This pound cake recipe calls for just butter, sugar, flour, eggs, pure vanilla extract, and a touch of salt. Mix well, since there is no leavening other than eggs and the air introduced from creaming the butter and sugar. The resulting cake is thick, buttery, rich, and adaptable. Enjoy a slice with coffee or tea, match it with whipped cream and berries, or use it as the foundation for a variety of desserts.
Prep: 15 mins
Total: 1 hr 15 mins
Servings: 8
Ingredients
Ingredient Checklist
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pan
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled), plus more for pan
- 1 cup sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Directions
Instructions Checklist
- Step 1 Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a 6-cup (8 1/2-by-4 1/2-inch) loaf pan; set aside.
- Step 2 Using a high-speed electric mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one by one, beating thoroughly after each addition; then add vanilla extract and salt. On low speed, gradually add flour, beating until just mixed (do not overmix).
- Step 3 About one hour, or until a toothpick put into the middle of the cake comes out clean (tent with aluminium foil if browning too quickly). Allow pan to cool for 15 minutes. Invert onto a wire rack and turn upright to cool to room temperature.