Million Dollar Pound Cake
This rich and buttery Million Dollar Pound Cake recipe has been rotating through Southern kitchens for decades. It’s made with seven simple pantry ingredients and can be served on its own, with fresh berries and whipped cream, lemon curd, ice cream or countless other options. It’s a pound cake aficionado’s dream.
Easy Million Dollar Pound Cake Recipe
How Does the Million Dollar Pound Cake Rise? Other than eggs, there’s no leavening in this cake. This makes a key step in the process of making the batter to whip air into the butter. I use a rule of “fives” when making this pound cake. By that I mean, to give the cake a creamy lighter texture whip the butter on high for 5 minutes then add the sugar and continue to whip for another 5 minutes. This process has a magical effect on the cake batter which adds to the mystique of how such simple ingredients can produce such a pleasing result. How to make Southern Million Dollar Pound Cake from scratch:
- Flour – All-purpose flour.
- Butter – Salted butter.
- Flavorings – Vanilla extract and almond extract.
- Sugar – Granulated sugar.
- Eggs – Large eggs.
- Milk – Whole milk OR buttermilk.
How to Make the Best Million Dollar Pound Cake Recipe
This pound cake is fantastic for make-ahead baking as it freezes like a dream. This beloved cake was first made famous by Southern Living who dubbed it “Million Dollar Pound Cake.” I serve this pound cake in trifles, parfaits, or as is with a cup of hot tea or coffee. It’s a Southern classic that will never grow old. Follow the preparation technique carefully and this classic delight will be the star ending to any meal.
- Ingredients you’ll need to make this homemade Million Dollar Pound Cake recipe: All purpose flour, salted butter, sugar, whole milk or buttermilk, large eggs, vanilla and almond extract.
- Kitchen tools you’ll need: A stand mixer or a hand mixer, measuring cups and spoons, an angel food pan and cooling rack.
- It’s super helpful to have a stand mixer for making the batter for this pound cake recipe. It takes some time to beat air into the butter and it can be done using a hand mixer, but not by hand.
- Remember, it’s the rule of fives to make this cake. 5 minutes to whip the butter and 5 minutes to cream the butter with the granulated sugar. This adds air to the batter and gives it a beautiful rise.
- If you don’t have salted butter, you can use the same amount of unsalted butter and add 1/2 tsp salt.
- The amount of vanilla extract called for in the recipe is one Tablespoon, not one teaspoon. It’s not a typo.
- Please note this is a big cake. You’ll also need a large tube pan, sometimes called an angel food pan for baking. I use one with a removeable bottom, but it’s fine to bake it in a pan that doesn’t have that option.
- When freezing pound cake make certain it’s cooled completely before tightly wrapping in plastic freezer wrap.
- You can freeze it as a whole pound cake or cut it into slices for individual portions. Doing it that way makes it convenient to grab a piece from the freezer for a quick treat or when entertaining unexpected guests. It will easily last in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Store Million Dollar Pound Cake chilled in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or at room temperature for up to 5 days.
More Southern Style Pound Cake Recipes to Make
Southern Living Magazine made this pound cake famous and I love that a cake that’s decades old was featured in such a wonderful publication. More pound cake recipes you may like to try:
- White Chocolate Cherry Pound Cake is pretty as a picture.
- Chocolate Sour Cream Pound Cake is rich and decadent made with Dutch process cocoa.
- Orange Pound Cake packs a burst of citrus flavor.
- Homemade buttery Brown Sugar Pound Cake.
- Easy Buttermilk Pound Cake recipe.
- Fresh Strawberry Pound Cake with Vanilla Cream Glaze.
- Pecan Praline Buttermilk Pound Cake is drizzled with a praline glaze that takes it over the top.
- Coconut lovers Coconut Cream Pound Cake with Vanilla Cream Glaze.
- My Aunt’s Lemon Lovers Pound Cake is a family tradition.
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Helpful Kitchen Items:
Million Dollar Pound Cake
Ingredients
- 4 cups all-purpose flour sifted
- 1 pound salted butter softened (4 sticks)
- 1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 3 cups granulated sugar
- 6 large eggs
- 3/4 cup whole milk OR buttermilk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300°F. Butter and flour an angel food/tube pan with a removable bottom. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer using the whisk attachment whisk together the butter, vanilla and almond extracts. Whip for 5 minutes on medium-high.
- Switch to the paddle attachment. Add the sugar gradually beating on medium until light yellow in color. (Around 5 minutes)
- Add the eggs one at a time beating well after each addition. Scrape the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Lower the speed of the mixer and add the flour alternately with the milk, beginning and ending with flour. Stop and scrape the sides of the bowl occasionally.
- After all has been added, beat for 1-2 minutes until the flour has fully incorporated.
- Spread evenly into the pan and bounce on the counter, if needed to settle.
- Place into the oven and bake for 1 hr 30-45 minutes OR until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes back clean.
- Cool for 15 minutes, then remove the outer ring.
- Cool completely on a cooling rack.
