Million Dollar Pound Cake has a fine, rich, smooth texture with classic vanilla flavor. It’s a classic for a reason and you’ll understand the title ‘million dollar’ after one taste! The cake recipe is always a crowd-pleaser!
Welcome back to my Pound Cake series!!! Are you tired of Pound Cake recipes yet?
So far I’ve tested the Whipping Cream Pound Cake, Sour Cream Pound Cake, Cream Cheese Pound Cake, Amaretto Pound Cake and Chocolate Pound Cake. Let me just tell you they are all good!
I’m becoming quite the Pound Cake expert. I have tested almost all the basic Pound Cake recipes that I’m going to test. But, the series isn’t going to end. I have kicked up versions with add-ins and unusual flavors for you next. Just wait!!
This Million Dollar Pound Cake is buttery with a soft texture and small crumb. It’s very dense and moist. It is very, very similar to the Sour Cream Pound Cake, but ever so slightly more moist with a crusty top, not all Pound Cakes have that crusty exterior. Something about that crusty top makes it for me, it just seems more like the old-fashioned authentic pound cake.
Million Dollar Pound Cake
A bonus of the Million Dollar Pound Cake recipe is you probably have all the ingredients on hand to make it at any time. There’s no random ingredients, so if you have a well-stocked pantry you can whip this up without trudging to the store.
The popularity of Pound Cakes in part is the versatility of them. You can enjoy them plain, with ice cream, caramel sauce, chocolate, or a fruit sauce. I really enjoy this tart Raspberry Sauce (or strawberry sauce) and vanilla ice cream. If you’re going to splurge, splurge big, right?
Tips…
I want to stress a few things when attempting my pound cake recipes, or any cake recipe in general. Review my post Baking Cakes: Problems and Tips. Some quick tips I have also listed below.
- As with most baking, make sure your butter is at room temperature and soft. It will indent easily when mashed with your finger, but not be oily.
- Your eggs and other dairy ingredients also need to be at room temperature. They will incorporate much easier into the other ingredients at room temperature, making for a lighter, fluffier cake.
- Measure your flour correctly using the ‘spoon and level’ method. I wrote this post on how to measure flour correctly, you may want to refresh yourself if needed. Measuring flour incorrectly can result in as much as 150% more flour than is called for! #ThatsALot
- Use good quality ingredients. Read some of the differences in name-brand and store-bought ingredients here. Use real butter, not margarine. I use salted butter. You can use salted or unsalted butter depending on your personal preference.
Check out my Old Fashioned Blue Ribbon Pound Cake, the process for mixing is the same as this Million Dollar Pound Cake.
More…
- Traditionally Pound Cakes were leavened with only eggs. The recipe is correct as written, there is no baking soda or baking powder in it.
- When baking cakes especially pound cakes, cheesecakes, and souffles, I’ve found it super important to use the correct temperature. Now, you may think you have your oven set at the right temperature, but you need to calibrate your oven to be certain. It’s may read correctly on the outside, but the actual temperature on the inside be way off! All you need to do is use an oven safe thermometer. Set it inside your oven. Set your oven at 350 degrees F, when the oven beeps that it’s up to temperature does the thermometer inside reading 350 degrees? Now repeat this at 450 degrees? If your oven doesn’t read correctly, use your owner’s manual or research your oven brand and model online to determine how to reset the temperature controls.
- I recommend 10×4-inch, 12 cup bundt pan (that’s larger than a typical bundt pan) or a tube pan.
- To change pan size, read this to determine the baking time.
Million Dollar Pound Cake
Ingredients
- 1 pound butter at room temperature
- 3 cups granulated sugar
- 6 large eggs
- 4 cups all-purpose flour sifted
- 3/4 cup whole milk or 2% milk
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat and bake at 350 degrees F.
- Grease and flour a 10x4-inch, 12 cup bundt pan (that's larger than a typical bundt pan) or a tube pan.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until fluffy.
- Add eggs one at a time until well incorporated.
