Grandma's Traditional Pound Cake - These Old Cookbooks (2024)

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Grandma’s Traditional Pound Cake is a special recipe that uses butter, margarine and Crisco for a perfectly moist and dense texture. Amateurs and professional bakers alike will fall for this easy pound cake recipe. Serve it up for dessert or breakfast, it will be a favorite for all.

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Grandma’s Traditional Pound Cake Recipe

I love remembering our loved ones who have passed with the recipes that they made while still here. To me, that’s a perfect memory. For example, when I eat my Grandma’s Ice Cream recipe, it takes me right back to when she was here and all the special memories we shared at her house and in her kitchen.

Recently, my cousins both posted on Facebook that they were baking their mom’s pound cake recipe. It was their special memory from the many Christmases when she made it for her loved ones. I asked for her recipe, and they gladly shared. I can only imagine how happy she is that we are making it and remembering her.

As I was checking out cousin Robin’s moist pound cake recipe, I realized that this is the exact same recipe for Grandma’s pound cake. I’m not sure who made it originally but I have no doubt that there’s a link between Grandma and my cousin Robin. They are both in heaven now, and I share this recipe in their honor.

Grandma's Traditional Pound Cake - These Old Cookbooks (3)

Traditional Pound Cake

This old fashioned pound cake with Crisco recipe is perfect! The combination of butter, margarine and Crisco lends to a moist, dense texture. Serve it as is for dessert or up the ante by dusting it with powdered sugar and topping with berries.

This moist pound cake will be a hit served for breakfast or brunch for the holidays, and it perfectly pairs with a hot cup of coffee.

Do you bake for the holidays? Try baking up this moist pound cake for family and friends. Wrap it tight and add a tea towel or new spatula, and it’s the perfect gift.

Ingredient List

  • Softened Butter
  • Softened Margarine
  • Crisco Shortening
  • Large Eggs
  • All Purpose Flour
  • Baking Powder
  • Milk
  • Vanilla Extract

How to Make Classic Pound Cake

Step by Step Instructions

  1. Using an electric mixer or stand mixer, cream sugar, butter, margarine and Crisco; add eggs one at a time, fulling incorporating between each one.
  2. Mix flour and baking powder in a bowl, and milk and vanilla in another.
  3. Add dry ingredients alternately with wet ingredients to the batter, mixing between each.
  4. Pour into a greased and floured Bundt or Tube pan.
  5. Place pan in a cold oven. Turn on the oven to 325 degrees F, and bake for 1 hour, 15 minutes.
  6. Let cool in the pan for 15 minutes before removing to a wire rack to finish cooling completely.
  7. Slice and serve by itself or topped with berries such as strawberries, blueberries or raspberries.

For the full instructions and ingredient amounts for old fashioned Crisco pound cake, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Recipe FAQs

  • This old fashioned pound cake is unique because it uses three types of fat – butter, margarine and Crisco.
  • Be sure the butter and margarine are softened to room temperature before creaming.
  • Large eggs tend to result in better baking, but medium will do in a pinch.
  • For this classic pound cake or any time you are baking, let your eggs sit out and reach room temperature before adding to the batter.
  • It is important to start with a cold oven; DO NOT PREHEAT.
  • This classic pound cake is dense and moist; try topping with fresh berries or dusting with powdered sugar to take it up a notch.
  • We love cakes that can be served for breakfast. Some of our favorites are Grandma’s Sour Cream Coffee Cake, Rhubarb Coffee Cake, and Pistachio Coffee Cake.
  • Looking for the products we use in our recipes? Check out our Amazon storefront here.
Grandma's Traditional Pound Cake - These Old Cookbooks (6)
Grandma's Traditional Pound Cake - These Old Cookbooks (7)

Recipe Variations

  • Replace vanilla extract with lemon extract or almond extract.
  • Add a glaze before slicing.

Bundt Cake Recipes

Do you have a Bundt pan? Cakes baked in Bundt pans make a beautiful presentation. Here are some of our favorites:

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Grandma’s Traditional Pound Cake

Grandma's Traditional Pound Cake is a special recipe that uses butter, margarine and Crisco for a perfectly moist and dense texture. Amateurs and professional bakers alike will fall for this easy recipe. Serve it up for dessert or breakfast, it will be a favorite for all.

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Total Time1 hour hr 25 minutes mins

Course: Breakfast, Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: classic pound cake, grandma’s traditional pound cake, moist pound cake, old fashioned pound cake with crisco, pound cake, traditional pound cake

Servings: 12

Calories: 559kcal

Author: Megan

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup margarine, softened
  • 1/2 cup shortening
  • 3 cups sugar
  • 5 eggs
  • 1 cup milk
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 3 cups flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder

Instructions

  • Start with a cold oven. Do not preheat!

  • Cream together butter, margarine, shortening and sugar in a large mixing bowl until creamy.

    Grandma's Traditional Pound Cake - These Old Cookbooks (10)

  • Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each.

    Grandma's Traditional Pound Cake - These Old Cookbooks (11)

  • Mix together flour and baking powder; add to batter alternately with milk and vanilla.

    Grandma's Traditional Pound Cake - These Old Cookbooks (12)

  • Pour into a well greased and floured Bundt pan. Be sure to grease all the way to the top of the pan and in center to ensure it doesn't stick coming out of the pan.

    Grandma's Traditional Pound Cake - These Old Cookbooks (13)

  • Put into a cold oven and set at 325 degrees F.

