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Brown Sugar Pound Cake

by:
May 20, 2015
4
7 Ratings
  • Prep time 10 minutes
  • Cook time 1 hour 10 minutes
  • Makes 1 loaf
Author Notes

A moist, finely-crumbed pound cake with a deep caramelized sweetness from the brown sugar, and an optional sugary glaze.

Adapted from Domino Sugar. —Posie (Harwood) Brien

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Ingredients
  • For the cake:
  • 1 cup dark brown sugar
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
  • 4 eggs, at room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 3/4 cups flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • For the optional glaze:
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 tablespoons milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions
  1. Preheat your oven to 325° F. Butter and flour a 9-inch loaf pan.
  2. In a stand mixer or bowl, cream together the sugar and butter until very light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating between each one. Add in the vanilla and mix to combine.
  3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
  4. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, beating until just incorporated. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan, smooth the top, and bake for 55 to 70 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
  5. While the cake cools, whisk together all of the glaze ingredients (add more milk, depending on how thin you want the glaze to be). Turn the cake out onto a cooling rack, and drizzle the glaze over the top. Wait for the glaze to set before slicing and serving the cake.
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24 Reviews

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Xavier February 7, 2024
I was looking forward to making this Brown Sugar Pound Cake. I did add half a cup of Sour Cream and baked for 65 minutes in the Breville Smart Oven. This pound cake turned out amazing and it was rather moist. This will definitely be a keeper. Easy on hand ingredients and easy to make. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. Cheers****
The T. July 14, 2017
My intention for this was to bake the pound cake for cubes to dip into a Mascarpone Mousse. While the batter was soooo dreamy and the caramel flavor is on target, the texture was dry. It definitely needs sour cream, creme fraiche, cream or more unsalted butter. Will post after my 2nd round with a moist addition.
Michelle W. May 5, 2017
This recipe is missing milk. I added a few hearty splashes, 1/2 a cup, and yeah, much better. Otherwise it's more like cookie dough
Gretchen S. November 6, 2016
Simple, easy, not too sweet, which we are actually fans of at our house. Nice cake to put a bit of a topper on. No doubt the rest will be eaten for breakfast. Good consistency, as well. Probably won't become an all time favorite, but would likely make again.
Katheryn's K. March 6, 2016
This pound cake looked so delicious, I made for a lunch we were invited to. I made sure not to overbake, about 55 minutes but when we cut into it, very dry on the inside, not what we are use to regarding a pound cake, I've made many. We had more walnut ice cream with it but it was way to dry on its own. I would recommend adding some dairy like sourcream and maybe bake at 325 for an hour, not 350 or bake for a shorter period of time. I should have known better when I read the recipe and didn't see any added dairy other than the butter. The glaze was yummy and did help add flavour. I feel badly complaining about the recipe, but wanted people to know before they make it themselves and find its not what they expected especially if you have made pound cake in the past and love pound cake like we do.
Nicole L. February 11, 2016
Disappointing, very bland and tasteless. I was really craving something sweet and this. was. not. it! Wasted my cake flour and my eggs :-( no bueno
Nicole L. February 11, 2016
Maybe I should have made it with icing...
Gloria C. January 10, 2016
Flavor was great, did not have an issue with the cake turning black nor being too bland as I had feared due to the comments below.

It was a bit drier than I tend to like my pound cakes but that was remedied with a dollop of whipped cream.
Cindy July 26, 2015
Just made this cake. Looked beautiful but entirely blah. Not sweet enough and heavy as lead. Will be great as a trifle base but not for plain eating.
Rita P. June 26, 2015
The simplest cakes are the best. It looks amazing!
(ritaslittlebakery.blogspot.com)
Cheryl June 14, 2015
I just made this simple cake and followed the instructions exactly..after 55 minutes I opened my oven to check on the beauty and the entire cake was black. I am heartbroken, I was really looking forward to bringing this cake to a party but no such luck.
Barb168 June 7, 2015
If you don't have a stand mixer but do have a food processor, that works fine. I've used mine for years for cakes, etc. and they've come out beautifully. Go easy so the batter isn't overworked: just a few pulses, wipe down the sides, and a few more pulses.
Barb168 June 7, 2015
To clarify, you do the pulsing when adding the dry ingredients.
Audrey June 6, 2015
If you like a crunch to your pound cakws...Add 1/2 cups of solid crisco to butter, when mixing. Yes even with that amount of butter, recipe is calling for.
Saltydolphin June 3, 2015
Seemed simple enough to try with my super duper mixer. But after baking for 30+yrs without one this was not a successful easy mid-week cake treat. I welcome tips. I noticed curdling with the eggs at room temp, mixer struggles to get ALL the ingredients mixed, not a challenge for seasoned by hand bakers. By the time I scrape down the sides I would rather 'feel' the process & get it right.
Batter never recovered from the curdles until I added flour. Ended up with a super dry cake at a 65 min bake... 60 mins still gooey ...I will re-do the old fashioned way as I LOVE the caramelisamo..ness , and brown sugary base ~~ yummy but oh so dry.... Boo :(
Saffron3 May 29, 2015
Great recipe Posie! Butter Pecan ice cream with the buttery pound cake was delicious. Thanks!
lizaH May 26, 2015
I think I'll make two - one with my stand mixer and one with my hand mixer. It looks delicious.
Nancy M. May 26, 2015
Apparently I am one of the rare and lucky people who own a stand mixer. I will be using it for this recipe, which looks delicious. That glaze, however, will not be part of my process.
Posie (. May 26, 2015
Agreed -- it's really lovely on its own without the glaze, and also great with a little whipped cream on top too!
at Y. June 4, 2015
the glaze as directed is quite thin....only add 1 tablespoon of milk...if you want it as thick as the cake pictured......but the cake is delicious.....
Andrew F. May 26, 2015
Your recipes often call for stand mixers. Most home kitchens don't have them. Who are you writing these for. BTW, you don't one to cream butter and sugar.
Posie (. May 26, 2015
Great point -- I've amended that. You certainly don't need one here!
Saffron3 May 24, 2015
Once upon a time, moons ago, not all folks had stand mixers. So......given I love pound cake, and I have no mixer, and a great sugar box recipe should be made in all the hollows of America......I'm going to arm wrestle this cake into order!! Thanks indeed.
Posie (. May 24, 2015
TOTALLY doable without a stand mixer! Shouldn't need too much muscle -- just make sure to start with room temperature ingredients to make it a little easier on yourself. Enjoy!