- Slowly add flour and milk alternately beginning and ending with flour.
- Mix until blended after each addition.
- Stir in almond and vanilla flavorings.
- Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake at 350 degrees 1 hour and 25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
- Cool cake in the pan on a wire rack for 20-30 minutes before inverting and removing from the pan onto a serving tray.
- Store covered on the countertop for 3 days or in the refrigerator for 5 days. Freeze in an airtight container up to 3 months.
Notes
Nutrition
Be sure to check out my other top recipes
Skinny Cake Batter No Churn Ice Cream
I really like the taste and texture of this Million Dollar Pound Cake. You may want to check out my review of the other pound cake recipes.
If you like this Million Dollar Pound Cake, you’ll also like my Citrus Bundt Cake. Now, I cooked it in mini bundt pans, but it has the texture and tastes of a pound cake.
Also, Amaretto Pound Cake is my second most popular pound cake recipe. When I take it to parties, if it’s not all eaten at the party, people start cutting pieces to take home! #truestory
While you’re here, check out these pound cakes
You'll enjoy these too!
Jennifer F says
Hi, I love this pound cake recipe! I have been requested to make a fig pound cake and I wanted to use this recipe to do so. I have researched like crazy trying to figure out how to keep the outer crunch on the pound cake and also keeping it moist, but I can’t find hardly anything. Will the fruit alter this recipe? If so, how should I go about making it?
Paula says
I was going to text this but can’t find figs. I would add 2 cups chopped figs. Fold them in at the end of mixing. My only concern is the figs will offer more moisture and prevent the crusty top.
Harry says
I baked the cake and it turned out dry. I noticed that several people mentioned the recipe calls for 10 eggs; the recipe I found published calls for 6 large eggs. Would this be the reason it came out so dry? Frankly, I was a disappointment. My wife told me not to bother with thus one again.
Paula says
This cake has 6 eggs as written. The Mile High Pound Cake and The Blue Ribbon Pound Cake have 10 eggs. If it was dry maybe it was cooked too long. How long has it been since you calibrated your oven? I find this is the problem 99% of the time. Here’s how to calibrate it. https://www.callmepmc.com/how-to-calibrate-your-oven/
Virginia Carter says
Measuring flour and then sifting it results in more!!! I have always measured, then sifted twice, then measured again. I always have surplus flour to put back in bag, or to throw away if I have added salt and B.P. to it! Is this right or wrong to do?
Paula says
You’re correct sift then measure.
Tom Entler says
Million dollar pound cake is the best I have ever eaten, and I have been looking for the perfect pound cake for 18 months. Because there are only the two of us I cut the recipe in half and it makes 4 mini loafs, which freeze well. Not knowing any better i use 2 cups sifted flour rather than 2 cups flour sifted and it is perfect. This is now my base pound cake so if i want to make cranberry orange pound cake or lemon blueberry pound cake i dont look for a specific recipe i just add 1 tsp extract to the recipe.
Thank you Paula
Vicki says
Hi made my first pound cake in years and yours looks so good so I just got it (your recipe)out let cool 20min and mine not as tall as yours I’ve made this yrs ago and mine came tall like yours but not this time I used my new mixer so excited but afraid I didn’t mix long enough would have been why not as tall??ty😍I also made lemon sauce and strawberry sauce so can’t wait try cake 😍😍ty
Stefanie says
I live at 9000 ft elevation. My cake didn’t cook completely and fell in the middle. I calibrated my oven to make sure that the oven temperature was correct. I also followed the recipe to the letter and read all the tips and comments before hand. I want to try this again, but thats a lot of ingredients down the tube. Help please!
Paula says
I don’t have any experience baking at high altitudes but I found this article that may help. https://www.epicurious.com/expert-advice/high-altitude-baking-tips-article
tammy c says
can you add cream cheese to this recipe if so how much?
Paula says
I would recommend this pound cake if you want a cream cheese pound cake. https://www.callmepmc.com/lemon-cream-cheese-pound-cake-recipe/
PJ says
Has anyone used a loaf pan for this recipe? If so, how long do I bake it?
