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Butter Pound Cake

by · 78 comments
This butter pound cake has a strong aroma of butter. Mind you, it's so addictively delicious. Its simplicity, without any fancy decoration, with the golden brown crust, buttery taste and rich texture, totally wins my heart.

Butter Pound Cake01

Butter pound cake is my favourite childhood dessert. I remember how the strong aroma of butter made this traditional cake so addictive to me, feeling like never having enough of it.

Butter Pound Cake02

Its simplicity, without any fancy decoration, with the golden brown crust, buttery taste and rich texture, totally wins my heart. You can’t stop eating after tasting the first slice. Mind you, if you’re on diet, make sure you can share with some other friends, or bring it along to any parties as finger food.

One slice of the butter pound cake, with a cup of tea or coffee, brings me enough enjoyment with no regrets.

Butter Pound Cake Recipe

(Printable recipe)

Course: Bakery
Cuisine: Western
Prep time:
Cook time:
Yield: a rectangular baking pan, sized 11.5cm x 22cm x 5.5cm

Butter Pound Cake


Ingredients:
  • 200 gm cake flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 200 gm unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 170 gm caster sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • ½ tsp vanilla extract
  • 50 ml milk


Method:
  1. Prepare oven to 180C / 356F. Place the butter at room temperature until softened.
  2. Sift the cake flour together with baking powder and salt. Set aside. Line the pan with baking paper or spray the bottom and sides with oil. Beat the eggs and drain through a fine sieve to remove the foam.
  3. Beat the butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer at low speed until smooth. Add the sugar and beat at medium speed. Then increase to high speed and continue to beat until very pale and creamy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl occasionally.
  4. How To Make Butter Pound Cake01
  5. Add the beaten eggs, in 3 additions. Beat well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla extract.
  6. How To Make Butter Pound Cake02
  7. Sift in the flour mixture, in 3 batches, and gently fold to combine with a spatula, scraping down the sides of the bowl occasionally.
  8. Add milk and quickly combine into a smooth batter. Make sure not to over-mix because you don’t want your cake turns tough. Scrape the batter into the lined pan. Level the surface with a spatula. Immediately transfer into the preheated oven and bake for about 20 minutes. When the sides start to set, remove the cake from the oven. Use a sharp knife to draw a line in the middle. Put it back into the oven. Reduce the oven temperature to 170C / 335F. Bake for another 20 to 25 minutes, until the cake turns golden brown. Insert a needle in the center. If it comes out clean, it’s done. Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool on a wire rack for about 5 minutes. Remove the cake from the pan and let it cool completely on the wire rack.

Notes:
  • Cake flour is a kind of low-protein flour, available at Asian grocers or bakery shops.
  • If the surface of your cake turns brown too quickly, loosely place a foil on top.
  • By cutting a line on the surface of batter, your cake will crack beautifully along the drawn line after being heated up in oven.

78 comments :

  1. Delicious! I can feel the butter clogging up my veins, but a little indulgence isn't going to kill me (probably). I recommend adding toasted walnuts, pecans, and soaked craisins for an incredibly nutty aroma. Also, 175 grams of sugar, which I reduced to 143 grams, was too sweet for my family's tastes, especially because I added the craisins. I think I'll go with 120 grams next time and add a few squirts of agave nectar instead.

    I love your recipes, Christine! Thank you, and happy baking!

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  2. It's my childhood favourite too!! I don't think I can stop at one slice. ;)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hi Christine,

    For the cake recipe, how much is 200g of cake flour in cups? Is this 1 3/4 cups? I have made cakes in the past and it was very dry and hard, worried that it's the amount of flour I put in and the over mixing.

    Thank you

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. For baking, it's better to use the weight measurement, in grams rather than in cups, as you don't want to risk your products due to any calculation errors.

      Delete
  4. My oven is only 35 litre, after 20 min, the surface turn brown very fast, and my butter cake seems dry the next day when eat. Is it because my oven too hot n over baked?
    Do I need to lower the temperature?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Every oven performs differently. So you might adjust the temperature and baking time to suit your situation.
      If the surface of your cake turns brown too quickly, you can lower the oven temperature or loosely cover with foil.

      Delete
  5. Hi Christine,

    I tried a few of your recipes and I like it very much. I tried the butter pound cake last night. The look and taste was good. However, the texture came out too light that once I put in the mouth, it breaks into very small pieces making it a bit 'powdery' feel. Any idea what went wrong with this? Did I over beat?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Different brands of flour might have different water absorption rate.
      You might add a bit more milk or water if you try next time.

      Delete
  6. hi christine i dont understand why you make a line on the cake after 20 min baking

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. When the cake is heated up in the oven, the surface will crack along the drawn line. Think that it looks better and similar to the ones I tried in Hong Kong.
      Otherwise, your cake will crack wherever it "likes".

      Delete
  7. Hi Christine, can u let me know wat type of milk shld I buy?

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  8. i did not cut it in the middle but my cake didnt crack.is there any problem?

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  9. Can u suggest an egg substitute for this recipe ?

