Make Ahead
Food Processor Pound Cake
Popular on Food52
57 Reviews
MSteinhart
March 17, 2023
I have been searching for the perfect pound cake recipe and this is it! Adding lemon and lemon zest enhanced an already amazing cake. So easy in the food processor A+ recipe. This is a keeper.
Kate's K.
June 5, 2022
Delicious! Especially with fresh strawberries and whipped cream. I made my own cake flour and it turn out great. The cake has a fine texture with the top and sides a little crunchy. It took about 48 minutes in my oven using the loaf pan size recommended. I’ll make it again with citrus zest added.
Amanda W.
January 23, 2021
This is a great recipe. I have been without my stand mixer for a month (tear) and just neeeeeeeded to bake a pound cake. This one was perfect--at once light and dense, quick and easy, and YUMMY. We tried lime, brown butter/peanut butter, and chocolate chip/crushed candy cane. All were PERFECT.
AniaSweets
July 27, 2020
Hmmmm i made the brown butter variation.....very nice. Just had a piece with some Greek yogurt and honey gelato. Divine.
Sham N.
April 22, 2020
Made this yesterday and loved it! Thank you for this easy recipe. It has a beautiful rich colour and taste. Just to confirm, for the orange variation, we add the zest and juice first then proceed with number 2 correct? Do we need to give the processor a go to mix the juice and zest first before proceeding with no. 2?
Franca
April 7, 2020
I just pulled mine out of the oven. I cut the sugar by 1/2 a cup and used brown sugar instead of white. Browned my butter, subbed the vanilla extract for caramel extract, instead of buckwheat as suggested, I used rye as that is what I had on hand, and upped the salt content. I am hoping it tastes like salted caramel in cake form :D. My kitchen smell divine! Can't wait to cut into it.
Jean
August 9, 2019
Made this yesterday and was very pleased. Not at all too sweet. Used a 9*5 and it didn't crown evenly, so will try the smaller size next time. Easy to make and I suspect would freeze well.
tnypow
March 19, 2019
Just made this today for the first time...WOW! So easy and so good too! And since I live alone, this is the perfect size...and when its gone, time to plan the next variation! :-)
Lorna G.
December 17, 2018
What would happen I wonder if I used the orange variation and tossed in a cup or so of chopped fresh cranberries?
Alison
August 26, 2018
I love pound cake and most loaf cakes, in general. This version was delicious and really easy--I admit I have never used my food processor for anything baking-related, let alone a cake, but I was pleasantly surprised. I used the brown sugar variation noted at the end of the recipe. My baking pan was 9.25 by 5, and it was done at around 50 minutes. Although I used a tad less sugar (probably closer to 1.125 cups total) and added a scant tablespoon of water to accommodate the high altitude of Denver, I did not find it too sweet. It rose very nicely, too.
Julia
July 15, 2018
As it just so happens, for a few years now, Land O' Lakes has a recipe for Vanilla Pound Cake on their website, which uses melted butter. When the recipe was on their unsalted butter package, it didn't say gluten-free. I make it with King Arthur Organic All-Purpose Flour and it comes out just fine.
Beth T.
July 14, 2018
I too was skeptical about the method. Loving poundcake, however, I decided to give it a go. Add to the odd way of putting this together, my oven decided to turn off in the middle of baking. By the time the timer went off, the oven was darn-near cold. I turned it back on and hoped for the best. You know what? It's STILL delicious. The crumb is lovely. It's not overly sweet and I can think of 1000 things to do with it... if only it weren't gone.
t
July 14, 2018
I found this to be too sweet with 1 1/4 cup of sugar. Do not use this amount; use only 1/4 of sugar. Terribly sweet if you follow these instructions.
Tiffany
July 14, 2018
Has anyone tried adding peaches to this recipe...if so...pls share adjustments
LinBar19
January 26, 2022
I have not tried peaches, but have done maraschino cherries. The batter turned out to be too runny the first time and all the cherries sank to the bottom of the cake. Also I used the “convection” bake setting, and only half of the cake crowned.
This time I added more flour, and am using the regular bake setting for 50 minutes. Will see if that makes a difference. Either way it is a lovely pound cake!
This time I added more flour, and am using the regular bake setting for 50 minutes. Will see if that makes a difference. Either way it is a lovely pound cake!
Kate V.
July 13, 2018
Thanks to the comments below, I made my own cake flour and used half butter/half coconut oil since that was on hand. I got lazy and didn’t use my food processor- just wisked to aerate the butter mixture and cut down on dishes. This was my first pound cake!
Simone K.
July 13, 2018
I love adding basil to my batter, end result is an incredibly fragrant and flavourful cake! One simple ingredient that takes it to whole another level.
Anthony B.
July 13, 2018
Simone, did you just add fresh basil to the food processor? Sounds terrific--how much--a handful?
Simone K.
July 13, 2018
Yup, just roughly chop up a handful of fresh basil and toss them in, so good!
Bebewatson
July 13, 2018
What about subbing 1/4c cocoa powder for 1/4c flour?
Alice M.
