How to Make a Cold Oven Pound Cake
Updated: Jun. 15, 2022
Golden brown pound cake without having to preheat the oven? Learn how to make this tasty treat!
Pound cake is an old-fashioned dessert that can be dished up in a variety of ways. Traditionally, it was made with equal parts butter, sugar, eggs and flour. But the variations on this classic recipe are plentiful, and this just might be our new favorite.
As opposed to many other baked goods, this cold oven pound cake recipe embraces the low and slow method. There’s no need to preheat the oven! And with a bit of patience for baking and cooling time, you’ll end up with a buttery, flavorful pound cake to serve with fresh whipped cream and berries, or even a scoop of ice cream and chocolate sauce.
Why Do You Start This Cake in a Cold Oven?
It’s hard to believe that there’s no need to preheat your oven before popping this cake in to bake, but it’s all part of the process. Most baked goods need that initial hit of heat from a well-warmed oven. Recipes with leavening agents like baking powder and baking soda especially need high heat to get the desired lift.
But for this cake, we let the eggs and just a touch of salt lead the way. Historically, pound cakes were made with one pound of each of butter, sugar, eggs and flour. They’re certainly meant to be a dense cake! And if you simply let the aeration that occurs when creaming the butter and sugar do the work, along with the rise of the eggs, you’ll have a tasty treat on the table in no time.
Other added bonuses: The low-and-slow method creates a golden crust on the pound cake, with a crackling texture and great caramelized flavor. And the interior crumb is still just as tender and delicious as ever.
Our Cold Oven Pound Cake Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
- 3 cups sugar
- 6 eggs, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 3/4 cups flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup milk
- 1/3 cup sour cream
Tools You’ll Need
- Mixing bowl: A large, sturdy mixing bowl will make the process of making the cake batter a breeze.
- Hand mixer: Use a hand mixer to combine ingredients for proper aeration. You can use your stand mixer as well.
- Bundt pan: A Bundt pan will produce the classic pound cake shape you’re looking for. And if this go-to shape isn’t for you, there are so many beautiful Bundt pans out there.
Directions
Step 1: Cream the butter and sugar
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer, cream the butter and sugar. Cream for several minutes until the mixture is fluffy and pale in color.
Mix in the eggs one at a time, then mix in the vanilla extract.
Step 2: Finish the batter with the dry ingredients, milk and sour cream
In a separate bowl, combine the flour and salt. Mix in one-third of the flour mixture. Add in half of the milk and the sour cream. Mix in the next third of the flour mixture, and then the remaining milk. Stir in the remainder of the flour mixture until just combined.
This alternating method ensures that all the ingredients are well combined without creating a tough cake.
Step 3: Bake the pound cake
Thoroughly grease a bundt pan. Transfer the batter to the pan and place it in the oven. Turn the oven on to 325°F and bake the pound cake for one hour and five minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Once baked, remove the cake from the oven and set it aside to fully cool before inverting it out of the pan. Dust with confectioner’s sugar and serve with fresh berries.
Originally Published: June 15, 2022
