Easy Berry Topped Pound Cake Recipe

What to Love About This Berry Topped Pound Cake

There’s something comforting and utterly irresistible about a classic pound cake. Its simplicity, vanilla flavor, and rich, buttery crumb make it a favorite dessert all year. But when the berries are in season and mint leaves flourish, it becomes even a bit sweeter.

The berry topping on this pound cake is inspired by our always-popular Simple Berry Trifle Recipe with Pound Cake.

My easy pound cake recipe is a nod to this timeless dessert with a few ingredient twists I love. It’s a recipe passed down through generations yet tweaked and perfected along the way.

I’ve stripped it back to its core, focusing on the essential elements that make a pound cake so special. The result is a rich, buttery, and wonderfully dense cake with a golden crust that gives way to a soft, moist crumb.

Whether you’re a seasoned baker or a novice, this recipe is for you. It’s straightforward, uncomplicated, and requires ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen.

During strawberry season, try my simple pound cake with strawberries recipe!

What You’ll Need: Ingredients List

To make this easy pound cake, you’ll need just a handful of basic pantry staples, such as butter, sugar, eggs, and flour. These items are likely already in your kitchen, making this recipe as convenient as it is delicious.

However, the quality of these ingredients can make a significant difference in the final product.

Here’s what you’ll need:

• High-Quality Unsalted Butter: Butter is the backbone of flavor in a pound cake. Opt for high-quality unsalted butter. It imparts a rich, creamy taste that can’t be matched.
• Granulated Sugar: Helps lock in moisture and create a sweet and moist texture.
• Large eggs: Eggs are crucial in pound cake. They provide structure and help create the cake’s dense, moist texture.
• All-purpose flour: All-purpose flour is the best choice for pound cake. It has the right balance of protein to give the cake structure without making it too tough.
• Sour Cream: The secret ingredient that helps create a moist, rich cake!
• Vanilla extract: For a beautiful, complex flavor, don’t skimp on the amount!

Remember, the quality of your ingredients can make a big difference in the final result. So, use the best you have on hand.

Preheating and Preparing Your Loaf Pan

Start by preheating your oven to 350°F. While the oven is heating, prepare your loaf pan. Grease it well and dust it with flour. This will prevent the cake from sticking to the pan.

My favorite size loaf pan is 8 1/2 inch by 4 1/2 inch which, in my experience, helps create a beautiful dome. I use this loaf pan for almost every quick bread, but a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan will work, too.

How to Get a Pretty Crack in Your Pound Cake

King Arthur Flour says, “Striving for your cake to crack may sound counterintuitive.” And they’re right! We strive to prevent cracks in roll cakes and baked cheesecakes. I’ve had emails requesting tips on how to avoid those very cracks in quick breads. My response is always, “But I love those cracks!”

Again, King Arthur notes, “Pound cakes and quick breads break the rules — they look better with a craggy crack running symmetrically down the center.”

First of all, why do the cracks occur in pound cake? Since the batter is thick, the exterior of the cake bakes first. Then, as the center of the cake begins to bake, it releases moisture and rises, pushing the batter through the top crust and thus creating a beautiful crack.

To help make a crack in the center of your cake, run a butter knife through the batter in the loaf pan about where you want the crack to be.

Your Questions Answered: FAQ Section

We’ve gathered some of the most frequently asked questions about making a classic pound cake. Here are the answers to help you on your baking journey.

Remember, baking is a science but also an art. Don’t be afraid to experiment and make this easy pound cake recipe your own!

The Timeless Appeal of Pound Cake

The pound cake has a long and storied history, dating back to the 1700s, and has been enjoyed for centuries. It was originally named for its simple ingredient ratios: a pound each of butter, sugar, eggs, and flour, an easy recipe for bakers to make and remember.

Over time, the recipe has evolved, but the charm of the pound cake remains.

Pound cake is a testament to the power of simplicity, proof that you don’t need fancy ingredients or complicated techniques to create something truly delicious. All you need is a little patience, a love for baking, and a good recipe.