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  10. Can you eat this cake after it cools or is it better to rest it for a day for the flavors to develop?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. This butter cake can be served hot or warm as the butter aroma will be better.

      Delete
  11. Hi christine, m very new to baking. Need to check with you if I can substitute plain flour for the cake flour。 谢了

    ReplyDelete
  12. Yes, you can use plain flour instead. The texture of the end product will be a bit different if you don't mind.

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  13. can we use our rice cooker to make?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Haven't tested this recipe with a rice cooker. Sorry, can't tell.

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  14. I ended up cooking this for about an hour. It turned out perfectly--soft on the inside and crunchy on top. Thanks for the recipe!

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  15. Hi Christine, after baking the cake, how should we store it? should it be put into the fridge and warm it when serving or we should just put in air tight container at room temperature?

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  16. My end product tend to have moisture at the site corner or bottom.
    Try twice remain the same.
    may I know what wrong?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The material of baking pan might impact the end result. You might change to another baking pan made with different materials, or bake longer time next time. See if it helps.

      Delete
  17. Hi Christine, I have always enjoyed your recipes and as someone new to cooking, I am very proud to say that I have produced quite a number of successful dishes based on your recipes. Except this pound cake. This has been my third attempt, and it is even worse than the two previous ones. Put simply, it collapsed in the middle, and when I cut it open after cooling it down, it looked all wrong - very oily especially down at the bottom, and it felt very "heavy". I took one bite and it was rather chewy too. Could you please tell me what went wrong???

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Did your batter split or separate? When adding in the eggs, it shouldn't be too fast or in one go.

      When folding in the flour, just combine it. Don't over mix it. Or else, the texture will turn tough.

      Delete
    2. Thanks for your reply. I will give it another try in the very near future. :)

      Delete
  18. It looks very nice, Christine.
    Mind to share which brands of butter u using?
    Last time I used SCS butter, its too milk taste.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I used Beautifully Butterfully unsalted butter from Aldi, a supermarket here.
      It's not very expensive.

      Delete
  19. Hi Christine, successfully make the cake just the skin a little bit hard. Is that over bake?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Was your oven temperature a bit higher or baked a bit longer?
      If so, the crust would turn dry and hard.

      Delete
  20. Hi Christine, may I know if the texture of the cake is like Sara Lee? Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  21. Hi Christine, I've tried the recipe and failed a few times. The cake collapsed in the middle and the bottom of the cake is damp. Otherwise the cake tastes good. May I know what did I do wrong? Thank you!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Wondering if you have beaten the butter and sugar well enough. This step is very crucial. This cake won't easily tend to shrink at all.

      If the bottom of your cake is damp, it's not cooked through yet. You can bake it for a longer time. If you've already baked for quite a long time, then check your oven and see if the heat elements underneath work properly or not.

      Delete
  22. Hi Christine. I do not hv an electric mixer could i use the manual beater to do it? and when baking the cake we shld place it in the bottom or middle of the oven? do u hv any good electric mixrer brand to recommend for a beginner like me?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sure, you can beat the butter and sugar with a balloon whisk manually. Although it's quite a tedious job, it's possible to beat them into a fluffy stage. For the folding job, you just need a spatula to incorporate all the ingredients. That's it.

      I just use a very cheap, non-brand electric mixer that was bought from Hong Kong many many years ago. It's still serving me well. As a beginner, I think you won't need an expensive one to start with experiments. Go to nearby electric shops or ebay, it's not difficult to find a decent electric mixer.

      Delete
  23. appreciate ur soonest reply

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  24. Dear Christine, I was tried to bake this cake and its so yummy, delicious. And my girl loved it so much.
    Thanks to share the recipe.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. So glad that your girl loved it. Thanks for letting me know. Very encouraging.

      Delete
  25. Hi Christine,

    If i were to use self raising flour instead of cake flour, will it be ok?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Yvonne,
      The texture won't be the same if you don't mind.

      Delete
  26. hi Christine, what if i substitute half of the butter with margarine?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Maylynn,
      I won't recommend using margarine instead of butter for making this cake. Not only the cake will lose the fragrance, but also the texture won't be up to your expectation.

      Delete
  27. Hello , , Christine.Very happy to read your blog.Would like to know whether is it possible to use only agave honey for this recipe. My dad is a diabetic

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sorry, can't tell because I haven't tested this recipe with agave honey.

      Delete
  28. Hi christine... May i know what is the difference between cake flour n self raising flour?? Is it ok if i omit the baking powder if using self raising flour??

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Ashwinni,
      Cake flour is low-protein flour. Self-raising flour has mixed a raising agent, like baking soda. So if you use self-raising flour, you can omit the baking powder yielded in the recipe. The texture of the end product will be slightly different though.

      Delete
  29. Hi Christine,may I know whether high grade flour = high protein flour?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Blur_2,

      Not sure what high grade flour means. It could be referring to the quality of the flour. Different brands have different labels that are various in different countries.

      High protein flour contains higher percentage of protein inside, around 12.5% to 13.5%. You can check the ingredient labels on the packaging.

