My easy Sour Cream Pound Cake recipe has a soft, tender crumb and is simply delicious. I've taken this classic pound cake recipe and made it my own by adding extra pure vanilla extract, ground cardamom, which plays well with the sweetness of the cake, and refined coconut oil that keeps this already moist cake moist for days. And to make it extra special, I've added a browned butter glaze. This buttery, sweet, and slightly salty glaze is perfect with this cake and gives it a modern spin.
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What Makes This Pound Cake Stand Out
A unique take on homemade pound cake: As a baker, I’ve made dozens of pound cakes, and I wanted to add my own little twist to this classic pound cake recipe. These changes (additions) make a difference in the taste and texture:
- Extra vanilla extract. Most recipes use 1 or 2 teaspoons, but I used a tablespoon, and that extra vanilla flavor really sings in this cake.
- Extra kosher salt. Most recipes use 1/2 teaspoon, but that extra salt balances the sweetness of this cake.
- Ground cardamom. This spice adds a warm floral element to the cake, plus it pairs well with the vanilla.
- Refined coconut oil. I replaced part of the butter with refined coconut oil, which does not have a coconut taste. That little bit of coconut oil helps the cake stay moist for days and gives the cake a more tender bite.
- Brown butter glaze. The sweet brown butter glaze elevates this pound cake to new heights of deliciousness. Its rich, buttery flavor, with a hint of nuttiness, perfectly complements the cake’s tender texture and sweetness. For a tangy citrus twist, try my easy lemon glaze. For more of a classic flavor combo, check out my vanilla glaze.
If you love Bundt cake and want some inspiration that's similar to this recipe, I’d point you to my vanilla bundt cake recipe or my lovely southern lemon pound cake.
How to Ensure A Successful Bake
I think this cake is perfect for beginning bakers because the ingredients are easily accessible and the mixing technique is straightforward. That said, I'm giving you some pro tips to make sure your cake comes out perfect.
- Mix Flour Mixture on Low Speed: When it’s time to add the dry ingredients, I mix on low speed to avoid developing the gluten and ensure a tender crumb. There’s no rush, just mix low and slow and have patience as the magic happens.
- Room Temperature Ingredients: I always emphasize the importance of using room-temperature ingredients to create a light, fluffy cake. Cold eggs lead to a dense, stodgy texture and cold butter won’t mix well with the sugar.
- Mixing the butter and sugar. Taking the time to properly cream the sugar and butter creates a creamy, airy base. I never rush this step because it directly impacts the cake’s final texture.
Key Ingredients for This Pound Cake
- Full-Fat Sour Cream: I never compromise on this ingredient. Full-fat sour cream brings a subtle tang to the pound cake, and the fat content helps create a soft, tender crumb that makes sure people come back for a second slice!
- Cardamom: This addition was born from a "what if" moment. I’ve made traditional pound cakes for years, but as I was working on this recipe and testing it, I wondered how cardamom would taste in this cake. The 3/4 teaspoon truly sets this sour cream pound cake recipe apart. It's not quite enough to taste distinctly spiced, but just enough to add warmth and complexity that will make people wonder what that subtle, aromatic note might be.
- Kosher Salt: I doubled the salt compared to what most recipes call for, using a full teaspoon instead of the usual half, and not by accident. I've found that proper seasoning is what separates good baking from great baking. The extra salt doesn't make the cake salty at all—it amplifies the butter flavor and balances out the sweetness of the cake.
- Pure Vanilla Extract: I'm generous with my vanilla, using a full tablespoon plus I top the cake with a vanilla soaking syrup. Vanilla adds a creamy, aromatic note to all desserts and really, you can’t have too much vanilla, right? The difference between one teaspoon and three is remarkable. Oh, and you must use pure vanilla extract.
Full ingredients, measurements, and instructions are in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
How to Make Sour Cream Pound Cake
Step 1: Properly prepare the bundt cake pan per the recipe instructions.
Step 2: Sift the flour into a large bowl. Add the baking soda and salt, then whisk for about 30 seconds to combine.
Step 3: In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the sugar, butter, coconut oil, cardamom, and vanilla extract. Mix on low speed, then increase to medium speed and beat until creamy and fluffy.
Step 4: Add the eggs one at a time, mixing on medium speed for 20 seconds per egg until fully incorporated. Scrape down the bowl after adding the third egg, then again once all eggs are mixed in.
Step 5: Add a third of the flour mixture and mix on low speed. Then add 1/2 cup of sour cream and mix until incorporated. Alternate adding the remaining flour and sour cream, ending with the flour.
Step 6: Alternate the addition of sour cream and the remaining flour. The cake batter should be thick and creamy.
Step 7: Scoop the batter into the prepared Bundt pan. Use an offset spatula to smooth out and level the batter. Tap the pan firmly against the counter to remove air bubbles.
Step 8: Bake the cake for 60-70 minutes until it registers 213°F on an instant-read thermometer.
Step 8: Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in the pan for 15 minutes.
Step 9: Invert the cake onto a parchment-lined cooling rack and brush it with the vanilla soaking syrup.
Step 10: Let the cake cool completely for a few hours or overnight before adding the absolutely amazing brown butter glaze. Alternatively, you could dust it with powdered sugar for a simple finish.
Let's Talk About This Brown Butter Glaze
I almost went with a vanilla glaze for this cake, but I had a "what about" moment, and the idea for this brown butter glaze was born. The recipe contains brown butter, powdered sugar, salt, and vanilla. These ingredients produce a glaze that is salty, sweet, and creamy.
