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Perfect Every Time – Almond Pound Cake – tender and buttery, this pound cake is always a winner. Great toasted, served plain, with ice cream or added to trifles or as a layer in an ice cream freezer cake.
For more than 30 years I’ve been baking Granny’s Pound Cake using my mother-in-law’s recipe. I always receive compliments and requests for the secret that makes it so good. You know the old saying “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it?” For all those years I figured the perfect pound cake didn’t need me messing with it. But, over the past year I started to wonder … what if? The “what if” turned into tiny tweaks and changes and now I have a new favorite pound cake! It’s not dramatically different from the original recipe but the flavor seemed to be enhanced and the crust more pronounced.
This is one of the most versatile cake recipes you can make.
First, it’s remarkably easy to make. It’s wonderful served plain, warm from the oven or you can slide a slice in the toaster, which is my husband’s favorite way to eat Pound Cake. The aroma is absolutely intoxicating. It’s also great served with a dusting of powdered sugar, or a scoop of ice cream, and be sure to try a fresh fruit garnish, or cut it into cubes and layered in a trifle. The cake can also be baked in two loaf pans and frozen with remarkable results. Almond Pound Cake baked in loaf pans make-out-of-this world delicious Icebox Cakes.
For a sunny summer treat, substitute lemon juice for the almond extract, and add a drizzle of lemon icing on top. It’s great with blueberries thrown in too!
I love to sift a little powdered sugar on top and let my guests decide if fruit or ice cream is best on the side.
On the first Sunday of each month we host a family dinner with our adult children, their spouses and children.
My husband and I cherish those special Sunday dinners. We know how lucky we are to have our family living close by and even luckier that they carve time out of their busy schedules to spend an evening with us. I made this cake for our recent family gathering and by the time the leftovers were divvied out, we were left with two small slices. Needless to say, it is loved by all!
You should try this with a scoop of Dulce de Leche ice cream – oh my!
If you haven’t tried baking with Vanilla Bean Paste, you should try it in this cake.
The rich paste combined with my favorite almond extract produces the most amazing flavor. I’m seriously smitten with this cake! I thought about updating my old post for Granny’s Pound Cake but decided to leave her legacy intact. It’s a great cake recipe too, with just a slightly different flavor profile.
Finally, my husband said he wishes I wouldn’t always give this cake away. He has a birthday coming up, perhaps I should make an Almond Pound Cake just for him!
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Perfect Every Time - Almond Pound Cake
Ingredients
- 8 ounces cream cheese room temperature
- 1 ½ cups unsalted butter room temperature (339g)
- 3 cups granulated sugar (665g)
- 3 cups cake flour (348g) sifted after measuring
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or extract
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 6 jumbo eggs or 7 large eggs
- powdered sugar for garnish if desired
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300°F.
- Grease and flour a large (12 cup) bundt pan or two loaf pans.
- In the mixing bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter and cream cheese until smooth.
- Add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla bean paste, almond extract and salt. Beat just until incorporated.
- Alternate adding eggs and flour beating just until the yolk disappears and the flour is incorporated. Do not over beat at this point.
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Remove from the mixer and fold a few times with a rubber spatula pulling up the batter from the bottom of the bowl.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top to distribute evenly.
- Bake at 300°F for 1 hour and 30 minutes to 1 hour 45 minutes. Check at about 90 minutes then go from there.
- Allow the cake to cool before inverting onto a serving plate. Store leftovers in a cake-taker or freeze in an airtight container.
Recipe Notes
- If you can't find 6 jumbo eggs, I have tested this cake with 7 large eggs with wonderful results.
- Substitute 1/4 cup of fresh lemon juice for the almond extract and drizzle the baked and cooled cake with an icing made of lemon juice and powdered sugar.
Nutrition
Here are some of my favorite tools and products used for this cake:
The small print: If you decide to purchase something at Amazon after following my affiliate link, I receive a small commission, at no additional cost to you, which I use to pay for web hosting and services for this blog.
