Million Dollar Pound Cake Recipe (Rich & Buttery)
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Million Dollar Pound Cake is a rich, buttery cake with a soft crumb and classic homemade flavor. This Southern pound cake recipe has a smooth texture, golden crust, and simple ingredients that come together beautifully for holidays, family gatherings, and Sunday dinners.
What makes this cake special is the balance of flavor and texture. It is dense enough to feel like a traditional pound cake but still soft and moist with every slice. Serve it plain, dusted with powdered sugar, or topped with fresh berries and whipped cream for an easy dessert everyone loves.
This old-fashioned pound cake recipe is one of those timeless desserts that never goes out of style.
Why Is It Called Million Dollar Pound Cake?
Million Dollar Pound Cake gets its name from its rich flavor and smooth texture. The combination of butter, sugar, and cream creates a cake that tastes luxurious while still using simple pantry ingredients.
The cake has become a classic Southern dessert because it feels elegant enough for holidays and celebrations while still being easy to make at home.
Pound Cakes
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! You’ll want to save MY TOP TEN MOST POPULAR POUND CAKE RECIPES.
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!!
Common Pound Cake Mistakes
Overmixing the Batter
Too much mixing can make pound cake dense and tough instead of soft and buttery.
Using Cold Ingredients
Room-temperature butter, eggs, and dairy blend together better and create a smoother batter.
Opening the Oven Too Early
Opening the oven before the cake is set may cause the center to fall.
Underbaking
A fully baked pound cake should have a golden crust and a clean toothpick inserted into the center.
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Tips for the Best Million Dollar Pound Cake
⭐Use cake flour for a softer texture if desired
⭐Use real butter for the richest flavor
⭐Let ingredients come to room temperature
⭐Grease the bundt pan thoroughly
⭐Do not rush the creaming process
⭐Let the cake cool before slicing
Million Dollar Pound Cake
A bonus of the Million Dollar Pound Cake recipe is that you probably have all the ingredients on hand to make it at any time. There are 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 their versatility. 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?
‘Million Dollar’ recipes are the best of the best. Also try Cheesy Million Dollar Chicken Casserole, MILLION DOLLAR BAKED ZITI, 5 MINUTE MILLION DOLLAR DIP RECIPE, and Surprise Million Dollar Pie.
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. I have also listed some quick tips 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 will not be oily.
- Your eggs and other dairy ingredients also need to be at room temperature. They will incorporate more easily 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. Mismeasuring flour 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 mixing process is the same as this Million Dollar Pound Cake.
Cooking Tips and Mistake Prevention
- Traditionally, Pound Cakes were leavened with only eggs. The recipe is correct as written; it contains no baking soda or baking powder.
- 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 to the right temperature, but you need to calibrate it to be certain. It may read correctly on the outside, but the actual temperature on the inside is way off! All you need to do is use an oven-safe thermometer. Set it inside your oven. Set your oven to 350 degrees F. When the oven beeps that it’s up to temperature, does the thermometer inside read 350 degrees? Now repeat this at 450 degrees? If your oven’s temperature display is incorrect, consult your owner’s manual or research your oven brand and model online to find the correct reset procedure for the temperature controls.
- I recommend a 10×4-inch, 12-cup bundt pan (that’s larger than a typical bundt pan) or a tube pan.
- To change the pan size, read this to determine the baking time.
Frequently Asked Questions
A crack on top is normal for pound cake because the batter is dense and rises slowly during baking.
Yes. Wrap slices tightly and freeze for up to 3 months.
Store it tightly covered at room temperature or refrigerate for longer freshness. Butter pound cakes are good, make-ahead desserts. They also make good freezer desserts and can be frozen for 2 months.
Pound cake refers to the dense, buttery cake itself, while bundt cake refers to the shape of the pan.
Yes. Vanilla glaze, lemon glaze, or cream cheese glaze all pair well with pound cake.
How to serve Southern Pound Cake
Serve pound cake with fresh strawberries and homemade whipped cream. Or, try these:
- strawberry sauce
- blueberry sauce
- lemon sauce
- fresh fruit
- caramel sauce
- chocolate sauce
- apple butter
- ice cream
How to Make Homemade Whipped Cream
- 1 pint heavy cream
- 2 Tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- In a large bowl, whip cream until stiff peaks are just about to form.
- Beat in vanilla and sugar until peaks form. Stop. Do not over-beat, cream will become lumpy and butter-like.
- It’s ready to use however you wish.
Million Dollar Pound Cake
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound butter at room temperature
- 3 cups granulated sugar
- 6 large eggs at room temperature
- 4 cups all-purpose flour sifted then measured
- 3/4 cup whole milk or 2% milk
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat and bake at 350 degrees F.
- Grease and flour a 10×4-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
- You can use salted or unsalted butter. Use what you prefer the taste of. Do not substitute margarine.
- You can substitute Crisco solid vegetable shortening instead of butter. I don’t recommend using generic or other brand.
Oh my goodness, Paula! I just made this last night and we had it for dessert at my in-laws’ house today. It was delicious! And it was so easy to make. I couldn’t believe how tall it was, and I loved the crunchy top. Thank you for a great recipe!
Hello Paula,
Of all the pound cakes you have made, which is your favorite? What will be the best kind/type of pan, and where can I get or order a good pan to make my pound cake in please?
Thank you,
Oh, I honestly have two that I adore. They are most like the old fashioned pound cakes my grandmother made. The Whipping Cream Pound is one. I love the texture and flavor. I love the crusty top. It’s just very hard to get any better. The other one that I make a lot is the Blue Ribbon Pound cake, it has a very similar taste and texture to the Whipping Cream Pound Cake. It takes a little more ingredients and a little longer to cook, but I like it if I’m taking it somewhere or giving it to someone. It’s very impressive. It also has the crusty top and very moist inside. I have 2 of this Calphalon tube pans. Bundt pans large enough for the Mile High and Blue Ribbon Pound cakes are hard to find and I just prefer the smooth sides. This is the link to the Calphalon pan
Let me know which one you make
This is a great recipe this was my first time making a homemade pound cake it turn out great. No more asking people to make me one.
Stephanie give 5 stars ❤️❤️❤️😁
About to make this cake, can I mix sweet and unsweetened butter,
Would you PLEASE answer everyone’s question about salted or unsalted butter?
Under tips she wrote that she use SALTED butter as her personal preference.
Did you use regular butter or nonsalt butter?
Can one use coconut flour instaed?
If so how much for this recipe?
Thanks!
Hi Paula!
I made this cake last night with great expectations. I used a bundt pan, and followed the recipe almost to the letter save adding an extra 1/2 cup of butter. I read an article on how to cream butter properly on king Arthur flour’s website since the recipe is so simple I wanted to make sure I got that part right! I must say the cake turned out beautifully!!! It was tall, smelled great, and had a beautiful crust on top! The crust was is so pretty and delicious! However, lol The cake was tough and very dry??? I know it’s not the recipe with all the glowing reviews so it must be something that I did wrong. Did I over bake. I back at 350 an hour and 10 mins. Could it be that I beat it too much between addition of flour and milk…about 15secs with a stand mixer on 4? Maybe the extra butter , which doesn’t seem logical. Help!
Thanks in advance!
Best,
Eve
your photo brought me here, but the ad pop-ups are too much BYE
My cake ran over the sides! I used a traditional bundt pan. Help!
Did you use convection oven for pound cakes?