Yep, this one-bowl vanilla pound cake is a snap to make. But it is also so tasty! Made with lots of butter, along with both cream cheese and sour cream, this pound cake is a heavy cake. But it’s also super moist, tender and rich.
The cake is good enough to eat it on its own, dusted with a little powdered sugar or topped with berries and/or whipped cream. But it also dresses up well with this easy-to-make chocolate drizzle and of course, sprinkles (you can get these heart sprinkles here)!
One-Bowl Vanilla Pound Cake
I don’t know about you, but I grew up eating Sarah Lee poundcake. My mom would freeze it and then pull it out to serve on special occasions.
Well, this is almost as easy to prepare but so much better!
And I love serving this cake for guests because it’s so simple to make and requires very little cleanup. It’s also a heavy, stable cake that can easily be made ahead of time and left to sit a while before serving.
Want more ideas on what to serve guests? Try this easy cheese with pears and balsamic syrup appetizer or this apple galette with salted caramel sauce.
Tips on Making Vanilla Poundcake
Here are a few things to keep in mind when you’re making it.
Bring Your Ingredients to Room Temperature: I know it’s tempting to skip this step. But here’s the deal: room temperature ingredients = fluffier, more tender baked goods. So make sure your eggs, butter, cream cheese, and sour cream are all room temperature before using. Want to read about the science behind this? Check out this link.
Oil vs. Butter: Today, a lot of recipes call for using vegetable oil instead of butter in an attempt to make the cake lighter. But I have to tell you, I prefer using real butter in this cake. I found that when I tried to use oil, the cake didn’t have much flavor. And while the oil cake was a little lighter, it was also drier.
Flour: I used this pastry flour for this recipe. It has a lower protein content than all-purpose flour and this helps to make the cake lighter. You can also use cake flour, which has even less protein.
The Pan: For a long time I avoided making bundt cakes for fear they’d get stuck in the pan. You too? Here’s how to prevent this. First, pick a good pan. I like to use Nordic Ware pans like this one or this one. Next, make sure to grease the pan generously with butter or oil before using it. I like to use coconut oil spray like this one. Finally, make sure the cake is cooked properly and cooled (more on that right below).
Low and Slow: Because the batter for this cake is so thick and dense, you’re going to need to bake it at a slightly lower temperature for a longer time. My cake took 80 minutes to bake but depending on your oven, it could take up to 90 minutes. You’ll be able to tell yours is done when a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean. You’ll also notice that the cake has started to pull away from the sides of the pan. And the texture should be slightly springy to the touch.
Let it Cool: One last tip is to let the cake cool before trying to removing it from the pan. I suggest waiting for at least 20-30 minutes before trying to invert it onto a cake plate. This gives the cake time to set up.
Fun fact: Did you ever wonder why a pound cake is called a pound cake? It’s because the original recipe ( circa the 1700s) called for using a pound each of butter, eggs, flour, and sugar.
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One-Bowl Vanilla Pound Cake with Chocolate Drizzle
- Yield: 12–14 1x
Description
This one-bowl, moist vanilla pound cake drizzled in easy chocolate drizzle is a cinch to make! Perfect for entertaining.
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter at room tempature
- 1 8–ounce package of cream cheese at room tempature
- 2 1/2 cups sugar
- 1/3 cup sour cream at room tempature
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon almond extract (optional)
- 6 large eggs at room tempature
- 3 cups pastry or cake flour, spooned and leveled
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
For the Drizzle:
- 1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- Sprinkles (optional)
Instructions
For the Cake:
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees (not 350 degrees). Generously grease a 10-12 cup bundt pan with butter or nonstick spray.
- Using an handheld or stand electric mixer, beat butter and cream cheese until smooth, about 2 minutes.
- Add sugar and beat until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
- Add the sour cream and vanilla and almond extract (if using) and mix until combined.
- One a low speed, add eggs, one at a time, beating until combined before adding the next
- One the last egg is combined, stop the mixer and add the flour, salt and baking powder.
- Beat on medium until just combined. Don’t overmix.
- Use a spatula to give the batter a final mix to make sure there are no lumps at the bottom of the bowl.
- Spoon the thick batter evenly into the prepared cake pan. Lightly bang the cake pan on the counter to get rid of any large air bubbles.
- Bake the cake for 75-90 minutes (mine took 80 minutes), rotating the cake pan during baking. If the top of the cake starts to get too brown, you can loosely tent the top of the cake with aluminum foil (I did this about halfway though baking). You’ll be able to tell the cake is done when you insert a toothpick into the cake comes out clean. You’ll also notice that the cake has started to pull away from the sides of the pan and the cake is slightly springy to the touch.
- Remove the cake from the oven and allow it to cool in the pan on a wire rack until cooled, at least 20-30 minutes. When ready, remove the cake from the pan by inverting it onto a plate. Return it to the wire rack and allow to cool completely.
- Pour the chocolate glaze over the cake, making sure that it drips down the sides of the cake. The glaze should cling to the cake not just run off. If it seem to be running off, simply wait a minute for the glaze to cool and thicken a bit more before proceeding. Decorate with sprinkles, if desired.
- You can also just skip adding the glaze and slice and serve the cake with toppings of your choice.
For the Glaze:
- Add the chocolate chips and cream to a microwave-safe bowl.
- Microwave until cream is warm, about 30-60 seconds.
- Add salt and stir until the chocolate chips have been combines and the mixture is smooth.
Notes
- Leftover cake can be covered and stored in the refigerator for up to five days.
- This cake can also be made in (2) 9×5-inch loaf pans. Just bake for less time, about 60 minutes.