This quintessential French pastry classic is a moist and flavorful cake, perfect for afternoon tea or breakfast. With its equal proportions of butter, sugar, eggs, and flour, pound cake surprises with its melting texture and subtle vanilla flavor. An essential recipe that will delight the whole family, best enjoyed with a glass of milk or a good cup of coffee.
⏱️65 min
📊Easy
👥8 servings
🍽️Dessert
vegetarianbudget-friendlyfamily
Ingredients
250 gsoftened butter
250 gcaster sugar
4 pièceseggs
250 gflour
1 sachetbaking powder
1 cuillère à cafévanilla extract
1 pincéesalt
1 citronlemon zest
Instructions
1PREHEAT THE OVEN: Set your oven to 180°C (gas mark 6) and let it reach the correct temperature. Meanwhile, generously butter a 30 cm loaf tin or a 22 cm round cake tin. Line the bottom with parchment paper to facilitate removal. This preparation is essential to obtain a cake that doesn't stick and removes easily after baking.
2PREPARE YOUR INGREDIENTS: Remove the butter from the refrigerator 30 minutes before and let it soften to room temperature. Crack the eggs into a bowl and beat them lightly with a fork to combine. Sift the flour with the baking powder and salt into a mixing bowl to remove lumps and incorporate air. Zest the lemon using a fine grater. These preliminary preparations will allow you to work more quickly and achieve a homogeneous texture.
3CREAM THE BUTTER AND SUGAR: In a mixing bowl, beat the softened butter with the sugar for 5 to 7 minutes until you obtain a white, light, and fluffy mixture. The secret to pound cake lies in this step: the more you beat, the more air you incorporate, and the lighter and airier your cake will be. You should achieve a texture resembling pastry cream, almost double the initial volume. Don't hesitate to scrape the sides of the bowl well with a spatula.
4INCORPORATE THE EGGS: Pour the beaten eggs gradually into the butter-sugar mixture, beating constantly after each addition. Wait for each portion to be well integrated before adding the next, which will take approximately 2 to 3 minutes total. This gradual technique prevents the mixture from breaking and ensures a beautiful emulsion. Add the vanilla extract and lemon zest, then beat for another 1 minute to fully combine.
5INCORPORATE THE FLOUR: Pour the sifted flour into the mixture in three additions, stirring gently with a spatula from bottom to top. Do not beat vigorously: the flour should simply be incorporated without overworking the batter, which would risk becoming dense. Mix until no white traces of flour remain, which will take approximately 1 to 2 minutes. The batter should have a smooth and homogeneous consistency, neither too thick nor too liquid.
6POUR AND BAKE: Pour the preparation into the prepared tin, smoothing the surface well with the spatula. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes in the oven preheated to 180°C. The cake is done when golden on the surface and when a knife blade or toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. If the top browns too quickly, cover with a sheet of aluminum foil.
7COOL AND REMOVE: Let the pound cake rest 10 minutes in the tin before removing it. Turn the tin over onto a wire rack and let cool completely for at least 1 hour. The cake should be warm or at room temperature before slicing to obtain clean pieces. Store it in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days to preserve its moisture.