Million Dollar Pound Cake

If you are searching for a pound cake that tastes like it's worth a million dollars, this appropriately named Million Dollar Pound Cake recipe is the perfect fit for any occasion.

This pound cake recipe is made with seven common ingredients that you likely already have in your kitchen. It is a simple recipe to create and can be served freshly baked or made ahead and stored for a quick dessert option.

Even with its simple ingredient list, this pound cake manages to be rich and tender without being overly sweet. As with any good pound, it's great on its own or can be served with fresh fruit, fruit sauces, whipped cream, and more. Dressed up or down, it's a favorite for many occasions, and it won't be long before this Million Dollar Pound Cake recipe is a go-to favorite in your home!

Ingredients for Million Dollar Pound Cake

The recipe consists of seven common kitchen staple ingredients:

• Butter: We prefer to bake with unsalted butter. Soften butter at room temperature for 30 minutes.
• Sugar: This of course adds sweetness, but sugar also makes the cake tender.
• Eggs: Eggs provide structure and body and help the cake rise.
• All-purpose flour: The addition of all-purpose flour provides the cake with enough structure and stability, without creating a dense texture.
• Milk: For moisture and tenderness.
• Almond extract: You can pick and choose the extract you want to use, but almond and vanilla are classic in pound cake.
• Vanilla extract: This elevates the flavor of the whole cake.

Unlike other cake recipes, this cake doesn't have any baking soda or baking powder; it uses air as its leavening agent. Whipping the butter, sugar, and eggs in stages creates a wonderfully light and fluffy texture, which helps give the cake its rise.

The use of these specific ingredients and the method they are mixed aid in the rich, buttery texture and flavor, so it is best to avoid substituting the main ingredients unless necessary.

How To Make Million Dollar Pound Cake

The key to success for this pound cake recipe is to make sure all ingredients are at room temperature, and give the batter plenty of time to whip to incorporate as much air as possible. It is also beneficial to use a stand mixer to help with mixing.

The full recipe is below with step-by-step photos and instructions, but here's a brief guide before you get started.

• Step 1. Blend the butter: To start, beat the room temperature butter until creamy. Periodically, stop the mixer, and scrape down the sides.
• Step 2. Cream butter and sugar: When the butter is fluffy and light, it's time to add the sugar. Incorporate the sugar slowly, and continue to whip until light and airy. Scrape down the sides once or twice to make sure the butter is fully blended with the sugar. Well-creamed butter and sugar has a slightly grainy texture, but it shouldn't be sandy.
• Step 3. Add eggs and flour: Add the eggs to the butter-sugar mixture, one at a time, until the mixture completely combines. Continue to scrape the sides of the bowl during the process. Be sure to give this process plenty of time to incorporate as much air as possible.
• Step 4. Add flour and milk: Once that step is completed, slowly alternate adding the flour and milk into the mixture, then gently stir in the almond and vanilla extracts until well combined. You can overbeat at this point, so mix until blended, but don't keep going for too long.
• Step 5. Add batter to pan and bake: Make sure your tube pan is greased well and dusted with flour. This will keep the pan from sticking. You can also add a parchment paper liner to the pan to help with release.
• Step 6. Bake pound cake: Bake at 300°F for an hour and 40 minutes in the middle rack of your oven. Keeping the pan in the middle rack of the oven will make sure the top of the cake doesn't brown too quickly.
• Step 7. Let cake cool: Once finished baking, let the pan cool on a wire rack for about 15 minutes, and remove the cake from the tube pan to cool before serving or storing. If the cake seems to be sticking, run a butter knife or off-set spatula along the edges to help the cake release.

How To Store Million Dollar Pound Cake

Once the pound cake is baked and cooled, it can be covered and kept at room temperature for up to five days or in the refrigerator for up to a week. It also freezes exceptionally well in case you are baking in advance.

How To Serve Pound Cake

This is a fantastic cake served plain, either warm or at room temperature, but it can also be served with delicious caramel sauce, lemon curd, chocolate sauce, or seasonal fruit compote. Other tasty ideas are to serve the pound cake topped with fresh berries and whipped cream or paired with a scoop of ice cream.

Test Kitchen Tips

This cake is fairly easy, but even the best bakers could use some reminders:

• For best results, make sure all your ingredients are at room temperature before mixing.
• Level off the top of the flour when measuring so you don't get too much flour in the mix.
• This pound cake recipe follows the tried-and-true method of inserting a cake tester or toothpick to check for doneness. Once the tester comes out clean, the cake is finished baking.
• Let the pound cake cool completely before cutting to ensure neat, clean slices for serving.

Editorial contributions by Nik Pugmire.