MILLION DOLLAR POUND CAKE
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Million Dollar Pound Cake has a fine, rich, smooth texture with a 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 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?
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 some 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 saltedbutter . You can use salted or unsaltedbutter 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 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 at 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 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 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.
More fan-favorite recipes
Million Dollar Pound Cake
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.
Nutrition
Nutritional information given is an automatic calculation and can vary based on the exact products you use and changes you make to the recipe. If these numbers are important to you, I recommend calculating them yourself.
I’m curious, I love this recipe but I would really like to make a banana nut version because I have tons of ripe bananas. If I added smashed bananas to the recipe do you think it would change anything? Would I need to modify other ingredients in the recipe?
I recommend one of these recipes if you want one with bananas.
1. https://www.callmepmc.com/bananas-foster-pound-cake/
2. https://www.callmepmc.com/hummingbird-cake-pound-cake/
3. https://www.callmepmc.com/peanut-butter-glazed-banana-pound-cake/
Thank you!!! I have tried so many other recipes trying to make a pound cake. I saw your Million Dollar Pound cake and tried it. I followed the ingredients to the rule and this is by far the best tasting pound cake I have ever had. Thank you for sharing this wonderful cake.
Thank you for posting these recipes. Our family loves this vanilla pound cake. Always asked by the grand kids for chocolate cake. How can this recipe be converted to Million Dollar Chocolate Pound Cake.
I would recommend this Chocolate Pound Cake recipe or
this Dark Chocolate pound cake if you want a really dark chocolate one.
This first one above that I listed is lightly chocolate flavor with the same texture as the Million Dollar PC
Thank you. I will surprise the grand kids this weekend.
What are tips to get the cake out of a 2 piece tube pan and keep the crusty top in tact and on top?
Run a thin knife carefully around the edges and middle. Then Pray and do it quickly and if it breaks too bad put a glaze over it.
Well said… ( pray about everything and worry about nothing). A thought for today. Have a Blessed week 💞🙏💖.
I don’t know if I didn’t bake it enough or over mixed it but it seems like it isn’t done. Can I just put it back in the pan and back in the oven? I made it last night
Unfortunately, after it’s removed from the oven and cooled you can’t resume the process.
I do this recipe but I cook mine at 300 degrees for 2 hours and 50 minutes in an aluminum cake pan sitting on a pizza stone. Then I let it sit for another 20-30 minutes before flipping. Turns out perfectly every time.
Great pound cake. Can it be backed in a round pan. I have a request for this pound cake as a wedding cake. I’m not a professional baker, just love to bake. Also, convention Vs normal baking? What do you recommend?
Yes, you can bake them in ‘normal’ pans. I tested it and here’s my article that may help you, https://www.callmepmc.com/can-i-bake-a-pound-cake-in-a-9×13-inch-pan/
Bake in traditional (normal) oven temp at 325 or 350 degrees F
Turned out fantastic! I’ll be making this cake many times in the future. Wish I could post a photo.
Hello, I don’t have a stand mixer, can I use a handheld mixer?
Will this make a difference?
You can use a hand mixer.
I’ve made this pound cake countless times over the years. It’s my favorite one to make. It’s yummy all by itself or you can add icing if you’d like. If you want a pound cake that’s not dry, not too crumby and has the perfect crunch on top- this is the one!
Miss Paula, 1st of all, I love your site. I use it just about daily for info on pound cakes. I have a question. We cant eat a whole pound cake. Im used to making large quantities of everything. But we have slimmed down a wee bit in family size. I have my grandmothers old 10″ x 4″ tube pan. Is there a tube pan that i can split the pound cake recipe into 2 smaller tube pans that will work? I ordered 2 pans half the size 5.25″ x 2.5″) but they are minis! Do you have an idea? Thanks and God bless Naomi Goulart
I just ordered this pan to test it. I’ll let you know if it works after I make it.
I have the ones you mentioned. One recipe makes 3 of those mini bundts.