I tested this recipe several times. The amount of powdered sugar is just right to add sweetness without overpowering the brown butter. The salt plays nice with the brown butter and the cake itself. And the vanilla adds a warm flavor note that makes everything taste better.
How to Store This Cake
To keep your sour cream pound cake fresh, store it in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. The refined coconut oil in the butter helps keep it moist and tender over that time. If you’d like to extend its shelf life even more, put it in the fridge, where it will stay fresh for up to 5 days.
More Delicious Cakes to Try
Here are more easy and delicious cakes for you to try some of my favorites.
- Delicious Glazed Orange Bundt Cake
- Meyer Lemon Pound Cake with Cardamom
- Incredibly Moist Lemon Raspberry Bundt Cake
If you make this amazing super moist pound cake, please leave a rating and a comment below.
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Velvety Sour Cream Pound Cake
Ingredients
Bundt Pan Coating
- Vegetable shortening
- All-Purpose Flour
Cake Batter
- 3 cups (375 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour sifted
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 3 cups (600 grams) granulated sugar
- 12 tablespoons (169 grams) unsalted butter room temperature
- 4 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon (57 grams) refined coconut oil
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 6 large (300 grams) eggs
- 1 cup (242 grams) full-fat sour cream room temperature
Vanilla Soaking Syrup
- 3 tablespoons (38 grams) granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons (45ml) water
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Brown Butter Glaze (Optional)
- 8 tablespoons (113 grams) unsalted butter
- 10 tablespoons (75 grams) powdered sugar sifted
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C). Place a wire cooling rack on the oven rack. The rack will keep the bundt pan level.
Prepare the Bundt Pan
- With a paper towel or pastry brush generously coat the interior of the bundt pan with Crisco vegetable shortening or similar product. Make sure to get into all the nooks and crannies of the design. Pay special attention to the center tube.
- Add 2 tablespoons of flour to the pan and tilt and rotate the pan to evenly coat all greased surfaces with flour. Tap out any excess flour over the sink or a paper towel.
- Hold the pan up to the light and inspect to ensure no bare spots remain. If needed, touch up any areas with more shortening and flour.
Make the Cake Batter
- Sift the flour into a large bowl. Add the baking soda, and salt, and whisk together for about 30 seconds.
- Place the sugar, butter, coconut oil, cardamom, and vanilla extract in the bowl of a stand mixer. With the paddle attachment mix the ingredients on low speed for 30 seconds. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat for 4 minutes and 30 seconds until the mixture is creamy and fluffy.
- Scrape the sides and bottoms of the bowl. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating on medium speed for 20 seconds or until each egg is well incorporated. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl after adding the 3rd egg. After all the eggs are mixed in scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.
- Add 1/3 of the flour and mix on low speed (use the Stir setting if using a KitchenAid mixer). Next add 1/2 cup of the sour cream and mix on low speed until incorporated. Alternate the remaining flour and sour cream mixing after each ingredient and ending with the last third of the flour.
- Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl. Mix on low speed for 20 seconds to ensure the batter is well combined.
Bake the Cake
- Scoop the batter into the prepared bundt pan. Use an offset spatula to smooth and even out the batter. Place a dish towel under the pan and tap it against the counter 3-4 times. Place the cake in the oven and bake for 60-70 minutes. The top of the cake should be golden brown, covered with cracks (see picture in blog post) and the internal temperature should be about 213°F when measured with an instant-read thermometer.
- Remove the cake from the oven, place it on a wire rack, and let it cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Invert the cake on a parchment line cooling rack. Immediately start brushing the cake with the vanilla soaking syrup until it's all used up.
- Let the cake cool for 2-3 hours (or overnight) before adding a glaze. If you prefer you can add a dusting of powdered sugar.
Make the Vanilla Soaking Syrup
- As soon as the cake comes out of the oven combine the sugar and water in a saucepan. Heat it over medium-high heat just until it begins to simmer and the sugar has dissolved. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract.
How to Store the Cake (Unglazed)
- Store the cake in a container or other airtight container for up to 3 days. Store it in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Once the brown butter glaze is added the cake can be stored at room temperature for up to 2 days.
Make the Brown Butter Glaze
- Sift the powdered sugar into a medium-sized bowl and set it aside.
- Place 8 tablespoons (113 grams) of butter, cut into 8 pieces in a saucepan. Use a light-colored saucepan so you can see the milk solids as they brown. Place the saucepan over high heat. As soon as the butter starts to melt, reduce the heat to low. The heat is reduced to low to minimize evaporation and reduce the chance that you will burn the butter.
- As the butter melts, it will pop, and sizzle and the milk solids will begin to separate from the butter fat. Initially the milk solids will sit on top of the butter fat. As the butter continues to cook, the milk solids will start to drop to the bottom of the pan and turn brown.
- Once the amount of milk solid foam begins to lessen start to look for brown pieces on the bottom of the pan. Occasionally stir it so you can clearly see the bottom of the pan.
- Once the amount of milk solid foam begins to lessen start to look for brown pieces on the bottom of the pan. Occasionally stir it so you can clearly see the bottom of the pan.
- Once the butter reaches the right color remove the pan from the heat. Let it cool for 5 minutes. Stir the browned butter into the powdered sugar 1 tablespoon at a time. Continue to stir until the mixture is smooth. Stir in the salt and the vanilla.
- Let the glaze cool to about 90°F. At this point, it will be soft enough to pour over the cake. If it becomes too stiff set the bowl over a pot of simmering water for a few seconds to slowly warm it up. Do not try to reheat it in the microwave. The glaze with split and no amount of stirring will save.
- Spoon the glaze over the cake and serve.
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