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Old School Southern Butter Pound Cake is moist, tender, and loaded with a buttery flavor. It’s perfect on its own or served any number of ways!

Don’t underestimate a pound cake. Although at first glance, a pound cake doesn’t appear to be very exciting it can be dressed up and served in the most elegant and delicious ways!

I have a few tips and tricks for making a perfect traditional pound cake for you!

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The simplicity of pound cake is part of why I love it so much. Pound cake pairs well with fresh or grilled fruit, ice cream, fruit sauce, and whipped cream. You may also enjoy it with chocolate sauce, lemon sauce, or caramel sauce. Certainly, it’s good all by itself!

After reviewing so many pound cakes, it’s hard to think there are still some classics I haven’t tested. I found this recipe in an old church cookbook. It contains butter, vanilla, and almond extracts, as well as all-purpose and cake flour. Those combinations make it unique from any other pound cake I’ve tested already.

Table of Contents

OLD SCHOOL SOUTHERN BUTTER POUND CAKE

A pound cake should be tender, moist, and have a fine crumb. Some, but not all, have a crusty top, which is my favorite.

The two main factors in making a perfect pound cake are using room-temperature ingredients and mixing them correctly. Although I have more tips, I’ll list them for you below.

This is an old-school, traditional Southern butter pound cake. It does not contain baking powder or baking soda. Instead, it is traditionally leavened with eggs. This method requires a longer creaming period (‘creaming’ is mixing the fat with sugar) so that air mixes into the batter and lifts it properly.

Tips for success

As with any recipe, read the ingredients and instructions through completely before starting. Make sure all the ingredients are at room temperature and that you have the correct equipment.

Do not use margarine.
Do not use low-fat or fat-free cream cheese.
I wrote a very detailed post on How to Bake the Perfect Pound Cake. I recommend you hop over and read it.
For the best flavor, use pure vanilla and almond extracts, not imitation.
Additionally, you can substitute vanilla extract for almond extract or use other flavors like lemon, almond, or coconut. Simply keep the total amount the same.
As well, I recommend calibrating your oven once a year. Read How to Calibrate your Oven here.

An Old School Southern Butter Pound Cake, golden brown with a signature cracked top, is garnished with a sprig of fresh mint and elegantly displayed on a white plate.

Pans and Spray

I set my Old School Southern Butter Pound Cake on a cookie sheet to bake. Setting the pan on a cookie sheet may affect the baking time. Also, using a light-colored versus a dark-colored tube pan will affect baking times. For my cakes, I bake in a light pan on a round cookie sheet.

I’m not a fan of non-stick spray for pound cakes. Some of the sides always stick, pulling off that crust that I worked so hard to create. Instead, I like to use solid vegetable shortening and then dust it with granulated sugar. (Yes, sugar. Sugar doesn’t leave any white areas on the cake.) Alternatively, I like the Wilton cake release. (When I started this pound cake series, I did use non-stick spray. However, after making so many and trying other methods, I no longer use nonstick spray for cakes. I have tried to go back and update those posts, but I may have missed some.)

How do I store leftover Butter Pound Cake?

I recommend storing leftover pound cake on the counter at room temperature in an airtight container. Therefore, I wrap it in plastic wrap or cut it into slices and keep it in a covered cake plate. Furthermore, it will last anywhere from 3 to 4 days at room temperature or 5 to 7 days in the refrigerator.

Can I freeze Old School Southern Butter Pound Cake?

You can freeze a pound cake successfully. Wrap it up tightly with aluminum foil or plastic freezer wrap and store it in the freezer for 4 to 6 months.

Here are a few more of my popular pound cake recipes

You can get them ALL here!

Old School Southern Butter Pound Cake

This is a classic pound cake with a soft texture and buttery flavor. It is leavened, traditionally, with eggs. There is no baking soda or baking powder in it.

Author: Paula

4.90 from 38 votes

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Prep Time: 20

Cook Time: 1 30

Servings: 18 servings

Items in blue & underlined below can be clicked for more detail or to purchase.

Equipment

measuring cups/spoons

bundt pan

tube pan

Ingredients

1 and ½ cup butter unsalted, at room temperature
8 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
3 cups granulated sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 teaspoons almond extract
6 large eggs at room temperature
1 teaspoon salt
1 and ½ cup all-purpose flour sifted then measured
1 and ½ cup cake flour sifted then measured

Instructions

Please read post above for substitutions and tips.
Preheat oven to 325° F. (If you haven't calibrated your oven recently, I recommend you calibrate your oven once a year. For info read: How to Calibrate your Oven.)
Coat a 10-inch, 12-cup tube pan or bundt pan with solid vegetable shortening and sugar or Wilton cake release spray.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter and cream cheese with a mixer on medium speed until the mixture is fluffy. Stop mixer and scrape sides. Mix again.
Add sugar and extracts. Beat until light and fluffy. Stop mixer and scrape sides. Reduce speed to low and mix again.
Add eggs, one at a time, alternating with flours 1/2 cup at a time until all eggs and flours are used. Add salt. Stop mixer and scrape sides. Mix again.
Transfer batter to the prepared pan.
Bake for about 1 hour 20 to 30 minutes or until a tester comes out clean or with dry crumbs. (The internal temperature of the cake will be 200°F when fully cooked.)
Allow cake to cool on a wire rack for 15 to 20 minutes before inverting on a tray to cool completely. Wait until the cake is completely cool before frosting.
Store in an airtight cake taker either on the counter or the refrigerator. It will stay fresh on the counter 3 to 4 days and in the refrigerator 5 to 7 days. See notes above for freezing.

Notes

Get all my pound cake recipes here: Pound Cake Recipes Reviewed

Nutrition

25 Comments

Heather says:

02.08.26 at 12:21 pm

I have made this cake several times. Nothing but compliments. I’ve done it with a vanilla glaze, a chocolate glaze, and used vanilla bean paste as an alternative to vanilla extract and still turns out great. Great taste.

1. Paula says:
  
  02.08.26 at 4:36 pm
  
  Thank you, Heather! I’m so happy you like it. ~ P
  
Anita says:

10.11.25 at 9:32 pm

Yum and oh so moist.

Johnnie Phillips says:

02.26.25 at 11:53 pm

Do you alternate the flour and eggs?

1. Paula says:
  
  02.27.25 at 10:19 am
  
  Yes
  
shuntae says:

10.19.24 at 10:09 pm

OMG i followed this recipe and i must say this cake is delicious is was my very first time ever making a cake from scratch

Thank you for sharing i will
be making this more my family again for Christmas!!

1. Paula says:
  
  10.20.24 at 11:55 am
  
  This makes me so happy!!! Thanks for taking the time to comment – I’m so glad you liked it and it turned out great!!