Old-Fashioned Pound Cake
- SERVES
- 12
- COOK TIME
- 1 Hr 55 Min
Traditionally, pound cake got its name because it was originally made with a pound each of most of its ingredients. We may have a taken "pounds" off of this Old-Fashioned Pound Cake, but the cake still has the same delicious taste that we all love!
What You'll Need
- 3 cups sugar
- 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
- 1/2 cup vegetable shortening
- 5 eggs
- 3 cups all-purpose flour, divided
- 1 cup evaporated milk, divided
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
What to Do
-
Coat a 10-inch Bundt or tube pan with cooking spray and lightly flour, set aside.
-
In a large bowl, with an electric beater on medium-high speed, beat sugar, butter, and shortening until creamy. Add eggs and beat until fluffy. Add 1-1/2 cups flour and 1/2 cup evaporated milk, beating until well blended. Add remaining 1-1/2 cups flour and 1/2 cup evaporated milk, and vanilla, beating until well mixed.
- Pour batter into pan. Place in a cold oven and bake at 300 degrees F. 1-3/4 to 2 hours, or until a wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool 10 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack to cool completely. Serve, or cover until ready to serve.
Notes
- For breakfast, take a few slices and pop them in the toaster. Spread the toasted slices with honey butter, which is no more than a stick of softened butter accented with a couple tablespoons of honey, or frost with our amazing Vanilla Butter Frosting.
- Did you know you could make chocolate pound cake or even fruity pound cakes? Yep! Click here to check out some our favorite ways to make pound cake.
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nanajellybean2 988 0887
Nov 04, 2018
Hi, I just have one question about this recipe. Is vegetable shortening the same as vegetable oil?
Test Kitchen Team
Nov 05, 2018
Hi there! Vegetable shortening and vegetable oil are two different things. Vegetable shortening is Crisco.
rwfrost633 4960471
Nov 10, 2018
Crisco also makes vegetable oil so this isn't all that much help. Vegetable shortening is solid and usually is either scoopable or in sticks.
Delphine Bryant
May 31, 2018
I love to serve those little dessert cups with the fresh fruits that are soon to be gracing our grocers fruits tables. This year, I am going to go one better. This old fashioned pound cake will easily take over the role of those store bought dessert cups. I can not forget the cream or ice cream as the topper.
Morehouse17
May 30, 2018
Who does not love a good pound cake? I know I do. It is really hard to believe something so plain can be so delicious. It has been a while since I have made a pound cake and seeing this recipe has sparked an interest to make one. Thanks for the recipe post.
pdurham 5021244
Jun 01, 2015
I have an old washer and dryer. The washer shakes the whole house. I cant run my washer or dryer while cooking a pound cake. I had to learn this lesson the hard way.
Liz B
Apr 20, 2015
Thanks again. Short Url http//lizjewel.com/failed-bundt-cake.jpg Bleac == hed or unbleached flour should not matter. Lily White is a baking flour I have used successfully before in other baking. I may have "over-beaten" the mixture to get it smooth. I used 5 eggs from a local farm, so called free-range, always the best. Will try it again with a few lesser ingredients perhaps so it won't run over.
Liz B
Apr 17, 2015
Thank you for the feedback You can see what the cake looked like if you remove the double in the URLs below and copy paste them into a browser Yes I did have to open the oven once there is an oven window and light so shouldn't have to but because the batter had started to run over I put a baking tray under it so it shouldn't cover the whole oven bottom It didn't collapse then it did it about hour later If you have recommendations as to what type flour butter etc I should use I'd be grateful I used Lily White unbleached flour not self rising unsalted Land o' L butter Crisco veg shortening Carnation ev milk regular fine gran sugar org vanilla extract In other words no substitutions or omitted ingredients Oven was turned to F after the cake went in timer set for hr I window-checked…Read More on it intermittently anyway
Test Kitchen Team
Apr 20, 2015
Hello Liz - (Unfortunately, even after removing the == the links do not work for us). However, we're still not sure what may have gone wrong with your pound cake. The only difference in ingredients seems to be that we use all purpose flour, which is bleached, while you used unbleached flour.
rwfrost633 4960471
Nov 10, 2018
White Lily is often "self-rising" flour which has baking powder and soda already in it. It can't be substituted for all purpose flour. I discovered this after moving from CT (where self-rising flour isn't common) to GA (where it is commonly used for biscuits) and thinking that I could use it in a favorite recipe. What a mess!
Liz B
Apr 16, 2015
Can't find a place to post images here so they're on a server http//lizjewel.com/recipes/failedcakes/fail == ed-bundt-cake.jpg the cake when it came out after 1 3/4 hour. http//lizjewel.com/recipes/failedcakes/faile == d-bundt-cake-oven-disaster.jpg the oven that started to look like this after 1/2 hour approx. If someone will tell me what I did wrong I will correct it. I really thought this cake would be wonderful. Now I have about thirty dollars worth of ingredients wasted on a total of two cakes. Help!
Liz B
Apr 16, 2015
I am doing something wrong! I can't figure out what. I have tried this recipe twice now and failed each time. The 1st time I used a smaller "bundt" pan than 10" so I blamed myself when the cake ran over the sides. The second time I placed it in a regulation Bundt pan, followed the recipe to the letter. It still ran over horribly for the first hour and after that it collapsed completely. What is wrong? I have a very good electric oven that does everything else right.
Test Kitchen Team
Apr 17, 2015
Hi Liz - We're not sure what could have gone wrong with your pound cake. Just to make sure, you did not preheat the oven, correct? The cake should go into a cold oven and then turned on. Also, it's important not to open the oven door while the cake is baking since this can make the cake collapse.
rosieh 6751288
Dec 11, 2014
I would like to make this cake as a lemon pound cake. How many real lemons or how much lemon juice would be needed to make this happen? I love lemon pound cake so don't be too shy with the lemon juice amount!
