This pound cake recipe is from Ina Garten. It truly is the ideal Pound Cake, which in no way needs to be improved upon and cannot be made any better. In light of this, I’ve decided to make a change to the name of this recipe and call it the best Pound Cake.

Why You’ll Love This Pound Cake Recipe:

• For those who are curious, here is how a pound cake turns out differently depending on whether or not baking powder was used. You can see how thick the original form, which does not use baking powder, is.
• If I wanted my Pound Cake to be airy and fluffy like Vanilla Cake, I’d just bake Vanilla Cake instead. I don’t want that texture for my Pound Cake. However, I do not want it to be created without any leavening agent at all because I think it would produce an excessively dense end product.
• Therefore, this Ina Garten recipe calls for a very little amount of baking powder. Just three-quarters quarters of a teaspoon, to be precise, to make the crumb a bit lighter but yet maintain that trademark denseness along with all of the vanilla buttery goodness that we know and love about pound cake.

What Is Pound Cake?

A pound cake is a type of cake that is typically prepared by combining one pound of flour, one pound of butter, one pound of eggs, and one pound of sugar. In most cases, the baking process for pound cakes is carried out in either a loaf pan or a Bundt pan. They are occasionally served dusted with powdered sugar, gently glazed, or with a coat of frosting. Other times, they are served with all three toppings.

Where Did Pound Cake Come From?

It is generally accepted that the origin of the pound cake may be traced back to northern Europe in the early 1700s and could have occurred around this period. Recipes for pound cake were featured in the very first edition of an American cookbook, which was released in 1796 under the title American Cookery and was named American Cookery. Throughout its history, the pound cake’s ingredient list has undergone several revisions.

What Is The Difference Between Pound Cake And Regular Cake?

This butter cake is cooked in the traditional American style, but it does not rise as much as a regular American butter cake would, therefore the texture of this cake is very dense. Pound cakes, while having a high-fat content, often have moderate flavors and are either served without any extra toppings or topped with a simple glaze. Pound cakes are generally served as desserts. The loaf pan or the Bundt pan is utilized to bake the items the vast majority of the time.

What Ingredients To Make Ina Garten Pound Cake?

• Cake flour: Using cake flour helps the pound cake rise a little bit more, which results in a loaf that has a cute tiny dome on top. The pound cake, when made with plain or all-purpose flour, does not rise quite as much, resulting in a top surface that is rather flat. Despite this, I find the crumb to still be soft and sensitive, which leads me to believe that the only discernible change is one of appearance. It is OK to use ordinary flour in the recipe so long as the finished product does not have the customary dome form.
• Butter (at room temperature): When a recipe calls for butter that is softened or butter that is to be used at room temperature, the butter has to be more solid than you probably believe it should be. The ideal temperature is between 18 and 64 degrees Fahrenheit. However, it is still cold enough that if you touch it, you won’t wind up with a slick of oil on your finger. This is the perfect consistency for whipping until it becomes creamy. A cake that is very oily and does not rise as well as it should because the butter was not at the proper consistency. This is one of the most typical issues that arise when baking cakes
• Baking powder: As was said previously, classic pound cakes do not contain any leavening agent at all; nevertheless, I like to use a little amount so that the crumb is just a little bit lighter. 
• Eggs: that have been brought to room temperature Rather than being stored in the refrigerator, the eggs should be brought to room temperature before being added to the batter. This will guarantee that the eggs combine correctly and that they aerate appropriately when beaten.
• Sugar: Because the granules in caster sugar and superfine sugar are smaller than those in regular sugar, they dissolve more quickly into the batter and perform better in this recipe than regular sugar does. Having said that, if you just have regular white sugar, you may use that and it will work just fine.
• Salt: Adding a little bit of salt to your sweet baked products is rarely a bad idea. You won’t be able to taste the saltiness, as its sole purpose is to accentuate the flavors that are already there.
• Vanilla: When it comes to recipes that call for vanilla, the quality of the extract makes a significant difference in the overall flavor. Real vanilla beans are the highest grade, followed by vanilla bean paste, vanilla extract, and lastly vanilla essence, which is manufactured in a lab. The lowest quality vanilla product is vanilla essence. I like to add vanilla essence when I make this dish. Vanilla beans are something that I save for more sophisticated sweets like creme brûlée and custard most of the time.

How To Make Ina Garten Pound Cake?

