Easy Sour Cream Pound Cake

“Hands-down the best pound cake I’ve ever had!” That’s what our cross-tester had to say after they baked this recipe just once. I couldn’t agree more. 

There are endless variations of pound cake out there — cream cheese pound cake, chocolate pound cake, and fun twists like peach cobbler pound cake — but nothing beats a really good sour cream pound cake. Tangy sour cream adds flavor and keeps the cake super tender. And because it’s baked in a Bundt pan, it automatically feels a little fancy.

• This sour cream pound cake has the best texture — it’s moist and tender with a tightly packed crumb that’s just dense enough, without crossing the line into feeling heavy. 
• The cake has a just-sweet-enough, buttery flavor with a little bit of tang, thanks to the sour cream and a hint of vanilla. The flavor is simple and complex at the same time, and keeps you going back for another bite.
• Don’t be fooled by its elegant appearance — this sour cream pound cake is easy to make. It requires just seven ingredients and less than 30 minutes of prep.

• Unsalted butter. It’s essential that the butter has ample time to soften at room temperature, as the batter will be smoother and easier to mix together.
• Large eggs. This recipe uses six eggs, and you’ll also want to let the eggs come to room temperature before getting started. Add the eggs to the batter one at a time, mixing well after each addition.  
• Sour cream. I recommend sticking with full-fat sour cream for this cake. Plan to let this sit on the counter with the butter and eggs to come to room temperature before getting started.
• All-purpose flour. In addition to the flour used for the cake, you’ll use an additional tablespoon for the cake pan. 
• Granulated sugar. The recipe calls for 2 1/2 cups which might seem like a lot, but this is a sizable cake so it’s not overly sweet.

1. Bring the dairy to room temperature. Let the butter, eggs, and sour cream sit at room temperature until the butter is softened.
2. Prep the Bundt pan. The best way to grease a Bundt pan is by making a paste with melted butter and flour, then brush it on the inside of the pan, thoroughly coating all the crevices (this is crucial to releasing the cake easily from the pan).
3. Mix the cake batter. Use a stand mixer or large mixing bowl and electric hand mixer to mix together the batter.
4. Fill the Bundt pan. After transferring the batter to a 10-cup Bundt pan, smooth out the top and gently tap the pan on the counter a few times to remove any air bubbles from the batter.
5. Bake and cool the cake. Bake until the top is golden-brown and a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool in the pan for about 30 minutes, then invert the cake onto a wire cooling rack and cool completely.

• If you don’t have vanilla extract, you can easily swap in an equal amount of vanilla bean paste. Alternatively, an equal amount of almond, lemon, or orange extract also works. 
• To get the richest-tasting cake with the fullest flavor, I recommend using full-fat sour cream. With that said, if you have a container of reduced-fat or fat-free sour cream hanging out in the fridge, go ahead and use it. It will absolutely work in the recipe and the cake will be delicious. 
• The recipe calls for a simple powdered sugar topping, but if you want something a little more, swap in a simple icing drizzled over the top of the cooled cake. A simple vanilla icing or fresh lemon icing would both work nicely here.

• Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and sour cream pound cake will keep well, without drying out, at room temperature for up to four days. 
• You can also freeze sour cream pound cake for up to three months. I like to cut into slices first, so I can take it out as I want it. Wrap the cake in aluminum foil and place in an airtight container in the freezer. Thaw at room temperature before eating.

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