Chris says
I baked this cake tonight and it gave the crunch on top that I was looking for. Easy to follow and 5 stars!
Erin Garris says
I was given this recipe as part of a wedding gift and have used it over and over through the years. It is a family favorite and I am often asked to make it for events. Its perfect and has never come out wrong. I cook it at 300F, though, for 99 min and 99 seconds. Not sure how I came up with that but it my oven it is always perfect that way. I can’t wait to try some of your other pound cake recipes!
Alexis says
1 hour 40 minutes and 39 seconds lol 😆 it’s cute how you wrote it!
Cathy says
Do you remove cake from cake pan to cool on wire rack or leave in pan?
Paula says
Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 20 to 30 minutes, then invert on serving platter on wire rack to cool completely.
Sue says
I followed your recipe as written but my cake was dry. I used half & half milk & measured the flour after sifting so I not sure what to do to correct the problem. In comparison to some of my other recipes, I will try it one more time and hope for the best.
Susan says
Measure then sift. It says 4 cups flour sifted. Otherwise it would say 4 cups sifted flour.
Jillie says
Paula says :
Sift then measure.
Shana says
Can you use can milk instead of whole milk
Paula says
Whole milk, 2%, heavy cream or half & half is what I recommend
Tania says
Can I start with a cold oven on this? I love the cold oven crunch on a pound cake.
Also should the eggs be at room temperature? I usually do eggs at room temp to avoid being to dense.
Paula says
I haven’t started this cake in a cold oven. It does have the crunch on top. Yes, all refrigerated ingredients need to be at room temperature
Caroline says
Is there a way to add lemon to this?
Paula says
For a lemon flavor, I’d add the juice and zest of 1 lemon along with 1 tablespoon lemon extract. Omit the 1 tablespoon of almond extract
Mae says
Please tell me what dId I do wrong I went by your recipes and the cake did not bake in side 10 eggs. And 4 sticks of butter to make a cup 3 cups sugar and a half of cup a lots money going down the drain and mix like you said and not over beat it. So sad I really want this to be my only cake recipe
Paula says
Hi Mae, first, calibrate your oven to make sure it’s cooking at the correct temperature. https://www.callmepmc.com/how-to-calibrate-your-oven/
Next, I test every cake before taking it out with a long wooden skewer to make sure it done inside.
Ceil says
reading our recipe,where is the baking powder?? what makes the cake rise?? is it the eggs??
Paula says
Yes, the eggs are the leavener. It will rise with just the eggs and on baking powder.
Saed says
Can you put the million dollar pound cake into mini bundt pans?
Paula says
Yes, refer to the baking instructions on your pans for how long.
pattycake says
….I followed your recipe EXACTLY, beat in each item one at a time until fluffy (I even watched and studied the video before starting) and the cake was a BIG disappointment. It came out weighing a ton; never cooked enough in the middle (it was pudding like, I even tried to leave it in a while longer to cook more); it was way too dense and oily (from what I believe may be way too much butter) and the crust turned out very hard and dark. I believe your butter amount and eggs are way too much….sorry.
Paula says
I’ve had hundreds of readers have good results with this cake. As well, I’ve made it hundreds of times myself. I don’t think the ingredients are incorrect. Possibly you measured the flour inaccurately. Additionally, it sounds like your oven is calibrated correctly. https://www.callmepmc.com/how-to-calibrate-your-oven/
Sue Rober says
Can this recipe be modified to fit into a loaf pan instead of a tube pan? There are only 2 of us at home and having such a large pound cake is sometimes too much.
I love all your recipes and helpful tips!
Thank you!
Paula says
It can be baked in loaf pans. It also freezes well.
Tobey Matthews says
Will this recipe work well to divide into the mini loaf pans? I’d like to make them as Christmas gifts.
Paula says
Yes
Cheryl says
Is it unusual to not have any salt in this recipe.
KathyT says
I wish you would give your recipes in weight instead of just volume. It makes it so much easier, especially in a recipe where getting the ratios right is paramount.
