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Home » Recipes » Cake Recipes

Sour Cream Pound Cake Recipe

Published: Jun 12, 2023 · Modified: Sep 29, 2023 by Chef Dennis Littley

2.9K shares
Pinterest image to make sour cream pound cake.
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If you’re looking for the best sour cream pound cake, look no further. This rich, buttery pound cake is the perfect dessert for any occasion. The moist crumb of this dense cake makes it a pound cake lover’s dream come true.

slice of sour cream pound cake taken out of whole cake.

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My sour cream pound cake recipe has been well-tested by family and friends across the country, and they all say the same thing. It absolutely delicious and a great cake for cookouts and family get-togethers. It’s also a delicious afternoon snack or breakfast treat with a cup of coffee or a glass of milk.

slices of sour cream pound cake on a white platter.

This buttery cake is one of my favorite cake recipes and one I’ve been making for over 30 years at home and at the restaurants I’ve worked at.

If you’re like me and can’t get enough of pound cake, check out my delicious lemon pound cake or easy peach pecan pound cake.

Table of Contents:
  • Ingredients to make sour cream pound cake
  • How to make sour cream pound cake
  • Recipe FAQ’s
  • More Recipes You’ll Love!
  • Recipe: Sour Cream Pound Cake

Ingredients to make sour cream pound cake

ingredients to make recipe.

Let’s start by gathering the ingredients we need to make my delicious sour cream pound cake. In Chef Speak, this is called the “Mise en Place,” which translates to “Everything in its Place.”

Not only does setting up your ingredients ahead of time speed up the cooking process, it also helps ensure you have everything you need to make the dish.

Made with simple ingredients

  • Unsalted butter
  • Full-fat sour cream
  • Large eggs
  • Granulated sugar
  • All-purpose flour
  • Baking powder
  • Vanilla extract
  • Salt

If you want to substitute cake flour for the all-purpose flour, add an additional 2 tablespoons of flour per cup or 6 tablespoons of additional cake flour for this recipe. Cake flour has a lower protein count than all-purpose flour, which makes a tender cake that is lighter and fluffier, but it also weighs less, which is why you need to add the extra flour.

How to make sour cream pound cake

  • Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Grease a 10-inch tube pan or bundt pan and coat it with sugar. Or use pan-release spray.
collage showing how to make recipe.
  • Add the all-purpose flour, table salt, and baking powder to a medium bowl.
  • Whisk to combine the dry ingredients. Set aside until needed.
  • Add the unsalted butter and granulated sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or electric handheld mixer and large bowl).
  • Cream the mixture until light and fluffy at medium-high speed. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl as needed using a rubber spatula.
  • Add the room-temperature eggs one at a time to the creamed mixture at medium speed.
  • Beat each egg into the creamed mixture before adding the next. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl between each addition.
collage showing how to make recipe.
  • Add the room-temperature sour cream to the butter mixture.
  • Mix until fully combined.
  • Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, one-half cup at a time.
  • Mix on low speed just enough to incorporate. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
  • Add the vanilla extract to the cake batter.
  • Mix until just combined.
collage showing finished recipe.
  • Pour batter into the prepared cake pan.
  • Place the cake pan on the center rack of a preheated oven and bake for 80-85 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. *If you have an instant-read thermometer, the cake is done when it reaches 210°F.
  • Remove the cake from the oven, and run a thin knife around the edge. Then place the pan on a wire rack and let the cake cool.

*I used a tube pan with a removal bottom, but you can also use a bundt pan.

slice of sour cream pound cake with vanilla ice cream and blueberries on white plate.

Serve this classic sour cream pound cake with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and fresh berries.

Store any leftover pound cake in an airtight container or tightly wrapped with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. It can be refrigerated or left on the counter. If you refrigerate my sour cream pound cake, make sure to let it warm up to room temperature before serving.

Recipe FAQ’s

What does putting sour cream in a cake do?

Sour cream is an easy way to add moisture to a cake batter without thinning it out the way a liquid would. That helps create a cake with a very tender, very fine crumb.

Why did my sour cream pound cake fail?

The usual reason a pound cake doesn’t turn out is simply from overbaking, which will make it dry. Using too much flour (or not enough butter or sugar) can also result in a dry-pound cake.

What is the secret to a good pound cake?

