I Tested Our 5 Most Popular Pound Cake Recipes, and the Top One Is Basically Flawless

I once worked for a catering company, and one of our most popular desserts was grilled pound cake topped with fresh fruit and whipped cream. Since we didn’t have any bakers on staff, the pound cake was always store-bought—nothing special, but once grilled and drenched in simple syrup, it was good enough. But I cared, and I vowed to never buy pre-made pound cake again. Not because I’m a food snob, but because homemade is just so much better. That’s why I was excited to test out some of the best-rated pound cake recipes on the site!

Which Pound Cake Recipes Did I Test?

I focused on the best pound cake recipes that had at least 100 reviews and a 4-star rating. To keep things classic, I chose recipes without toppings or added flavors so I could really evaluate the original, buttery goodness of each one.

One recipe called for buttermilk, another used a yellow cake mix. I even tested a version that combined butter and cream cheese, while another included an entire pint of heavy whipping cream. There was also a recipe with sour cream. Here's a rundown of the ones I tried:

• Easy Cream Cheese Pound Cake by Nanci
• Butter Pound Cake by Diana Moore
• Sour Cream Pound Cake by LVJOANNE
• Buttermilk Pound Cake by Cathy
• No-Fail Pound Cake by Patsy

How I Evaluated the Recipes

I wanted to keep things fair, so I used the same brands for all the ingredients—same butter, same everything. I followed the recipes exactly as written and didn’t make any adjustments based on the reviews, even though I read them. My main focus was on flavor, moisture, and the ‘crumb’—I was looking for a rich butter taste, a touch of sweetness, and a super tender texture. Here’s what I found.

The Results

Best for Cream Cheese Lovers: Easy Cream Cheese Pound Cake

• The recipe: Easy Cream Cheese Pound Cake, submitted by Nanci
• Average rating: 4.7
• Rave review: “This made for a wonderfully flavored, super moist, and delightfully delicate cake. Smooth as velvet!" —Lynda

I’ll admit, I’ve never thought to add cream cheese to pound cake, but it works surprisingly well. The process starts like most pound cake recipes, but instead of just butter and sugar, you cream butter, sugar, and cream cheese together. The eggs are added one at a time, and then flour and vanilla are mixed in.

After baking for a little over an hour, the cake turned out beautifully. The outside was golden brown, while the inside was soft, moist, and tender, with a noticeable cream cheese flavor. This cake was rich, decadent, and satisfying, even with a small slice. It was absolutely delicious, though definitely one of the denser options on the list.

Get the Recipe: Easy Cream Cheese Pound Cake

Best for Topping: Butter Pound Cake

• The recipe: Butter Pound Cake, submitted by Diana Moore
• Average rating: 4.7
• Rave review: “Very, very good! Made exactly as the recipe stated. Served with mixed fruit and a dollop of whipped cream. Excellent recipe!" —MamaLitz
  

This recipe calls for a full pint of heavy whipping cream, which caught my attention. While I’ve used buttermilk with great results, I’d never tried cream before. The process is simple: cream the butter and sugar together, add the eggs one by one, then gradually incorporate the flour and cream until the batter is fully mixed.

The cake turns out buttery and soft, but as other reviewers have pointed out, it lacks flavor. This is probably because there’s no salt in the recipe. The mild taste makes it feel somewhat flat and uninspiring, even though it looks and feels great. Next time, I’d consider adding a pinch of salt or pairing it with a citrus glaze.

Get the Recipe: Butter Pound Cake

Best for Using Up Leftover Buttermilk: Buttermilk Pound Cake

• The recipe: Buttermilk Pound Cake, submitted by Cathy
• Average rating: 4.6
• Rave review: “This is a great tasting cake. I followed the directions and the cake was soft and moist and very tasty! Can't wait to make it again!!" —Jocelyn
  

I’ve used buttermilk in pound cakes, quick breads, muffins, and cakes, and I’ve always been pleased with the results. This pound cake is no exception. The method is similar to others, but here, flour and buttermilk are added in stages to complete the batter.

This cake is incredibly moist with a perfect crumb. The flavor is subtle yet wonderfully balanced. The slight tang and gentle lemon note help lighten what is often a dense cake. It's a delicious recipe that could be served as is or topped with fresh berries.

Get the Recipe: Buttermilk Pound Cake

Best for Beginner Bakers: No-Fail Pound Cake

• The recipe: No-Fail Pound Cake, submitted by Patsy
• Average rating: 4.6
• Rave review: “I made the recipe exactly as stated. Best one that I have found so far, never fails me." —Shae LaFosse

I love when recipe titles make such bold promises! 'No-Fail' is a strong claim, but it turned out to be spot on. This recipe combines sour cream and a box of yellow cake mix—smart additions that provide both moisture and structure to the cake.

The cake was absolutely delicious—perfectly sweet and tender. The sour cream added a lovely, light tang, as promised. The recipe was incredibly easy to follow, and I’m now convinced that this could become my new favorite way to make pound cake.

Get the Recipe: No-Fail Pound Cake

Best Overall: Sour Cream Pound Cake

• The recipe: Sour Cream Pound Cake, submitted by LVJOANNE
• Average rating: 4.8
• Rave review: “This is a fabulous recipe. I was trying to duplicate the pound cake that my parents' neighbor gives them every Christmas—the perfect pound cake in my book—and this is it! —cassarugh

The standout recipe was also the easiest to make. Unlike the others, this one called for dry ingredients like salt, baking soda, and ground mace or nutmeg. After creaming the butter and sugar, the eggs and vanilla were mixed in, and then the dry ingredients were gradually incorporated with the sour cream.

After baking for about an hour and twenty minutes, the cake emerged with a beautiful golden-brown exterior. The inside was moist and tender, with a perfect balance of sweetness that contrasted beautifully with the tang from the sour cream. This pound cake was light, incredibly soft, and delicious—honestly, there’s nothing I would change about it. If you’re after an amazing pound cake, this is the one to try!

Get the Recipe: Sour Cream Pound Cake