. 

This pound cake, which is flavored with both vanilla and almond extracts, has a wonderful taste and texture. It can be made ahead of time and served in slices with a quick stovetop caramel sauce and juicy grilled peach wedges. 

One way to spice up an ordinary pound cake is by adding a boozy element — in this case, rum. The lemon-scented buttermilk cake is easy enough to whip up and is even better when soaked in a buttery, full-bodied rum sauce while it’s still warm. 

With this recipe, you’ll find all of the flavors of decadent cinnamon rolls without all of the kneading and rolling. Layer the cake batter into the pan with a sweet cinnamon swirl, then ice the whole thing with a classic cream cheese glaze. Everyone will be excited to wake up for breakfast when they know this is what they have to look forward to. 

Mashed sweet potatoes are the secret to keeping this cake super moist. When you cut into the cake, you’ll find a layer of nutty pecan praline swirled throughout, and more on top in the form of a praline glaze.