• Prepare pan: Grease a 21.5 x 11.4 x 6.9cm / 8.5 x 4 “grease loaf pan that hasn’t had any salt added, then coat it with flour and tap off any excess (Note 2)
• Mix the wet ingredients: In a medium bowl, give the milk, eggs, and vanilla a quick whisk to combine. Set aside.
• Whisk dry: In a large basin or the bowl of an electric stand mixer, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Using either the electric beater or the stand mixer, beat for thirty seconds on the lowest speed setting.
• Add butter and half eggs: After the butter has softened, add it along with half of the egg mixture. It will create a thick batter as it is beaten on Speed 1 until all of the ingredients are mixed, which should take around 30 to 40 seconds. Increase the speed to seven, and keep going for one full minute.
• Add half of the remaining egg mixture, and then scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl. Add half of the remaining egg mixture, which is equivalent to a quarter of the total, and beat on Speed 7 for twenty seconds.
• Add the remaining egg mixture and scrape the sides of the bowl once more. Add all of the leftover egg mixture (which is equivalent to a quarter of the total) and beat for twenty seconds.
• Fill pan: Spread the batter evenly across the top of the loaf pan that has been previously prepared.
• First bake (30 min): Bake for thirty minutes, or until the top begins to crack in a few places.
• Remove divide (this step is optional): Open the oven immediately, but do not remove the pan from the oven. Using a thin, sharp knife, make a gentle incision along the split that is 15 centimeters or 6 inches long “to facilitate a good opening in the split. Be quick about it; if you leave the oven door open for too long, the cake will fall apart.
• Second bake (for another 20 minutes): Continue baking for an additional 20-25 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the center emerges clean. Towards the conclusion of the baking period, if the cake is growing too dark, you may cover it with a sheet of aluminum foil that is loosened up.
• Cool: After allowing the cake to cool for ten minutes in the pan, transfer it out onto a wire rack to finish cooling.

Recipe Tips 

• Eggs that have been brought to room temperature Rather than being stored in the refrigerator, the eggs should be brought to room temperature before being added to the batter. This will guarantee that the eggs mix correctly and that they aerate appropriately when beaten. A quick method for reviving cold eggs from the refrigerator: Put the eggs in a big dish, cover them with water from the faucet that is just warm and not hot, and let them sit for five minutes. After drying, proceed with the preparation.
• Egg size (also known as “big eggs”): The industry standard for sizes that are sold in Australia and the US as “large eggs” is between 50 and 55 grams (or 2 ounces) per egg. If your eggs are significantly larger or smaller in size, just weigh different eggs and use 150-165g / 6 oz in total (including shell) or 135-150g / 5.4 oz in total excluding shell (useful if you need to use a partial egg to make up the total required weight). If your eggs are significantly larger, just weigh different eggs and use 135-150g / 5.4 oz in total excluding the shell. The eggs should be broken, the whites and yolks combined, and THEN the mixture should be poured into a basin to be measured.
• Cake flour: Using this flour to make pound cake yields significantly better results than when using plain or all-purpose flour (see in post for comparison). It rises more evenly and has a more delicate crumb.
• When measuring cake flour: first sift the flour into a large bowl, then use a measuring cup to scoop out one level cup of the flour. The back of a butter knife should be used to level it. If you prefer to measure flour using cups rather than a scale, this is the method that will give you the most precise results. I don’t ask this of every recipe, but pound cake takes a little bit more precision than the majority of cakes to get the greatest results. Therefore, measure after you have sifted!
•  Baking powder: Whether your baking powder has been tucked away in the back of your pantry for a while, it’s a good idea to give it a taste test to see if it’s still good. Baking powder might become ineffective even if it has not yet reached its expiration date.
• Butter: Be careful not to allow the butter to become too mushy and runny. In cases that require the butter to be creamed, this is a typical mistake that can be made. The butter should be heated to 18 degrees Celsius, or 64 degrees Fahrenheit. This is not supposed to leave a thick, greasy film on your finger after being poked, even though it is soft enough to be whipped. It is a sign that the butter is too soft if it causes your fingertips to become greasy. Either the cake will not be as light and airy as you had hoped, or the batter may separate and turn out oily.

Why Does Pound Cake Take So Long To Bake?

In most cases, this occurs because the temperature inside the oven is too high. When this happens, the exterior of the cake bakes much more quickly than the inside, resulting in a crisp exterior and a more tender interior. Turn the oven down to a lower temperature and bake the pound cake for a longer period.

What Exactly Is meant By The Term Cake Flour?

