Buttermilk Pound Cake takes a traditional scratch made pound cake and give it new life. Adding butter extract as well as buttermilk only enhance this already tender, sweet cake.

big chunk of pound cake with cake on stand in background and lemon curd topping

Buttermilk Pound Cake

Pound cakes are probably the most popular dessert recipe in the South. Everyone has a tried and true, old, fabulous recipe that has been handed down for generations. Heck, I even have one that I am not allowed to publish on the internet per my Momma’s orders.

No lie, it was my great grandmothers recipe and I actually have funded TWO senior years by selling that cake. It IS THAT GOOD! Out of respect for my Momma, I just can’t share that recipe.

What I have done though, is develop this one which is very similar in texture and consistency and will be sure to be a favorite you can share with those you love. My friend Paula has a great pound cake recipe too. So be sure to check out MISS DOT’S POUND CAKE.

Traditionally, the pound cake got its name from a healthy recipe. And I don’t mean good for you either. A pound of each ingredient. WOW! Today’s pound cake recipe is close to that but doesn’t have that much by weight of ingredients. Thankfully. I promise there is plenty of butter and sugar without there being a pound.

How to Make Pound Cake

This pound cake recipe follows traditional pound cake recipes in a lot of ways . It makes a small pound cake. Just enough sweet! If I bake it in a bundt pan, like to call it a crown cake. It is also perfect for a loaf pan size pan too! We add a few little touches to enhance the texture and the flavor. Also, we cook this in a cold oven which simply means, no preheating!

Let’s get to it!

~Ingredients~

2 cups Cake Flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 eggs
1/2 teaspoon butter extract
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 & 1/2 cup sugar

~Method~

Prep a bundt pan or tube pan with a good amount of cooking spray. Cream butter, salt and sugar well with a mixer. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
Add vanilla and butter extracts. Mix well. Alternate buttermilk with cake flour in two parts to add to wet ingredients. Pour in prepared pan.
Place in a cold oven on lowest rack and bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Cool in pan for 30 minutes. Turn out, slice and Enjoy!

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Tips and Tricks

Vanilla – Not all vanilla is created equally. If you can find one labeled “Baking Vanilla” get it! Pure vanilla extracts are not all pure. Most every vanilla is made with alcohol. For Baking vanilla, you will find that percentage of alcohol is much lower. This will mean for a purer taste. There is a link to get some at the bottom of this post! I reserve this baking vanilla for very special things. One of those being this cake!
Bundt Pan – If you read my post on this gorgeous BLUEBERRY CAKE, you will know I am a stickler about the brand of the pans I use. Wilton for me specializes in cake pans, that makes them a master at what is best for this application. They have mastered the art of being great at that one thing. You will find a link to a great pan at the bottom of this post. You can also bake this cake in a loaf pan as well. It is a small cake so it can be doubled to make a large cake too!
What if I don’t have Buttermilk? – That is easy. Get some. Seriously, wait to make this recipe when you can get some. The buttermilk is a key component in making the texture of this cake like no other. Most Pound cakes are way too sweet. This one is perfect. That is because of the buttermilk. Trust me on this one. If you don’t have it, don’t make it.

a slice of buttermilk pound cake on a floral plate

a bite of buttermilk pound cake with lemon curd

Other Dessert Recipes You Will Love

BLUEBERRY YOGURT MORNING CAKE
BREAD PUDDING WITH BOURBON CREAM SAUCE
BEARS IN A BLANKET

This pound cake is spectacular on its own. We love to put this gorgeous LEMON CURD on top of it. It really balances out the sweet with the tang of the curd. For another delicious cake recipe, check out this glorious WHIPPING CREAM BUNDT CAKE recipe.

And if you need a tasty and special coffee to go with this pound cake, try our friend Emma’s recipe for IRISH CREAM COFFEE.

If you make this recipe, be sure and post it to Facebook or Instagram and tag us. We love pictures of food. Also, if you pin this recipe, we would appreciate that when you make it, you use the Made It function in Pinterest too.

And as always, we would love it if you shared this recipe with your family and friends. Over to the side on this post and all of the others are handy dandy share buttons. We would sure be grateful if you shared the love!