Baking Dessert

Classic pound cake

Name: Classic pound cake recipe
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 80 min
Yield: 10
Ingredients: 250g plain flour; 250g caster sugar; 1 1/2 tsp baking powder; 4 large eggs; 1-40.00 ml milk; 2 tsp vanilla bean paste; 250g salted butter, melted, cooled

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by Lucy Nunes

Delicious Team

Aug 26, 2025

The pound cake has been around for ages and loved for its simplicity, beautiful golden hue and buttery flavour. This recipe recreates the classic version but feel free to add some lemon or orange zest or stir through some chocolate bits to mix things up.

You’ll need a 21.5cm x 11.5cm, 8cm high loaf tin. Start by melting your butter so it has time to cool.

1 2/3 cups (250g) plain flour
250g caster sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
4 large eggs
1-2 tbs milk
2 tsp vanilla bean paste
250g salted butter, melted, cooled

Method

1.

Preheat the oven to 170°C/150°C fan-forced. Grease base and sides of a 21.5cm x 11.5cm (base), 8cm high loaf tin and line with baking paper.
2.

Whisk the flour, sugar and baking powder in a large bowl until well combined. Weigh the eggs in a medium bowl. You will need 250g which is roughly 4 large eggs. If you have slightly less, make up the difference in weight with 1-2 tbs milk. Add the vanilla and whisk until smooth. Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and whisk in the egg mixture until a smooth batter. Add the cooled butter and whisk until smooth and fully incorporated. Pour into the prepared tin (batter will be runny). Bake for 1 hour - 1 hour 5 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.
3.

Place cake in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then turn out onto the wire rack to cool slightly. Serve warm or at room temperature.