Patti says
I am confused now. I made the Million $ cake recipe that used 10 eggs, 3 1/2 cups sugar & no milk. You said it was a tall cake, & indeed it was; added wax paper to tube pan & batter almost overflowed in mixing bowl. It was a good cake, but apparently my oven is hotter, or I made the mistake of cooking it on bottom rack, as the outside was way too brown. My mistake & I’ll check calibration or move rack up. Now I see this Million $ recipe with only 6 eggs & 3 cups sugar; why the changes?
Paula says
Sounds like the Mile High Pound Cake you’re referring to> https://www.callmepmc.com/mile-high-pound-cake/
or the Old Fashioned Blue Ribbon pound cake https://www.callmepmc.com/old-fashioned-blue-ribbon-pound-cake/
Amelia says
Is the recipe missing salt?
Paula says
No, it’s correct as written. You can use salted butter or add a pinch if you prefer
K. Brown says
A former colleague of mine would the most delicious Kentucky Butter Cake for Christmas parties, but being a typical southern cook, he refused to share his recipe. I love and miss that cake! I’ve tried repeatedly to copy it, but the crumb is never right. It was a dense cake with a very small crumb. Even your KBSC has a larger crumb and it is not that dense. But your million dollar cake, comes close in terms of crumb. WHAT exactly defines the variety in crumb texture of pound cakes?
Paula says
I don’t know if other factors determine the texture, but using baking powder and/or baking soda does change it. I get comments all the time asking if I’ve accidentally left out those in my pound cake recipes but a true pound cake is leavened with eggs only. You’re right the KBSC pound cake has a different texture and it has both baking soda and baking powder if I remember correctly. I’m curious myself now if this Million Dollar Pound cake would be even better with the butter sauce over it?
Lyn Houp says
I tried the Million Dollar Pound Cake; I had never made a pound cake before, but this one is truly “Million Dollar!” A great cake that tastes rich, but not too sweet. I highly recommend doing what the directions say about grease and FLOUR cake pan. I used PAM spray along with powered sugar and the combination broke the cake in half when I inverted it. (I just have been munching on the broken pieces…)
Brian says
I have always used my mother’s recipe for pound cake since I was little. I decided to do something different so I came across this and tried it. I was surprised that it did not call for milk or seven up or anything. In guess that is why there are additional eggs. It was much simpler to mix and I know it is going to be a hit. Will let you know soon. It in the oven now. Thanx a million.
Christina McDonald says
Super easy to make. My cake did over flowed, as I was dumping the batter in the pan I started to make a couple of cupcakes, should of followed my first thought. I didn’t have any whole milk so I used buttermilk.
I was concerned about the cake sticking to the pan, but it just plopped out with no trouble . This wil be my go to pound cake.
Shenna says
What’s the proper way to remove the cake from a tube pan? I always have a problem with this.
Paula says
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=37FwFTS3P9Y
Shan C. says
Hi- I have a special guy requesting pound cake cupcakes and this recipe looks wonderful! Would you keep the temp the same? And how long would you think they need to bake in a cupcake pan?
Paula says
Experts claim you can substitute any cake pan with another, but I’ve never had good luck with changing them with pound cakes since they are so dense. The recommendation is that this much batter will make 24 to 36 (fill regular size muffin tin 3/4 full) and bake 20 to 25 minutes. I would start testing them at 20 minutes.
Karen says
Just baked the Million Dollar Pound Cake. For my oven 1 HR 25 minutes would of been over doing it. Checked at 1 hr 15 minutes and it was perfect. To be sure keep checking it after the first hour goes by. By the way reduce the flour from 4 cups to 3.
Paula says
If you reduce the amount of flour that’s why it took less time for your cake to bake
Dardanella Jones says
Hi Paula! Have you ever heard of
“Tiger Pound Cake”… if so, do you have a good recipe?
Thanks, Dardanella
Paula says
Is it the cake that has a container of pecan frosting in the cake?