To make this recipe in 2 loaf pans, what size loaf pans do you recommend? Just trying to avoid some overflow issues others are talking about. Ha. Also you recommend quality butter-which brand is your go-to?
I typically use Land-o-Lakes but, have very good success using Costo’s Kirkland’s brand as well. I have never in all my years of making this cake had an issue with it overflowing. Not once. Standard loaf pans vary but, typically measure in the 8 1/2 x 4-inch or 9 x 5-inch. If you’re concerned about over flow the larger the better. I’ve never had that happen.
I made this cake for a Mothers Day dinner. It was a last minute decision and the reason I chose to make this cake is because I had all the ingredients on hand. This cake was gone after 5 minutes of cuttting the first slice. Now a week later I have 3 request for the cake. I Love It. I made it exactly by the recipe NO deviation. Perfect cake I will be following you for more delicious recipes. Thanks????
Sabrina, that makes me happy that your family enjoyed this classic cake so much! Thanks for taking the time to let me know.
We grew up with this cake! and now that our grand kids are becoming adults, our children are baking this cake, even the men! My niece, now a mother with teens, sent this cake to our 89 year old mother for Mother’s Day.
Our school was walking distance, and we went home for lunch (no rolls and pizza for us)and we could smell this cake as we entered the back door into the kitchen. Such memories…
I love your note thanks for sharing your memories. I grew-up eating this classic cake as well and learned how to make it at my Momma’s elbow. It’s a Southern classic and I’m delighted to pass it on to the next generation.
This was my first time making a pound cake and I made this recipe EXACTLY as described for Easter. I’m pleased to report that the cake came out PERFECT!! The topping was superb…so flaky, rich, and buttery! I used buttermilk and took it out a little early as you mentioned in the comments! GREAT call!! It’s so moist and yummy! I wish I could post a pic of the perfection!! My friends and family LOVE it! I look forward to trying more of your recipes! Thank you and Happy Easter!
Wonderful, so happy you enjoyed this cake for such a special occasion. Happy Easter to you and yours!
I’m not a baker – but want to try this pound cake for Easter. I don’t have an angel food cake pan – will use a tube cake pan. How do I get it out so the crispy crust is on top?
Thanks!
Invert it onto the cake plate.
Can I turn this into a lemon pound cake?
You can use lemon extract if you prefer. Also, search the recipe archives I have lemon pound cake recipes.
The cake was delicious. I will definitely make it again. Thanks for the recipe.
Glad you enjoyed it, my pleasure.
Can you use margarine or blue bonnet instead of real butter?
Can you use a bundt cake pan?
This cake is best made in an Angel food pan.
Some do but, I wouldn’t.
I made one last night and it turned out great! I used a bundt pan because I don’t have an angel food one and it worked great. Thank you for giving us this recipe! I wish I could add the photos I took.
Glad you liked this one!
Well, after the cake was in 15 minutes I noticed my measuring cup of milk on the counter, ack! Somehow (maybe the kids and their friends on spring break “helping” me haha?). I am continuing because the batter was so delicious, something good must come out of that pan, right? It was so thick I should have realized… Will let you know what happens!
Kristin, no worries we’ve all had baking mishaps. If it comes out a bit dry you an always smother it with ice cream and hot fudge or strawberries and cream. There’s almost always a fix. ☺
I made this last evening, but unfortunately the top of cake was done but not the bottom. I inserted a toothpick and it came out clean. After cutting into a slice the middle to bottom portion of cake was dense and not fully cooked.
Any suggestions of what I may have missed?
Actually, that’s odd and sounds like an oven issue. Otherwise, be certain the batter is fully combined prior to baking.
I have an older mixer and do not have a paddle attachment. Will that make a difference with the pound cake?
N, please feel free to improvise with what you have.
I followed the recipe and the bottom of my angel food pan is leaking. Did I over do a liquid
If you followed the recipe it shouldn’t do that.
Can you use a bundt pan instead of a tube pan?
This cake should be made in an angel food pan.
Can I make this in a bundt pan?
It’s best made in an Angel Food pan.
How would you make this a chocolate pound cake? I also need to substitute Country Crock for butter and Lactaid for milk due to dairy intolerance. Think that would be ok?
I have a chocolate pound cake recipe here. If you’ve had success in the past using those substitutes they should work again but, I’ve never tried those particular ingredients.
Have you ever used a muffin pan with this batter? If so, what adjustment would you make for the baking time?
I haven’t but, you can make this into any shape you like. Here’s a link to my mini blackberry pound cakes it might help.
Is it possible to speed the softening of the butter? If yes, please suggest the best method. thank you. I look forward to making this cake.
You can carefully in the microwave, sure.
I want to add an 8oz package of cream cheese….should I change anything else to accommodate?
This cake should be made just as it is.
I am inexperienced and don’t have a stand mixer, is there anything I should do differently using a hand mixer?? This looks really good and I don’t want to mess it up!!!
It’s more labor intensive but, will work fine with what you have. Happy baking!