Ever wondered why your Pound Cake always came out so crumby? The secret to making a Pound Cake that is fluffy and has a very fine crumb is to get all the ingredients at room temperature. This is truly the only secret! Butter should be soft because it just creams a whole lot better with sugar. Eggs should be out of the fridge at least an hour early (I soak them in warm water for 10 mins). And milk should not be chilled. If you have the patience for it, I’d say go ahead and sift in the flour because sifting helps to lighten it up. All your hard work will pay off when you slice into this Pound Cake.
A handy tip when you bake cakes: let the cake cool completely before slicing. Cakes need time to cool. If you slice into a cake fresh out of the oven, you run the risk of leaving crumbs all over your cutting board. Be patient. I also like to use a baking pan that has sharp corners. God knows it took me so long to find the right pan. Mine is from Chicago Metallic (no, this is not an ad.) I just really like how the cake turns out. The slices come out sharp and clean but a loaf pan with rounded corners is fine too.
You may be wondering if I have tried making Pound Cake with a leavening agent. I have actually, with a scant 1/4 tsp baking powder which indeed lifts the cake ever so slightly. To be honest, the result of that cake is just as good. However, a traditional Pound Cake relies on creaming the ingredients to naturally raise the cake without the help of a leavener. I like to keep things traditional every once in a while.
Pound Cake With A Fine Crumb
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter room temperature
- 1 1/4 cups sugar
- 4 large eggs room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 tsp salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and grease a 5 by 8 inch baking pan and line it with parchment paper.
- In a mixing bowl, add butter and sugar and beat together for 4-5 minutes or until mixture is light in color and fluffy.
- Next, add eggs one at a time. Mix for 30 seconds on medium speed after each egg.
- Once all eggs are incorporated, add in vanilla and mix.
- Next, add in flour mixed with salt. Mix in half the flour on medium speed until incorporated to not over dry the batter.
- Add the remaining flour along with milk and mix until incorporated. Turn on the speed to high and mix the batter for a minute until smooth.
- Transfer batter into pan and bake for 50 mins up to an hour or until a skewer inserted in the center of the Pound Cake comes out completely clean without any crumbs attached.
- Let the Pound Cake cool completely for an hour.
- Cut into slices and enjoy with coffee!
Notes
- To get the coveted fine crumb texture of a pound cake, your ingredients NEED to be at room temperature
- Take your time to beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy before proceeding to add the eggs
Re Pound Cake . Milk is mentioned in the recipe but not in the ingredients list. How much milk is required?
Milk is about 1/4 cup