What is a Pound Cake, and Why is it Called This? | Goldbelly (2024)

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Written by Lauren Mack

Published on September 15th, 2023
Updated on May 20th, 2024

In this article

  • Why Do They Call It Pound Cake?
  • Where Did Pound Cake Originate?
  • What’s the Difference Between Pound Cake and Regular Cake?
  • Is Pound Cake Dry?
  • Most Famous Pound Cakes

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT LIGHT AND FLUFFY GOLDEN BROWN CAKE

If you have ever strolled into a bakery or cafe, no doubt you have seen stacks of thickly sliced pound cake shaped like a loaf of bread. But have you ever wondered how this cake got its name and where it comes from?

Pound for pound, these bread loaf-shaped slabs of cake are a light, not-too-sweet treat perfect for dessert, teatime, and anytime. One bite and you’ll know these cakes are worth their weight — and calories!

Read More: What is a Bundt Cake: Everything to Know

Why Do They Call It Pound Cake?

It’s called pound cake because of the amount of each ingredient. There are four ingredients in this cake:

  • Butter
  • Eggs
  • Flour
  • Sugar

The original recipe called for 1 lb. of each ingredient. Modern recipes often decrease the amount of each ingredient to yield a smaller amount of cake.

Where Did Pound Cake Originate?

Pound cake came from Northern Europe. The first recipe for this loaf-shaped cake was published in The Art of Cookery by Hannah Glasse in 1747. Today, there are several versions of this popular cake:

  • Quatre-quarts is the French version of pound cake. It calls for 1 quart of each of the four ingredients.
  • Panqué is the Mexican version of pound cake.
  • Panqué has the same ingredients but often includes cream cheese and the cake is baked with a paper liner.

What’s the Difference Between Pound Cake and Regular Cake?

There are many differences between pound cake and regular cake. The differences include:

  • Ingredients: Pound cake has more fat than regular cake, and has four ingredients: butter, eggs, flour, and sugar. Regular cake has the same four ingredients plus more ingredients. Regular cake also has baking powder, baking soda, and buttermilk or milk.
  • Baking time: It takes longer to bake a pound cake than a regular cake, because they are dense and made in deeper pans so they bake unevenly. They also have few or no leaveners so these cakes don’t rise, making them take longer to bake.
  • Taste: Pound cake is rich, buttery, and has a custard-like flavor due to the high volume of eggs. Regular cake has a lighter taste.
  • Texture: Pound cake is dense and heavy. Regular cake is light and fluffy.

Is Pound Cake Dry?

No, pound cake is not dry. They are moist, rich, and delicious. If your cake is dry, it may be due to the following reasons:

  • The recipe was not followed exactly
  • Ingredients were incorrectly measured
  • The incorrect sugar was used – this cake should be made with granulated sugar
  • The butter is not quality butter – unsalted European butter is ideal because cheaper brands may contain more liquid like water or fat
  • The cake has been over baked and/or not placed in the center of the oven
  • The cake has been baked on too high of a temperature or the temperature has fluctuated during baking
  • The baking pan is incorrect and/or has not been adequately greased

Most Famous Pound Cakes

The most famous pound cakes can be found in bakeries and restaurants across the United States. You don’t need to bake all day or leave your home to enjoy the most famous ones.

Janie’s Cakes

If it’s good enough for Oprah Winfrey, it’s good enough for us. Janie’s Cakes is one of Oprah’s Favorite Things and ours too. Janie’s Cakes’ pound cakes are made with creamery butter, farm-fresh eggs, and pure cane sugar. Then, they are perfectly packaged in yellow and white striped boxes with blue ribbon. Bake your day with Janie’s Cakes like:

  • Carrot
  • Chipper
  • Italian
  • Saucy
  • Tart

Grandpa’s Original Morrisons Pastry

For four generations, Morrisons Pastry has been baking its famous pound cakes in Long Island, New York. Their Grandpa’s Original Loaves are moist and bursting with flavor.

The pastry shop’s yogurt cake flavors include classic Chocolate, Iced Lemon and Iced Marble plus Banana Chocolate Crunch, Blueberry Banana, and Whole Grain Coffee Cake.

Sugaree’s Cream Cheese Pound Cake

New Albany, Mississippi’s, Sugaree’s has been baking its famous treats since 1997. Mary Jennifer Russell started baking at home and expanded her business four years later. One of their most popular small-batch baked goods is Sugaree’s ringed Cream Cheese Pound Cake. This delicious Deep South scratch-made cake quickly won over Oprah, who listed it as one of her favorite summer gifts. It’s one of our favorites too.

