Sour cream pound cake (Bundt cake)

This sour cream pound cake disappears fast whenever it’s put on the table. The sour cream gives the crumb a tender, moist finish, while vanilla brings a classic, rounded sweetness. It’s ideal for brunch, or you can dust it with icing sugar and serve with berries for an easy dessert.

If you’re baking this in a patterned Bundt cake tin, take a little extra care greasing the grooves so the cake releases cleanly. Also, aim to mix only until everything comes together once the flour goes in-overmixing can make a pound cake a bit heavy rather than plush.

This cake keeps well: store it in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. It also freezes beautifully-wrap slices (or the whole cake) tightly and freeze for up to 3 months; defrost at room temperature before serving and refresh with a fresh dusting of icing sugar.

Time & yield

Item	Amount
Prep time	20 mins
Cook time	1 hr 20 mins
Additional time	1 hr
Total time	2 hrs 40 mins
Servings	14
Yield	1 (25 cm) Bundt cake

Ingredients

• 375 g plain flour
  
• 1/2 tsp salt
  
• 1/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda
  
• 600 g caster sugar
  
• 225 g unsalted butter, softened
  
• 6 large eggs
  
• 1 tbsp (15 ml) vanilla extract
  
• 1/8 tsp ground mace or 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
  
• 240 ml sour cream
  
• Icing sugar, to dust (as needed)

Directions

1. Get all your ingredients ready. Heat the oven to 175°C. Generously grease and flour a 25 cm fluted ring tin (such as a Bundt tin or tube cake tin).
2. In a bowl, combine the flour, salt, bicarbonate of soda, and mace; set aside for later.
3. In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the sugar and butter until pale, light, and fluffy-about 5 minutes.
4. Add the eggs one at a time, beating thoroughly after each one. Mix in the vanilla extract.
5. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture in batches, alternating with the sour cream. Mix only until just combined.
6. Spoon the batter into the prepared tin, then level the top with the back of a spoon.
7. Bake until a skewer or cocktail stick inserted into the centre comes out clean, about 1 hour 25 minutes. Run a thin knife or palette knife around the edge to loosen. Leave to cool in the tin on a cooling rack for 20 minutes, then turn out onto the rack and let it cool completely.
8. Dust with icing sugar just before serving.

From the Editor

This recipe was tested in our test kitchen and updated to reduce the amount of butter to 225 g. The original recipe called for 450 g.

Test Kitchen Tips

This top-rated recipe has been reviewed by professionals in our test kitchen. Here are some tips and tricks from the experts:

• Coat your tube tin thoroughly with softened butter. If there are grooves that are awkward to reach, give the tin a light spray with cooking spray before dusting with flour.
• Using an instant-read thermometer is a reliable way to confirm a cake is fully baked. A pound cake should read 99°C in the centre.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

Amount	Name
420	Calories
17 g	Fat
64 g	Carbs
4 g	Protein

Nutrition Facts (detailed)

Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe	14
Calories	420

	Amount	% Daily Value *
Total Fat	17 g	22%
Saturated Fat	10 g	50%
Cholesterol	58 mg	19%
Sodium	119 mg	5%
Total Carbohydrate	64 g	23%
Dietary Fibre	1 g	3%
Total Sugars	44 g
Protein	4 g	8%
Vitamin C	0 mg	0%
Calcium	27 mg	2%
Iron	1 mg	7%
Potassium	60 mg	1%