Classic Vanilla Pound Cake
The soft, buttery texture and delicate vanilla flavor in my classic vanilla pound cake make it a crowd-pleaser that never goes out of style.
The Story Behind My Classic Vanilla Pound Cake
Pound cake is a classic dessert that has been enjoyed for generations. My great-grandmother’s recipe is actually my go-to recipe. I love looking at old family recipes. It helps me connect and honor my family’s heritage and enjoy a delicious treat at the same time.
My mom loves this recipe so much as well. In fact, anytime she is asked to bring a dessert somewhere, it’s almost always a pound cake. I think she keeps them in the freezer too. She always gets angry at me because I love the crust on the bottom and will cut off as much of that I can sneakily get away with. Let’s be honest, she always notices, but it’s just so good.
Now let’s get baking! We will go through the steps of baking my great-grandmother’s pound cake recipe and offer some tips to ensure that your cake turns out perfectly.
Ingredients for Classic Vanilla Pound Cake
- Butter- the orginal recipe my great-grandmother used called for margine. That stuff is nasty, please use butter.
- Shortening- I prefer to use the butter flavored Crisco sticks. Makes it a lot easier to clean up.
- Eggs- I always use large eggs. Please make sure they are at room temperature.
- Vanilla- I have used imitation, pure vanilla extract, and vanilla bean paste. Whichever you prefer to use will work.
- Milk- the original recipe calls for evaporated milk, but I have been successful with room temperature whole milk.
- Flour- In this cake you will use classic all-purpose flour.
- Baking Powder – make sure your baking powder is not old.
What You Need to Make a Successful Classic Vanilla Pound Cake
You have to use a fluted bundt pan in order for this cake to turn out. I prefer a simple design such as this Wilton Bundt Pan to ensure you cake comes out in one piece.
I do not suggest using a spray like Pam to grease your pan. In my opinion butter and flour work best, but if you don’t want to go that extra step, I recommend using this Cake Release by Wilton.
While I do say you can use vanilla extract, imitation vanilla, or vanilla bean paste, I really like using this Heilala Vanilla Bean Paste. I just love seeing those flecks in the cake.
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Classic Vanilla Pound Cake
Ingredients
- 2 sticks butter
- ½ cup shortening
- 3 cups sugar
- 6 large eggs
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2 tsp. vanilla bean paste
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp baking powder
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 325°F. Grease and flour a 10-inch bundt pan.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 5-7 minutes.**
- Add the eggs, milk, and vanilla. Mix at medium speed for 3 minutes.
- Next add in the flour and baking powder and cream on slow speed for 7 minutes.
- Pour the batter into your prepared pan. Bake for 1 ½ hours.
- Cool in the pan for 10 minutes before flipping it onto your cake plate.