Be penny-wise and not pound foolish. Perfect pound cake from the best bakers is shipping nationwide on Goldbelly!

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What is a Pound Cake, and Why is it Called This? | Goldbelly (2024)

FAQs

What is a Pound Cake, and Why is it Called This? | Goldbelly? ›

Ingredients: Pound cake has more fat than regular cake, and has four ingredients: butter, eggs, flour, and sugar. Regular cake has the same four ingredients plus more ingredients. Regular cake also has baking powder, baking soda, and buttermilk or milk.

Why is a pound cake called that? ›

First Published Pound Cake Recipe

The original recipe was essentially a cake that was made from a pound of flour, a pound of sugar, a pound of butter, and a pound of eggs. This is actually where the pound cake received it's name. Each ingredient added to the cake weighed one pound.

What does it mean when you call someone a pound cake? ›

1. (US) an attractive woman.

What makes a pound cake different from a regular cake? ›

A pound cake is distinct from a coffee cake or layer cake due to its specific ingredient ratios, typically consisting of equal parts (by weight) of butter, sugar, eggs, and flour. This results in a dense and rich texture with a pronounced buttery flavor.

What does the phrase cake by the pound mean? ›

Cake by the pound (n.) A double entendre: Cake is both a food product and a slang term for butts, both of which are prominently featured on Instagram – as is the pound symbol, which is used to make hashtags. "And every girl in here got to look me up and down, all on Instagram, cake by the pound." – "Yoncé"

What does pound mean in cake? ›

Pound cake is a type of cake traditionally made with a pound of each of four ingredients: flour, butter, eggs, and sugar. Pound cakes are generally baked in either a loaf pan or a Bundt mold. They are sometimes served either dusted with powdered sugar, lightly glazed, or with a coat of icing.

What is the meaning of per pound cake? ›

a rich, sweet cake made originally with approximately a pound each of butter, sugar, and flour.

Can I use regular flour instead of cake flour for a pound cake? ›

What flour is best for pound cake? I prefer to use unbleached all-purpose flour when making pounds cakes but cake flour can be used as well. Cake flour will give the cake a fluffier, tender crumb though, which is not really classic for pound cakes.

Do you flip a pound cake? ›

No, not the scary alternate reality from Stranger Things. Let the cake rest for 5 minutes once you remove it from the oven. Then, flip the cake onto a cooling rack upside down and let it rest for about 5 minutes before you remove the pan. A little trick here is to use a grid cooling rack, not one that has big gaps.

How many eggs make 1 lb? ›

Large eggs tend to weigh just short of 2 ounces each. It takes between 8 and 9 large eggs to equal one pound.

What does the UK call pound cake? ›

It is also worth noting that the “Pound Cake” is now known by many names; “Madeira Cake” or “Yellow Cake” even simply “Loaf Cake”. No matter what it's called, one thing is for sure! The simple sponge cake recipe has stood the test of time and remained a staple for home baking!

What makes a pound cake dry? ›

Extra sugar or leavening causes a cake to fall; extra flour makes it dry.

Why is pound cake good? ›

A true classic, my Pound Cake recipe is simple (only six ingredients) and satisfying! This cake is heavy and dense (as it ought to be!) while simultaneously being soft, buttery, and absolutely melt-in-your-mouth! It's incredible served alone or pairs beautifully with whipped cream and fresh fruit.

Does a pound cake weigh a pound? ›

Given that one pound of ingredients was called for in those recipes, a true pound cake would weigh about four pounds total.

Why is pound cake wet inside? ›

When a cake is wet in the middle it is because the edges have cooked faster than the centre. This happens because of the way the cake cooks naturally in the tin – the sides of the cake tin heat up first.

Are bundt cakes and pound cakes the same? ›

What Is The Difference Between A Bundt Cake And A Pound Cake? The differences between a Bundt cake and a pound cake are the amount of each ingredient and the shape of each cake. Pound cake is named for the traditional amount of each ingredient.

What is the difference between a butter cake and a pound cake? ›

Butter cakes (also referred to as creamed cakes) have a lighter texture and greater volume than pound cakes. Pound cakes (named because they originally contained one pound each of butter, sugar, eggs and flour) tend to be denser.

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