      Delete
  30. Hellow christine, i have tried your recipe, the texture is very nice :) but when i am preparing the ingredients, i was wondering, for the beaten eggs, when i sieved it, there is lump of egg white being uphold on the sieve, cant pass through, is it suppose to be like tat? or should i put the egg white back into beaten eggs?

    thank u ^^

    Sharon

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Sharon,

      I won't worry about the lumps of egg white for making this cake. It won't impact the end result a lot as long as you combine all the ingredients well together.

      Delete
  31. Sorry, forgot to ask about, my cake itself, it seems like not firm enough, after cut, many small pieces drop..is it because my cake not fluffy, when beat butter with sugar (i use brown sugar, does it make a difference, same amount 175g though?), or i need how long to beat the butter with sugar to fluffy stage? thanks

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The key to making this cake successful is to beat the butter with sugar well enough until pale and creamy, or so to speak, fluffy.

      This kind of cake is not as fluffy as a chiffon cake. It's normal if some small pieces drop just like muffins always do, as long as the problem is not too serious.

      Think that the brown sugar you added didn't make a difference. It could be the combining step bringing effects into producing the texture.

      Delete
  32. I just tried the recipe. it's fabulous. soft, moist and fluffy. not heavy at all. thank you for the reminder not to over beat :)

    ReplyDelete
  33. Hi Christine,

    I had tried this and the cake is delicious. Thanks! However I have a small problem and need your advise. I had a layer of chocolate ganache on the cake. After storing the cake in the fridge for a night, it became very dry. But I can't heat it up again as the heat from the microwave will melt the chocolate ganache. Do you know of a way in which I can keep the moist of the cake (without heating it up) as well as the chocolate ganache? :) Thanks

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Michelle,
      May be you can keep the ganache to the last minute to serve. Or keep your decorated cake in an air-tight container.

      Delete
  34. Hi Christine,

    I am trying to find cake flour. Are you able to post a picture of what the packaging looks like in the asian shops?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Where do you live?

      I guess you might not be able to find the brand I used. It's a local brand, so I didn't post a photo of it.
      It doesn't matter which brand you use. Just find the flour with low protein content, about 7% to 9%. Check the ingredient labels of the packaging.

      Delete
  35. Hi Christine
    Love this recipe! May i ask if i use a round pan how do i cut the cake after 20 minutes of baking as you suggest? Thanks again for your many wonderful recipes!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You may cut a little cross in the middle or just let the cake crack naturally.

      Delete
  36. Hi Christine, I successfully tried baking this butter pound cake. It is soft & moist. Thanks for the recipe & step by step guidance.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Reena,

      So glad that you liked this recipe ! Congrats on your success.

      Delete
  37. Is "gm" stands for "gram"? Because it's not 100gm it's 100g.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Ewa,
      Thanks for your feedback. Yes, on this blog, gm = gram. I've already put the abbreviations on the sidebar.
      I know many sites use 100g instead of 100gm.
      As my friend said she once mistakenly took "g" in number, and felt hardly see clearly on screen, so I changed g to gm many years ago. And there's a large site in Australia, Gourmet Traveller, also uses gm.
      I like the format, looking so neat and parallel to ml. :)



      Delete
  38. Hi, can I make this into muffin? Thanks.

    ReplyDelete
  39. Hi Christine, would like to know whether the cake flour that you have used...is a self raising flour? Thanks.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Jaime,

      Cake flour is a kind of low-protein flour, without any raising agents in it, different from self raising flour. You can get it from any Asian grocers or bakery shops.

      Delete
  40. Hi Christine,

    I just made this cake 3hrs ago. I have no words to express. The texture, taste, softness, colour all has fallen in the right manner. It's just marvellous. I only have few slices left. Hats off to your recipe. Thanks so much. Mrs Syed.

    ReplyDelete
  41. Hi Christine,
    My cake turned out to be compact. Do you know why after I added eggs to the butter+sugar mixture, it turned curdle and separation. Is it because I of brown sugar that I used?

    ReplyDelete
  42. Hi there,
    When adding eggs to the butter and sugar mixture, you need to add bit by bit, not in one go, otherwise it easily turns curdle. The water and oil content inside need more time to combine well.
    If the brown sugar is small in size, it will be easier to combine well with butter. I don't think the brown sugar is the cause of making the mixture turned curdle, as long as you combine butter with it well enough before adding eggs.

    ReplyDelete
  43. Hello Christine!
    I was going to try your walnut butter pound cake recipe, but I noticed this butter pound cake recipe has slightly more ingredients. What would be the difference, i.e. texture, taste, density, etc?

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  44. The texture is a bit different.
    Happy baking!

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  45. Hi, if I wish to make a banana or chocolate swirl with this recipe, can I simply just add mashed banana into the batter? Or mix a portion of the batter with melted chocolate to combine with the main batter?

    ReplyDelete
  46. Hi Gracier,
    If you swirl a bit of melted chocolate with this recipe, it's fine.
    But banana mash contains much moist, it won't work well. If you place a skinned banana on top of the batter, it won't be any problem.

    ReplyDelete