 The protein content of this type of flour is lower than that of plain or all-purpose flour. This makes the crumb of some cakes more tender and helps the cake rise more evenly. It is not necessary for all types of cakes. Using plain or all-purpose flour yields superior results in several cakes, like my Vanilla Cake. Some people find that when they make vegetable minestrone, the finished product is on the bland side. It all depends on the herbs and spices that you choose to put in there. To begin, I recommend making use of some veggie broth. The next step is to incorporate a variety of herbs into the dish so that the overall flavor is enhanced.

How Do I Know When My Pound Cake Is Done?

Insert a cake tester or toothpick into the area that is the thickest as soon as the aroma of something delectable begins to permeate the kitchen. If it’s free of any crumbs, the cake is ready to be served. The majority of pound cake recipes call for a baking time of more than an hour; nevertheless, you shouldn’t be afraid to test the cake as soon as it starts to smell.

What To Serve With Ina Garten Pound Cake?

However, regardless of whether it is served warm or at room temperature, it is still, fundamentally speaking, a vanilla cake. This indicates that it would almost always be improved with the addition of a blob or a smear of anything! Here are some suggestions:

• Greek Yoghurt, Honey, and Almonds
• Greek Yoghurt, Pistachio Nuts, and Dried Cranberries
• Blueberries and Creme Fraiche
• Banana Pudding
• Banana, Honey, and Greek Yoghurt
• Greek Yoghurt and Fresh Passionfruit
• Creme Fraiche and Shaved Dark Chocolate
• Peaches and Cream
• Egg Custard Pie

How Do You Make Ina Garten Pound Cake Moist?

Even though the moist texture of this pound cake was one of the primary design goals when developing this recipe by Ina Garten, the single most essential thing to keep in mind when baking it is to avoid overbaking it. I would suggest first making sure that your oven is not running hot (I always have two oven thermometers in my oven simply to make sure that the display on my oven is giving me accurate information) and then checking your cake sooner rather than later to make sure that it is done baking. Because of the dense consistency of the batter as well as the sheer quantity of batter, it is going to require a considerable amount of time in the oven, most likely between an hour and ten minutes and an hour and fifteen minutes. I give my cake a check after it has been in the oven for an hour, and then I continue to check it at around 5-minute intervals until it is done baking.

My Pound Cake Overflowed In The Oven? 

Because this recipe from Ina Garten calls for baking powder, the finished product will be airier. It is of the utmost significance that you precisely measure the amount of baking powder that you use and that you do not overbeat the batter. For my pound cakes, I always use this bundt pan that has a capacity of 10 cups. If you frequently have problems with overflowing pound cakes that involve baking powder, you might want to try using a bundt pan that has a capacity of 12 cups.

How Long Does Leftover Ina Garten Pound Cake Last In The Fridge?

If preserving the Ina Garten pound cake at room temperature is not an option for you or if you choose to put it in the refrigerator, the pound cake will remain fine for around seven days when stored in the refrigerator, which is not too much longer than when it is stored at room temperature. Always keep in mind that for the greatest results, you should wrap the cake in foil, or plastic wrap, or place it in a container that is airtight before you store it.

How Long Does Leftover Pound Cake Last In The Freezer?

Freezing your cake is an option to consider if you have either created too much of it or would simply like to keep it for a little bit longer than a week.

By placing your Ina Garten Pound Cake in the freezer, you may extend its shelf life to between four and six months. If the cake is iced, placing it in the freezer won’t extend its shelf life beyond around three months.

However, just like storing the Ina Garten Pound Cake in the refrigerator, freezing the cake does change the quality of the cake after a certain length of time, notably after six months. Specifically, after six months.

How To Reheat Ina Garten Pound Cake?

In The Oven:

• Put the Ina Garten Pound Cake you’re making on a baking sheet that has been coated with foil.
• Put in an oven that has been preheated to 250 degrees and then place in the oven.
• Simply reheat the Ina Garten Pound Cake for 8 to 15 minutes, or until the cake is moist and warm but not hot.

In The Microwave:

• Put the pound cake you made from Ina Garten on a dish that can go in the microwave.
• Two to four minutes should be spent using medium force.

FAQ Section

Pound Cake Nutrition Facts

Amount Per Serving

• Calories 215
• Total Fat 8.5g
• Saturated Fat 2.9g
• Cholesterol 40mg
• Sodium 230mg
• Potassium 91mg
• Total Carbohydrate 33g
• Dietary Fiber 0.4g
• Sugars 20g
• Protein 3.1g
• Vitamin A 2.9%
• Vitamin C 0%
• Calcium 2.2%
• Iron 5%

Nutrition Facts Source: Source