One of the most important things to do to make the perfect pound cake is to precisely measure ingredients so that the ratio of wet to dry ingredients is exact. Also, make sure that they are at room temperature before you begin.

Does sour cream change the flavor of the cake?

Sour cream does add a little tang to the flavor of the cake, but it’s hardly noticeable. The good news is the fat from the sour cream contributes to the moistness and richness of the cake and helps create a tender crumb.

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slice of sour cream pound cake taken out of whole cake.

Sour Cream Pound Cake

Chef Dennis Littley
This delicious pound cake, with its irresistible moist texture and slight sweetness, is a simple dessert that's perfect for nearly any occasion. Serve it all on its own, with a side of fresh fruit, or drizzled with a simple glaze.
5 from 103 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Listen to the Post
Prep Time 15 minutes mins
Cook Time 1 hour hr 20 minutes mins
Total Time 1 hour hr 35 minutes mins
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 18
Calories 346 kcal

Equipment

  • tube pan with removable bottom or bundt pan

Ingredients
  

  • 8 oz unsalted butter 2 sticks = 1 cup
  • 3 cups granulated sugar
  • 6 large eggs -room temperature
  • 8 ounces sour cream -room temperature
  • ½ teaspoon table salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

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Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
  • Grease a 10-inch tube pan or bundt pan and coat it with sugar. Or use pan-release spray.
  • Add the all-purpose flour, table salt, and baking powder to a medium bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside until needed.
  • Add the unsalted butter and granulated sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment(or electric hand mixer and large bowl)and cream until light and fluffy. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
  • Add the room temperature eggs one at a time, beating each one in before adding the next. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl between each addition.
  • Add the room temperature sour cream and mix it into the butter mixture.
  • Add the dry ingredients to the mixture, one-half cup at a time until combined. Mix on low just enough to incorporate.
    Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
  • Add the vanilla to the cake batter and mix to combine.
  • Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
  • Place the cake pan on the center rack of a preheated oven and bake for 80-85 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.
    *If you have an instant-read thermometer, the cake is done when it reaches210°F.
  • When you remove the cake from the oven, run a thin knife around the edge. Then place the cake (in the pan) on a wire rack to cool.
  • Allow the cake to cool in the pan on a wire rack for 20 to 25 minutes. Then invert on a serving plate to cool completely.
  • Serve with fresh berries, vanilla ice cream or homemade whipped cream.

Notes

If you want to substitute cake flour for the all-purpose flour, add an additional 2 tablespoons of flour per cup or 6 tablespoons of additional cake flour for this recipe. Cake flour has a lower protein count than all-purpose flour, which makes a tender cake that is lighter and fluffier, but it also weighs less, which is why you need to add the extra flour.

Nutrition

Calories: 346kcalCarbohydrates: 50gProtein: 5gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0.4gCholesterol: 97mgSodium: 95mgPotassium: 88mgFiber: 1gSugar: 34gVitamin A: 483IUVitamin C: 0.1mgCalcium: 38mgIron: 1mg
Tried this recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @askchefdennis or tag #askchefdennis!

Comments

    5 from 103 votes (75 ratings without comment)

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    Recipe Rating




  1. Wendy G Siler says

    July 29, 2025 at 11:35 am

    5 stars
    I discovered this recipe about a month ago. I have made it 4 times since then! It is wonderful.
    The tip about putting sugar to make the cake release easier worked!
    This recipe will be a family staple.
    Note: I didn’t have AP flour, so I used SR and didn’t add the baking soda and salt. I only had salted butter. Also, I misread the directions and used 16 oz of sour cream. It still turned out great!

    Reply
    • Chef Dennis Littley says

      July 29, 2025 at 5:56 pm

      Its a forgiving recipe, thats for sure! Thanks for letting me know you’ve been enjoying one of my favorite cakes!

      Reply
  2. Barbara says

    July 18, 2025 at 12:56 pm

    5 stars
    Thank you for the recipe it looks like it’ll melt in your mouth. Gotta make it 👌

    Reply
    • Chef Dennis Littley says

      July 18, 2025 at 2:02 pm

      It’s one of my favorite pound cakes!

      Reply
« Older Comments


My name is Chef Dennis Littley, creator and owner of Ask Chef Dennis Productions. As a classically trained chef with 40+ years of experience in the kitchen, I share my time-tested recipes, knowledge, and chef tips to help you create easy-to-make restaurant-quality meals in your home kitchen.

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