This traditional buttermilk pound cake recipe is perfectly dense, moist, and buttery with just the right touch of sweetness. Serve it with your morning coffee or for dessert – there’s never a bad time to enjoy a slice of pound cake when it’s this good! Bonus: It’s super simple to make!
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Test Kitchen Review
Sometimes the best desserts are the simple ones that are made oh-so-perfectly. I love making this buttermilk pound cake because it’s easy, great for making ahead, and always a crowd favorite! It’s perfect served for breakfast with a cup of coffee or dessert with whipped cream and berries. I honestly just love a good traditional pound cake, it truly can’t be beat. This one is right up there at the top of my favorites list with my eggnog pound cake!
Why You’ll Love This Buttermilk Pound Cake Recipe
Loving this recipe? Then you definitely need to check out my lime blueberry pound cake, decadent almond amaretto pound cake, or this spiced RumChata pound cake!
Key Ingredients
Below you will find helpful notes for key ingredients used to make this recipe for buttermilk pound cake. Scroll down to the recipe card below for the full ingredient list and exact amounts!
- Buttermilk: If you don’t have buttermilk, you can mix regular whole milk with a tablespoon of vinegar as a quick substitute. If you have left over buttermilk, use it to make my favorite buttermilk biscuits!
- All-Purpose Flour: It’s best to spoon the flour into the measuring cup rather than dunking the whole cup in the bag. When you dunk the measuring cup, you end up really packing in the flour leading to an overly dense cake.
- Baking Soda: Always double check the label and make sure it’s not expired!
- Butter: Unsalted and softened. Be sure to let it sit on your counter for an hour or two prior to using so it’s not still cold and combines well with the other ingredients.
- Almond Extract: The almond extract is optional, but adds a great depth of flavor to your pound cake. If you want your pound cake to have a lot of almond flavor, feel free to double or even triple the amount of almond extract!
How to Make Buttermilk Pound Cake
It’s so easy to make and universally loved, we make this buttermilk pound cake recipe for just about every family gathering! Below is a quick recipe overview, but please scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the full instructions and to watch the step-by-step video.
- Prepare: Preheat the oven to 325°F and grease a 10 or 12 cup bundt pan.
- Whisk the dry ingredients: Whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt.
- Make the wet mixture: Beat to combine the butter and sugar. Once light and fluffy, beat in the eggs. Then stir in the vanilla and almond extracts.
- Make the batter: Beat the flour mixture into the wet mixture, slowly adding the buttermilk as you go. Watch closely and do not over mix the batter, beat it just until it combines.
- Bake: Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and smooth the top. Bake for 55 to 65 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- Cool: Let the pound cake completely cool in the pan before you flip it onto a cake plate.
Chef’s Tips & Variations
- Don’t Over-Mix: Do not over mix the batter! It’ll cause the gluten to over develop and the cake will become rubbery.
- Tent with Foil: If the top starts browning too quickly, lightly cover it with foil halfway through baking.
- Mix-Ins: A little added lemon or orange zest will add a fresh, bright flavor. You can also add fresh berries, diced fruit, chocolate chips, nuts, etc. The options are endless!
- Loaf Pans: This cake looks gorgeous in a Bundt pan, but you can also use bake it in two 9-inch loaf pans instead.
Ways To Serve Pound Cake
- Powdered Sugar: A dusting of powdered sugar is all it needs to look elegant!
- Cream and Fruit: Whipped cream and fresh fruit like strawberries, blackberries and blueberries is a great idea. You can also use canned fruit pie filling, like apple pie filling.
- Ice Cream: It’s amazing served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of salted caramel sauce or chocolate sauce. For the holidays, try my pecan praline sauce over the top!
Make Ahead, Storing and Freezing
- Make-Ahead: This cake actually tastes better the next day, making it perfect for prepping ahead of time. Bake it the night before your event for the best flavor. It also travels easily and makes a great homemade gift!
- Storing: Place the cooled cake in an airtight container and store at room temperature for up to a week. It stays moist and flavorful for days.
- Freezing: You can freeze this pound cake whole or as individual slices. Wrap cake (or slices) tightly with plastic wrap and then a layer of foil. If you are freezing slices, I recommend also placing them in a freezer safe ziplock bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw cake on the counter at room temperature before serving.
Buttermilk Pound Cake
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 2 ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract , optional
- 1 ⅓ cup buttermilk
- powdered sugar, optional for dusting on top
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Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease a 10-inch bundt pan with non-stick baking spray, or butter and flour it well. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk to combine the flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl of stand mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat to combine the butter and sugar, until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in vanilla and almond extracts.
- Beat in flour mixture alternating with the buttermilk, just until the batter comes together. Do not over mix. Pour batter into prepared bundt pan.
- Bake on the middle rack for 55 to 65 minutes, until the center is set and a toothpick inserted comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs stuck to it. If needed, lightly tent the cake with foil half way through baking if the top is darkening too quickly.
- Allow the cake to cool completely (in the bundt pan) before inverting onto a cake plate. Slice the cooled cake and serve as desired!
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