Simply Sweet: Classic Pound Cake Made Easy

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Pound cakes are a timeless, delicious treat—simple to make and perfect for just about any occasion. Whether you're serving it alongside a cup of tea, offering it as a midday snack, or adding a sweet touch to your brunch table, this classic recipe has you covered. Made with rich buttermilk and creamy Greek yogurt, this pound cake comes out incredibly moist, tender, and full of flavor—an irresistible crowd-pleaser every time.

One of the things I love most about pound cake is how easy it is to customize. It’s the kind of recipe that can be dressed up or down depending on the season—or just what you’re in the mood for! Around Easter, my mom always makes a blueberry lemon pound cake that’s out of this world. Come fall, a pumpkin spice version hits just right. This particular recipe is the perfect base: delicious on its own, or ready for any flavors you want to fold in.

If you’ve been following along with my recipes, you’ll know I’m big on using what I have on hand—nothing goes to waste in my kitchen! Earlier this week, I made crunchy onion rings and had some leftover buttermilk, which got me thinking... pound cake! If you don’t have buttermilk, no stress—you can use regular milk. And if you’re out of Greek yogurt, just add an extra egg or two. That’s the beauty of pound cake: it’s forgiving, flexible, and almost impossible to mess up.

Now let’s dive into all the ins and outs of this cozy, classic recipe!

What You'll Need:

• All-Purpose Flour: Traditionally, pound cakes are made with equal parts flour, butter, and eggs—that’s actually where the name “pound cake” comes from! For this recipe, I played around with the ratios a bit to get the perfect texture and flavor, but one thing stays the same: flour is key. It kind of goes without saying, but in just about every baked good, flour is the foundation. It gives the cake structure and holds everything together. Choosing the right type and measuring it properly can make a big difference in the final result. For this recipe, I recommend using all-purpose flour for the best balance of softness and structure.

  
  

• Eggs: Eggs play a big role in pound cakes—they’re not just for binding the ingredients together, but they also affect the texture. The more eggs you use, the denser and richer your cake will be. My mom’s version actually uses six eggs and skips the Greek yogurt entirely. It’s dense, buttery, and absolutely delicious. In contrast, this recipe uses fewer eggs and adds both buttermilk and Greek yogurt, which gives the cake a lighter, more tender crumb. So if you're someone who prefers a super dense pound cake, just keep that in mind—you can always adjust based on your taste!

  
  

• Vanilla Extract: This ingredient is totally optional—it’s all about adding a little extra flavor to the cake. If you’re not a fan of vanilla, feel free to swap it out for almond extract, lemon extract, or whatever flavor you’re craving. It’s a small touch that can really change the vibe of the whole cake!

  
  

• Baking Powder: Again, baking powder isn’t a must-have in traditional pound cake recipes. Classic pound cakes actually don’t rely on leavening agents to rise—they get their structure and lift from the eggs and the mixing technique. That said, a small amount of baking powder can help create a softer, fluffier interior and encourage a more even rise. So while it’s not essential, it can give the cake a bit of extra lift and lightness.

  
  

• Granulated Sugar: Sugar is a must in any good baked good—it’s what brings the sweetness and balances out all the rich, buttery flavors in the cake. In pound cake, sugar doesn’t just sweeten things up; it also helps create that beautifully golden crust we all love.

  
  

• Salt: Don’t be afraid to add salt into your recipes. It actually enhances the sweetness! 

  
  

• Unsalted Butter: I always recommend using unsalted butter in baking. It gives you full control over the salt level in your recipe, which is especially important when you’re aiming for the perfect flavor balance. Different brands of salted butter can have varying amounts of salt, so starting with unsalted lets you decide how much to add in.

  
  

• Buttermilk: As I mentioned earlier, I decided to use buttermilk in this recipe simply because I had some in my fridge. After looking into the benefits, I discovered that buttermilk does wonders for a pound cake—it adds a subtle tang and a rich creaminess that elevates the flavor. Plus, it helps create a lighter, more tender texture. If you’re someone who prefers a denser pound cake, though, you might want to skip the buttermilk and stick with regular milk. It’s all about personal preference!

  
  

• Greek yogurt: Now, here’s where I got a little “extra.” I decided to add Greek yogurt to the mix because it really helps make cakes extra moist—and sour cream works the same way! However, I do want to warn you: if the batter becomes too liquidy, it can affect the texture of the pound cake. So, I had to play around a bit with how much buttermilk I added after the yogurt to get the perfect consistency.

  If that sounds a little stressful, no worries! You can always skip the Greek yogurt, add an extra egg, and just use the full cup of buttermilk instead. It’ll still turn out delicious!