Here are a few more Pound Cake recipes you might like:
- The BEST Coconut Pound Cake ~ from Barefeet in the Kitchen
- Lemon Buttermilk Pound Cake ~ from The Cafe Sucre Farine
- Blueberry Lemon Pound Cake ~ from The View from Great Island
- Chocolate Pound Cake ~ from Saving Room for Dessert
Thanks so much for stopping by! I hope you have a beautiful, wonderful weekend.
Tricia
Bev
I’ve made this twice now and love this recipe. Everyone enjoys it. I have tried and failed with several pound cake recipes, so this is a keeper, and I will share it with friends! Thank you!
Tricia Buice
Thank you Bev! So happy it worked well for you.
Jen B
I’ve been looking for years for a recipe for a pound cake that is similar to the gourmet mix I used to buy and this one is it. We love making it for dipping into fondue but it is just such a great versatile recipe. Thank you for sharing! I really love the almond flavor so I add a little more almond extract but otherwise it is perfection as is.
Tricia Buice
Thank you Jen! I’m thrilled you enjoyed this cake. We also use it for trifles but I love your idea for fondue. We appreciate you taking the time to comment.
Lulu1999
Would this recipe still work if I used all purpose flour? Cake flour isn’t available in my country due to restrictions.
Tricia Buice
Hi Lulu. The texture will come out slightly different (not as fine a crumb) but the cake will still be good. Take care in measuring your flour so you don’t make the cake dry. Thanks for the great question.
Gert
Heavy,dense,dry. Not very flavorful. Would never make again
Tricia Buice
Sounds like you either added too much flour or over baked the cake. Sorry you didn’t enjoy it.
Dre
I almost never leave comments, but this was SO good! And simple to make! A total hit as a gift for some friends, will definitely add this into the regular rotation.
Tricia Buice
Thanks you Dre. I’m so happy you all enjoyed it!
Dee
Excellent I added some milk about a fourth of a cup.it was way too thick to pour this is my very favorite cake! Thank you for posting this.
Tricia Buice
Thanks for the feedback Dee. So glad you enjoyed it.
Howard
Does the number 348 on the flour line represent the gram weight? When I did a Google search three cups of cake flour should weigh 390 g. So confused.
Tricia Buice
Hi Howard. Sorry for the confusion. Yes the (348) number is grams. I’ve added the “g” to indicate same. I weigh and measure all my ingredients each time I make it. I’m certain that 348 grams of cake flour is correct. If you check the box of Swans Down cake flour it lists 1/4 cup at 28 grams (28×4=112g per cup or 336 grams for three cups). King Arthur Cake Flour lists 1/4 cup at 30 grams (30×4=120g per cup or 360 grams for three cups). Both of these are consistent with my measurements of 348 grams. I always recommend that you use my measurements when making my recipes as this is the way it was tested. Enjoy!
Vanessa S.
Just made this earlier! The best pound cake recipe and so simple to make. 🙂
Tricia Buice
Thanks Vanessa!
Julie
Could this be made into two 8″ round cakes? Looking for a wedding cake recipe.
Tricia Buice
Hi Julie. I haven’t tested this cake in round cake pans but don’t see any reason they wouldn’t work. I would DEFINITELY test this out before the big day. Enjoy!
Melissa
This was the best thing I have ever baked. Thank you for a wonderful recipe that I will use for years to come. Look no further, everyone! This comes out perfectly moist with a nice crust and everyone comments how delicious it is. I feel like a baking rockstar when I make this!
Tricia Buice
Thank you Melissa! I’m thrilled you love this cake as much as we do. We appreciate the feedback and 5 star review! ❤️
Laura Mathews
Hello, I noticed the recipe does not call for baking powder, only salt. Is that on purpose?
Tricia Buice
Hi Laura. Yes there is no baking powder in this recipe. Enjoy!