Easy Almond Pound Cake recipe for a moist, flavorful cake with sweet almond extract and crunchy almond slices. The perfect weeknight dessert!
Just like my recipe for Classic Vanilla Pound Cake and Chocolate Chip Pound Cake, this rich loaf cake is an easy Dessert. that goes wonderfully with a scoop of ice cream.
Sabrina’s Almond Pound Cake
This old fashioned pound cake is perfect for a special occasion, or just a weeknight treat for your family. Pound Cake is denser, richer, and moister than your typical cake recipe thanks to plenty of butter, sugar, eggs, and milk. This recipe is just as buttery and indulgent as your favorite pound cake but scented with almond extract and topped with crunchy almonds for amazing sweet, nutty flavor in every bite.
Recipe Card
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup unsalted butter , softened
- 1 cup sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2/3 cup whole milk
- 1/2 cup sliced almonds
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees and spray a 9×5 loaf pan with baking spray.
- To your stand mixer add the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- Add in the eggs and almond extract until smooth.
- Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Add the flour mixture and the milk, alternating ½ of each at a time to the stand mixer on the lowest speed setting until just combined.
- Pour into loaf pan and spread evenly, then top with the sliced almonds.
- With a butter knife, swirl in the almonds just a bit so they mix in a little with the batter.
- Bake for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Nutrition
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Table of contents
About This Recipe
Since it’s not overly sweet, you can serve Almond Pound Cake for dessert or breakfast. You could even bake a pound cake for a weeknight dessert, then heat up a slice in the morning and top with Strawberry Jam as a delicious treat for breakfast. If you’re serving this pound cake for dessert, try making it sweeter by dusting it with powdered sugar, serve it with whipped cream and fresh berries, or top a warm slice with cool Vanilla Ice Cream.
Chef’s Note: What is pound cake?
Pound cake is a rich and dense type of cake that originated in Europe. It gets its name from the traditional recipe that calls for equal parts (by weight) of four main ingredients: butter, sugar, eggs, and flour, hence the term “pound.” The result is a buttery, moist, and velvety cake with a fine crumb texture that goes amazing with all kinds of flavors, especially sweet, nutty almond!
Can This be Made Ahead of Time?
Yes, Almond Pound Cake can be made ahead of time. In fact, it often tastes even better the next day as the butter and almond flavor really soaks into the crumb, for a more flavorful moist cake.
How to Store
- Serve: After baking, you can leave your Pound Cake at room temperature for about 3 days. Let the cake cool, then wrap with plastic wrap or aluminum foil.
- Store: You can also keep leftover cake in the fridge. Store wrapped up in plastic wrap or in an airtight container for up to about a week.
- Freeze: Let it cool completely before wrapping tightly in plastic wrap twice then store in a freezer bag or in foil. Freeze the cake for up to 6 months and thaw overnight in the fridge before unwrapping and bringing to room temperature to serve.
Frequently Asked Questions
To keep pound cake moist, there are a few key techniques you can use besides of course, not overbaking the cake. Storing the cake properly in an airtight container or wrapped tightly in plastic wrap will help retain moisture. You can also brush the cake with a simple syrup or glaze while it’s still warm to add extra moisture and flavor.
Yes, it is possible to overmix pound cake batter. Overmixing can lead to the development of excess gluten, resulting in a dense and tough texture. It is best to mix the ingredients until just combined to avoid overmixing and achieve a tender and moist pound cake.
There are a few possible reasons why a pound cake may crack on top. One reason could be that the cake batter is too dry, causing it to shrink and crack as it bakes. Another possibility is that the oven temperature is too high, causing the cake to rise too quickly and crack on the surface. Finally, overmixing the batter or excessive leavening agents can create too much air in the cake, leading to cracks as it bakes.
The main difference between pound cake and butter cake lies in the proportions of ingredients and resulting texture. Pound cake typically uses equal weights of butter, sugar, eggs, and flour, resulting in a dense and rich buttery cake. On the other hand, butter cake contains a higher proportion of butter to sugar and flour, resulting in a lighter and more tender texture. Butter cake often has a slightly sweeter and more delicate flavor compared to the dense richness of pound cake.
Variations
- Vanilla: Try adding a teaspoon of vanilla extract along with the almond extract for a Vanilla Almond Pound Cake recipe.
- Lemon: For some other flavor additions try adding in some lemon. You can use lemon zest, lemon extract, or lemon juice to make a lemon-almond recipe.
- Spices: You could also mix in some cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves for some nice warm spices.
- Cherry: Cherries and almonds have a similar taste and go perfectly together. Try stirring in a ½ cup chopped fresh cherries or maraschino cherries.
- Glaze: Make a glazed pound cake by mixing whole milk with powdered sugar and a little almond extract. Sprinkle more sliced almonds over the glaze before it sets for a crunchy almond topping.
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Amazing Pound Cake Recipes
Photos used in previous versions of this post.
The almond flavor is so elegant and distinct, and the crumb is unbelievably dense, tight, and moist. It developed that gorgeous, slightly crunchy golden crust on top that makes a pound cake so iconic.
What a wonderful review, thank you so much for the 5-stars, Grace!