July 14, 2018
they are not equivalent! The texture will be changed, sugar may need adjusting etc. I can't guarantee this will be good, but if I were experimenting I would start by cutting 2 T flour and then adding 1/4 cup cocoa, plus at least 2 T sugar....but again, that would just be a starting point. Good luck!
Lisa B.
July 13, 2018
While this is not a new recipe from ATK (I've had this version for years from Cook's Illustrated), I'm excited to try Alice's variations. They sound fantastic!
Lorraine F.
July 9, 2018
This food processor method makes a mess of the cake batter in the bowl. I find it SO much easier to use the PASTE method either with a hand or stand mixer. The butter does not have to be at room temperature or creamed to aerate. One bowl is all you need and the batter is easier to remove with a rubber spatula. See my winning pound cake made using this paste technique with this link on UTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2MwuVQg0tnE
harrisson
August 21, 2018
Hmmmmm.... seems to be very poor manners to promote yourself and product on someone else's post.....this is not a new method but just her version.
Danuta G.
July 9, 2018
Made it this morning....and it's gone! Hubby and son devoured it...although I do admit to one or two ladylike slices!! Absolutely delicious...loved that buttery taste. My variation: added a swirl of homemade pineapple/pear/ginger jam which dispersed itself throughout and added a lovely crunch to the base and sides of the loaf. Will be making this again! Thank you, Alice, for sharing this recipe!
Anthony B.
July 7, 2018
As another food personality would say, easy peasy—and amazingly good. Made with lemon zest, served with a dollop of yogurt and raspberries—wow.
Suzy S.
July 4, 2018
Cake flour and AP flour are different Swansdown is a BRAND of cake flour, but many flour companies produce both cake & AP flour. If you don’t have cake flour, do not despair: http://joythebaker.com/2013/12/baking-101-the-best-cake-flour-substitute/
don
July 4, 2018
The recipe says Cake Flour, not All Purpose Flour. That shouldn't be confusing. I'm making this cake, when we get back from the Festivities. ENJOY
Leslie V.
July 5, 2018
Only CAKE flour readily available in my area..is Swansdown brand,,and NO choice in Unbleached or Bleached...THAT is where the recipe is confusing.
stefanie
July 5, 2018
Any brand of cake flour will work. Medrich includes "bleached" v "unbleached" bc I believe KA's caked flour is unbleached, whereas Swansdown and Softasilk cake flour are bleached.
Leslie V.
July 4, 2018
Cake flour.. Do you mean Swans Down Cake flour brand...or just regular all purpose bleached or unbleached flour..?
Leslie V.
July 5, 2018
Thank you very much, Carolyn. I KNOW the difference..but the recipe IS confusing in which was meant.
Carolyn G.
July 5, 2018
How To Make Cake Flour:
Measure out 1 cup of all-purpose flour. Remove 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour and place it back in your flour canister. Replace the removed all-purpose flour with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch.
Sift flour 5 times. Yes… 5 times. Sifting the flour and cornstarch together will help thoroughly combine the mixture and help to lighten and aerate the flour.
By replacing a bit of the all-purpose flour with cornstarch, we’re removing some of the gluten and replacing it with a tenderizing element. But cornstarch is so neutral, how is it a cake tender? Well, cornstarch works alongside other cake ingredients (like sugar, for example) to inhibit gluten development. It’s ingredients like sugar and cornstarch that compete with the flour for liquid absorption (think: eggs and buttermilk) in a recipe. If flour gets to gobble up all of the liquid in a recipe and is worked in a mixer (like we work cake batter), it’s gluten development will be off the charts… and you’ll basically have a baguette. Cornstarch (and sugar) makes the flour share liquid, easing the gluten development and creative beautifully tender cake texture.
Measure out 1 cup of all-purpose flour. Remove 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour and place it back in your flour canister. Replace the removed all-purpose flour with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch.
Sift flour 5 times. Yes… 5 times. Sifting the flour and cornstarch together will help thoroughly combine the mixture and help to lighten and aerate the flour.
By replacing a bit of the all-purpose flour with cornstarch, we’re removing some of the gluten and replacing it with a tenderizing element. But cornstarch is so neutral, how is it a cake tender? Well, cornstarch works alongside other cake ingredients (like sugar, for example) to inhibit gluten development. It’s ingredients like sugar and cornstarch that compete with the flour for liquid absorption (think: eggs and buttermilk) in a recipe. If flour gets to gobble up all of the liquid in a recipe and is worked in a mixer (like we work cake batter), it’s gluten development will be off the charts… and you’ll basically have a baguette. Cornstarch (and sugar) makes the flour share liquid, easing the gluten development and creative beautifully tender cake texture.
Alice M.
July 14, 2018
Re cake flour: you can use Swans Down or Soft-as-silk (both of which are bleached) which are readily available, or you can use unbleached cake flour (such as King Arthur).
Mary A.
July 22, 2018
Hi, I’m a beginner, the cake flour I have says sifted, so I sift it again, as the recipe calls for?
Michelle
January 29, 2019
Instead of removing 2 Tbsp flour start by adding 2 Tbsp of cornstarch to your measuring cup 😃
ellen
August 27, 2020
It’s considered polite to actually quote the source (*Joy the Baker) when you use someone else’s writing word for word.
See what other Food52ers are saying.