Test Kitchen Team
Dec 12, 2014
Hi Rosie! We do have a lemon pound cake on the site that you can find by typing "lemon pound cake" in the search field above. However, if you'd still like to use this recipe you can just add 2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice and 2 teaspoons of lemon zest to this recipe.
MPGarner
Sep 25, 2013
My Mother is 95 yrs. old, and since she loves pound cake, I make her one ever so often. Or when ever she wants one. She lives in a senior resident, and shares with her '' girlfriends ''. This one I haven't made yet, but making it to for my mother this Saturday. Not or can't rate it, but with the perfect ingredients, it's got to be good! And I trust that it will be good!
tblb1 1814804
Apr 17, 2013
Why would anyone complain about calories when they are eating cake to begin with?
dlsoops
Apr 17, 2013
Anytime one comes up with a recipe that weighs a pound, it's heavy. IF you don't want calories, don't make it OR eat it. This recipe existed LONG before you were born.
MPGarner
Sep 09, 2013
You're so right, and I've been making it too many years to count. And it's still good!
berniehouchens 884 8341
Feb 18, 2013
This is almost the exact recipe I have for Lemon Pound Cake. It calls for 2 teaspoons lemon extract (I use more cause we like a very lemony cake). Add a lemon glaze and serve plain or with strawberries. Delish!!!! A family favorite and so easy!
Blackgrandma
Feb 02, 2013
Some of these comments make me laugh . People! Life is way too short to sit around, on a computer, and complain .. healthy and informative criticism is one thing but to complain just to see your words in type ... c'mom ... I like this sight not all the recipes but I see many that I do and tried .... some keepers ....some not
JudyTrudy
Oct 21, 2012
and here is another thought for you folks sitting in front of the computer reading this....when you don't know what something is, do a search....it is right in front of you. Type in the word and hit search. You'd be surprised what information is out there on the old "www"!
treklovers1964
Jan 30, 2013
REALLY?!?!? You HAVE To be rude?? Come on, your comments were TOTALLY uncalled for. Didn't your mama tell you "if you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all!!"?
marge 2235733
Jan 30, 2013
You need to CHILL! this is a forum for helping all seasoned, (pardon the pun) cooks and novices alike. If you didn't like the question that was asked, don't submit an answer ! I myself am a cook and baker with about 55 years of experience and I still find useful information from the friendly people on the website, along with wonderful recipes.
soloman
Oct 20, 2012
Prey tell what is a tube pan? Never saw that word before except for this recipe. It's not an angel food cake pan is it? Will a 9x13" cake pan do just as good?
JudyTrudy
Oct 21, 2012
It is the pan you make an angel food cake in. The inside slips out so you can take the cake out, slide your sharp edge around the bottom and take it out of the pan.
maddy51 1871515
Apr 17, 2013
Actually, a Bundt pan is like an Angel Food pan, only it doesn't come apart. And no, a 9x13 pan is not used for pound cake. You can use a 9x5 loaf pan though. Just make sure you grease and flour it first.
pec88 7016972
Apr 17, 2013
FOR THIS RECIPE IF YOU DECIDE TO USE A 9X5 LOAF PAN, I BELIEVE IT WILL MAKE AT LEAST 2-3 GOOD SIZE ONES.
jkschmid 5867446
Oct 20, 2012
I think I'll use almond instead of vanilla. Any dessert made with almond flavoring is better.
larry2137 0871200
Oct 07, 2012
can you put lemon juice in this recipie?
beaverbear49 92088 70
Oct 20, 2012
lemon juice no lemon extract yes, perhaps Remember not all extracts can be use equally (1 teaspoon vanilla extract does not equal 1 teasoon lemon extract). I do a coconut pound cake using coconut extract and 1/2 cup coconut. It is fanastic! I put a dark chocolate frosting on it ...taste alot like a Mounds bar.
mkziggynet 9626205
Apr 17, 2013
That coconut cake sounds delicious. I would like to have your recipe, if you wouldn't mind sharing it, my email is mkziggynet@yahoo.com thanks :-)
soloman
Oct 01, 2012
Uh time out here! How can I bake something in a cold oven? and how long will it take before the oven gets to 300 degrees so the cake starts baking? I need some help here with the terminology? Oh what is a tube pan? I've never seen that term for a pan before. divorced male, not used to seeing all that is on here for the gals.
drae
Oct 01, 2012
I have come across many recipes for pound cake that require starting out with a cold oven. It means to put your cake in then turn the heat to the required temperature. Generally the temperature is lower than others and because of this takes longer to bake. Tube pans are a lot of times the ones used to cook angel food cakes. The bottom & center of the pan are actually separate from the outside edge of the pan and can make removing the cake easier. If one doesn't have a Bundt pan, then the tube pan is a good substitute.
beaverbear49 92088 70
Oct 20, 2012
A cold oven means that you do not preheat the oven rather you put the cake in the oven and then turn on the temperture A tube pan is an angel food cake pan -it is high and has a hole in the center It can be one piece or two piece I have been baking for over years I would recommend a one piece as you would have to grease the pan then put wax paper in the pan then grease it again if you use the two piece What happens if you didn't do what I recommend for the two piece pan You often have the batter coming out of the bottom all over the oven A bundt pan may or may not hold the amount of batter you made I suggest trying to stick with the recommended pan Your cake will turn out bigger and better than you…Read More thought possible If you don't have a tube pan and don't think you will use it much check out garage sales or ask a neighbor especially the grandma ladies as many of us still bake My neighbors borrow mine
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