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Our All-Time Favorite Pound Cake Recipes

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By Kelly Vaughan Updated March 11, 2021
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vanilla pound cake
Credit: Reed Davis

Our collection of pound cake recipes includes everything from classic vanilla and cinnamon spice to chocolate and citrus flavors. If you're in the mood to make this traditional treat, know that there's a sweet recipe here for you.

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vanilla pound cake
Credit: Reed Davis

We'll never get tired of eating pound cake. There's nothing quite like a moist slice that's golden brown on the outside and light and crumbly on the inside. The beauty of a basic Vanilla Pound Cake, like the one pictured here, is that you can eat it unadorned or top it with whipped cream, berries, a citrus glaze, or silky chocolate sauce. We have plenty of recipes for a perfect, basic pound cake, and recipes with bold flavors—red velvet, peaches and cream, and lots of fresh citrus—for a modern take that everyone will love.

A true old-fashioned pound cake gets its name because the original recipe used to call for a pound each of butter, flour, eggs, and sugar. Our food editors have tweaked that basic ratio and developed new iterations that call for extra-rich ingredients like sour cream, condensed milk, and cream cheese. You won't be able to resist our 21st-century recipes of the super spongy cake—and why would you want to? We also have recipes for chocolate lovers. Whether you're ready to go all out with several kinds of chocolate or aren't quite ready to give up a beloved vanilla version, you'll fall head over heels for our variety of super chocolatey pound cake recipes.

Along the way, we'll also introduce a new method for serving pound cake. Once you bake it, place it on the grill along with seasonal summer fruit for the ultimate backyard barbecue dessert. Add a dollop or two of whipped cream for a cloud-like finish.

So, whether you're in the mood to make a timeless, traditional pound cake, a red velvet iteration, or a triple-chocolate layer treat, we have a recipe here for you. Ultimately, though, you can't go wrong: If you bake any one of these recipes, you're in for a delightful dessert.

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Three-Layer Pound Cake

three layer marble pound cake on platter
Credit: Sidney Bensimon
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Can't decide between chocolate or vanilla? Try baking our ultimate marble pound cake, which features a base layer of dark chocolate batter, a middle layer of milk chocolate batter, and finished with a simple yellow-vanilla mixture on top.

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Condensed-Milk Pound Cake

condensed milk poundcake martha bakes
Credit: Mike Krautter
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The ultra-luscious pantry staple brings an extra-dose of sweetness and moistness to an otherwise classic pound cake recipe. It's also the secret to the tart lime glaze on top.

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Red Velvet Pound Cake

red velvet pound cake
Credit: Bryan Gardner
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Go bold with this intensely-hued pound cake that's made with two tablespoons of cocoa powder and red gel food coloring. Of course, it wouldn't be red velvet cake without a decadent cream cheese frosting.

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Lemon Pound Cakes with Candied Lemon Slices

lemon pound cake
Credit: Clive Streeter
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A classic pound cake is perked up by a combination of lemon zest and lemon juice in this light and bright recipe. A cup of sour cream and six eggs make for an extra-rich bite and a homemade lemony simple syrup adds zest and moistness.

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Orange Pound Cake

Orange Pound Cake
Credit: Minh + Wass
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Take a trip to the tropics with this citrus pound cake made with the zest of six oranges. Once it finishes baking, brush with an orange simple syrup, then top with a generous glaze of orange icing.

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Grilled Pound Cake with Peaches and Plums

grilled-pound-cake-202-d112972.jpg
Credit: Bryan Gardner
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In the heat of summer, why not grill slices of pound cake to impart it with toasted flavor? Serve alongside grilled fruit and a tangy yogurt-whipped cream for a warm-weather treat.

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Cream Pound Cake

pound cake strawberry sauce
Credit: Marcus Nilsson
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The secret to the light crumb in this pound cake is cake flour, which has a lower protein count than all-purpose flour. It's our go-to recipe when we want to make a strawberry shortcake-inspired ice cream sundae.

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Tutti-Frutti Pound Cake

cherry-pound-cake-216-d111934.jpg
Credit: Johnny Miller
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Enjoy the magic of a layer cake in this summer dessert recipe. You'll find a heavenly peach mousse studded with fresh sweet cherries in between slices of pound cake.

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Martha's Cream-Cheese Pound Cake

cream cheese pound cake with jam on sea foam green table
Credit: Bryan Gardner
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Our founder uses cream cheese in this simple pound cake recipe. The rest of the ingredients (think butter, flour, eggs, and vanilla extract) are as classic as they come.

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Perfect Pound Cake

poundcake-miy-0511med106942.jpg
Credit: Con Poulos
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Pound cake gets its name from a traditional recipe that includes a pound each of flour, butter, eggs, and sugar. We upgraded the recipe with just 1/3 cup of sour cream, baking powder which acts as a leavener, and pure vanilla extract.