  
  

How to Make This Recipe:

• Preheat your oven to 325°F and prep your loaf pan. You can either spray the pan with oil or smear butter generously on the inside. Next, add a small amount of flour to the pan and give it a good shake, ensuring it evenly coats the entire surface. This step helps the cake release smoothly once it’s baked.

  
  

  

  
  

• Start by creaming together the butter and sugar—this step is crucial. You want to be careful not to over-cream, though. Over-creaming can incorporate too much air into the batter, which can affect how the cake rises and settles once it’s cooled. Aim for the butter and sugar to be well-combined and lighter in color, but stop there. This will help create a smooth, even texture without compromising the final result. Note: Do this in a larger bowl because you’re going to add your dry ingredients to this. 

  
  

• Next, add in your eggs, vanilla extract, and Greek yogurt. But again, don’t over - mix! Over-mixing at this stage can cause the same issues as over-creaming your butter and sugar—too much air in the batter, which can affect the texture and rise of your cake. Just mix until everything is combined, and then move on to the next step. Set this aside. 

  

  
  
  
  

• In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. This helps evenly distribute the dry ingredients, ensuring a smooth batter without any clumps. Once everything is well-mixed, you’re ready to combine it with the wet ingredients.

  
  

• Slowly incorporate the flour into the wet mixture, adding in your buttermilk as well. Again, it’s crucial not to over mix at this stage! Once the flour is added, over mixing can develop the gluten too much, resulting in a dense and chewy texture instead of the light, tender crumb we’re aiming for. Mix just until everything is combined, and then you’re good to go!

  
  

• Pour your batter into the prepared loaf pan, but be sure to leave about half the pan free. This gives your cake plenty of room to rise and ensures it bakes evenly without overflowing. Note: I used an 8 x 4 loaf pan, but for some reason I had extra batter left. I bought this loaf pan from the dollar tree so I’m assuming the dimensions may be off. 

  
  

• Bake your pound cake for 45-50 minutes. You’ll know your cake is done when you can see that the edges of the cake have browned and the top also begins to become golden in color. 

  
  

• Let your cake cool in the pan for about 15 minutes before carefully removing it. Once out of the pan, wrap it in plastic wrap and let it cool further in the fridge. Note: This step is key—it helps lock in the moisture, slowing down the drying process so your cake stays wonderfully tender.

I hope you give this recipe a try and let me know how it turns out! I love hearing all the delicious variations you come up with. If you enjoyed this recipe, be sure to check out some of my other favorites, and don't forget to share with friends and family!

Follow me on Instagram @salty_and_sweet_creations for more delicious recipes and to interact with me! 

Simple Pound Cake

servings: 8 slices

prep time: 10 minutes cook time: 45 - 50 minutes

total time: 55 - 60 minutes

Pound cakes are a timeless, delicious treat—simple to make and perfect for just about any occasion. Whether you're serving it alongside a cup of tea, offering it as a midday snack, or adding a sweet touch to your brunch table, this classic recipe has you covered. Made with rich buttermilk and creamy Greek yogurt, this pound cake comes out incredibly moist, tender, and full of flavor—an irresistible crowd-pleaser every time.

Ingredients:

• 4 eggs

• 2 cups (240g) all - purpose flour

• 3 teaspoon vanilla

• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

• 1 1/3 cups (267g) granulated sugar

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1 cup unsalted butter, two sticks

• 1 cup (8 oz) buttermilk, see notes

• 1/4 cup (58 g) greek yogurt, see notes

  
  

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 325°F (163°C). Spray pan with oil and lightly flour it. Tap bottom of pan to get rid of excess flour.

2. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

3. Add eggs, vanilla, and greek yogurt. Mix until combined and set aside.

4. In a medium sized bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, and salt.

5. Slowly add your dry ingredients into your wet. Vary between adding drying ingredients and your buttermilk. Don't over mix.

6. Pour batter into your prepared pan and cook for 45-50 minutes.

7. Once the edges have browned and the top is golden brown take the cake out of the oven and let cool.

8. Remove cake from pan, wrap in saran wrap, and place in fridge until completely cooled.

Notes:

• You don't want your batter to be too runny. I used roughly about a 1/2 cup of buttermilk instead of the full cup. See, What You'll Need

• You can use sour cream if you don't have greek yogurt or you can omit it entirely and use the full cup of buttermilk.

• Do not over mix! It'll effect the texture of your pound cake. It may be easier to use a whisk rather than a hand or stand mixer to ensure you're not over mixing.