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Cinnamon-Toasted Pound Cake

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Warm and comforting, this pound cake tastes like home and feels like a hug. 

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Best Pound Cake

pound cake
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Here's our best basic pound cake recipe, and whether you prefer a light or a slightly more dense crumb, this recipe delivers. Try the variation for a lighter cake made with sour cream if that's your preference. 

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Chocolate Pound Cake with Peanut Butter Glaze

Chocolate Pound Cake with Peanut Butter Glaze
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This delicious dessert translates the flavors of a peanut butter cup to pound cake form. 

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Pistachio Pound Cake with Drippy Icing

mld102591_0507_poundcake .jpg
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The delicate green color of this cake comes from ground pistachios in the batter. It's topped with an easy icing made with confectioners' sugar, heavy cream, and lemon juice—and more pistachios!

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Cream-Cheese Pound Cakes

cream cheese pound cake
Credit: Minh + Wass
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This rich make-ahead pound cake recipe calls for six eggs, eight ounces of cream cheese, three sticks of butter, and plenty of sugar.

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Blackberry-Swirl Pound Cake

med105744_0710_des001b.jpg
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A deep jammy swirl of puréed blackberry runs throughout this cake. Be sure to serve slices with a dollop of whipped cream. 

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Brown Sugar-Walnut Pound Cake with Peach-Maple Sauce

Brown Sugar-Walnut Pound Cake with Peach-Maple Sauce
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The walnuts in this cake caramelize when combined with brown sugar and heat. The result is a delectable nougat flavor to rejoice over.

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Double-Chocolate Pound Cake

chocolate-poundcake-miy-0511med106942.jpg
Credit: Con Poulos
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Double the chocolate means double the deliciousness in this pound cake recipe. 

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Chocolate Chip Pound Cake with Chocolate-Coffee Liqueur Sauce

chocolate chip pound cake slice
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Think of this recipe as a dense, moist cake with chocolate in every bite. For even more flavor, it's served with a rich sauce made with Kahula.

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Orange-Barley Pound Cake

orange-barley-pound-cake-301-d112702-0416.jpg
Credit: Jonathan Lovekin
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Here's an irresistible twist on pound cake made with orange juice and zest and barley flour which gives this loaf a delicate crumb. And the glaze? It's a simple, delicious mix of confectioners' sugar, orange juice, and orange liqueur. 

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Brown-Sugar, Maple, and Pecan Pound Cake

brown-sugar-poundcake-miy-0511med106942.jpg
Credit: Con Poulos
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A little maple syrup, along with toasted pecans, give this pound cake a nutty, almost caramel flavor.

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Blueberry-Sour Cream Pound Cake with Lemon Cream

sour cream blueberry pound cake
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Sour cream produces an extra tender pound cake and blueberries make for a wonderfully fruity bite. This recipe makes two loaves, which means twice the result for the same baking effort.

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Cinnamon-Raisin Pound Cake with Basic Glaze

Cinnamon-Raisin Pound Cake with Basic Glaze
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The classic fruit-spice combination works wonderfully in pound cake. The glaze is so simple to prepare: It's just confectioners' sugar and milk, but it's just the right touch to finish this loaf cake.

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    1 of 24
    2 of 24 Three-Layer Pound Cake
    3 of 24 Condensed-Milk Pound Cake
    4 of 24 Red Velvet Pound Cake
    5 of 24 Lemon Pound Cakes with Candied Lemon Slices
    6 of 24 Orange Pound Cake
    7 of 24 Grilled Pound Cake with Peaches and Plums
    8 of 24 Cream Pound Cake
    9 of 24 Tutti-Frutti Pound Cake
    10 of 24 Martha's Cream-Cheese Pound Cake
    11 of 24 Perfect Pound Cake
    12 of 24 Cinnamon-Toasted Pound Cake
    13 of 24 Best Pound Cake
    14 of 24 Chocolate Pound Cake with Peanut Butter Glaze
    15 of 24 Pistachio Pound Cake with Drippy Icing
    16 of 24 Cream-Cheese Pound Cakes
    17 of 24 Blackberry-Swirl Pound Cake
    18 of 24 Brown Sugar-Walnut Pound Cake with Peach-Maple Sauce
    19 of 24 Double-Chocolate Pound Cake
    20 of 24 Chocolate Chip Pound Cake with Chocolate-Coffee Liqueur Sauce
    21 of 24 Orange-Barley Pound Cake
    22 of 24 Brown-Sugar, Maple, and Pecan Pound Cake
    23 of 24 Blueberry-Sour Cream Pound Cake with Lemon Cream
    24 of 24 Cinnamon-Raisin Pound Cake with Basic Glaze

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