    Grandma's Traditional Pound Cake - These Old Cookbooks (14)

  • Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Check for doneness; bake up to 15 additional minutes if needed.

    Grandma's Traditional Pound Cake - These Old Cookbooks (15)

  • Cool in pan for 15 minutes before inverting pan.

    Grandma's Traditional Pound Cake - These Old Cookbooks (16)

Notes

  • This old fashioned pound cake is unique because it uses three types of fat—butter, margarine and Crisco.
  • Be sure the butter and margarine are softened to room temperature before creaming.
  • Large eggs tend to result in better baking, but medium will do in a pinch.
  • For this classic pound cake or any time you are baking, let your eggs sit out and reach room temperature before adding to the batter.
  • It is important to start with a cold oven; DO NOT PREHEAT.
  • This classic pound cake is dense and moist; try topping with fresh berries or dusting with powdered sugar to take it up a notch.
  • We love cakes that can be served for breakfast. Some of our favorites are Grandma’s Sour Cream Coffee Cake, Rhubarb Coffee Cake, and Pistachio Coffee Cake.
  • The nutritional information below is auto-calculated and can vary depending on the products used.

Nutrition

Calories: 559kcal | Carbohydrates: 75g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 91mg | Sodium: 162mg | Potassium: 90mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 51g | Vitamin A: 707IU | Calcium: 63mg | Iron: 2mg

Grandma's Traditional Pound Cake - These Old Cookbooks (17)
Grandma's Traditional Pound Cake - These Old Cookbooks (2024)

FAQs

What did the original pound cake not contain? ›

The name (Pound Cake) comes from the fact that the original pound cakes contained one pound each of butter, sugar, eggs, and flour. No leaveners were used other than the air whipped into the batter.

What makes a pound cake different from a regular cake? ›

The differences include: Ingredients: Pound cake has more fat than regular cake, and has four ingredients: butter, eggs, flour, and sugar. Regular cake has the same four ingredients plus more ingredients. Regular cake also has baking powder, baking soda, and buttermilk or milk.

Who made the first pound cake? ›

It is believed that the pound cake is of northern European origin and dates back to the early 18th century. A recipe for pound cake appears in The Art of Cookery by Hannah Glasse, published in 1747. The first U.S. cookbook, American Cookery, published in 1796, has a recipe for pound cake.

What is pound cake called in the UK? ›

It is also worth noting that the “Pound Cake” is now known by many names; “Madeira Cake” or “Yellow Cake” even simply “Loaf Cake”. No matter what it's called, one thing is for sure! The simple sponge cake recipe has stood the test of time and remained a staple for home baking!

What are the white spots on pound cake? ›

Fine granulated sugar is best for pound cake since the crumb is finer. It will prevent your pound cake from having those little white spots. Don't let all the sugar scare you.

What is a black person's favorite dessert? ›

Desserts: A Sweet Finale

Sweet potato pie, a beloved Southern classic, finds its roots in West Africa, where sweet potatoes were a staple crop. Similarly, peach cobbler—a comforting dish of baked peaches topped with a buttery crust—has its origins in European and Indigenous American cooking traditions.

Is it better to bake pound cake at 325 or 350? ›

Preheat oven to 325°F (163°C). Not 350°F. Generously grease a 10-12 cup Bundt pan with butter or nonstick spray. Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, beat the butter on high speed until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes.

Which is better for pound cake all purpose flour or cake flour? ›

Crack eggs, beat whites and yolks together, THEN pour into a bowl to measure out what you need). 2. Cake flour – This flour works considerably better for pound cake than using plain/all-purpose flour (see in post for comparison). It rises better, and has a more tender crumb.

Is bundt cake and pound cake the same? ›

What Is The Difference Between A Bundt Cake And A Pound Cake? The differences between a Bundt cake and a pound cake are the amount of each ingredient and the shape of each cake. Pound cake is named for the traditional amount of each ingredient.

What does it mean when a cake is 1 pound? ›

Pound cake refers to a type of cake traditionally made with a pound of each of four ingredients: flour, butter, eggs, and sugar. However, any cake made with a 1:1:1:1 ratio of flour, butter, eggs, and sugar may also be called a pound cake, as it yields the same results.

How many eggs is a pound of eggs? ›

How many eggs are in a pound? Eggs vary in weight since not all eggs are the same. Large eggs tend to weigh just short of 2 ounces each. It takes between 8 and 9 large eggs to equal one pound.

Why do pound cakes crack on top? ›

The oven temperature is too high. If the top crust forms and sets before the cake has finished rising, the middle will try to push through the crust as it continues to bake, causing it to crack and possibly dome. Check your oven with an oven thermometer and reduce the temperature accordingly if it is running hot.

What is a pound cake in slang? ›

1. (US) an attractive woman.

What is a fairy cake in England? ›

Fairy cakes are not, as their name might imply, themed cakes designed and decorated to the liking of fantasy and sci-fi fans. They are, simply stated, smaller versions of cupcakes. They're widely popular in the UK, and tend not to pile on the icing in the same way that American bakers do with cupcakes.

Why is madeira cake so good? ›

The cake is a dense cake with a very rich flavour; this is due to the cake being made with 100% butter and a mixture of plain and self-raising flour. The modern day recipe from the turn of the 20th century calls for the lemon to be omitted and for three slivers of candied peel to be baked into the cake on top.

What does pound cake contain? ›

A classic pound cake recipe includes a pound of each ingredient, hence the name. There are many variations out there of pound cake, but a true pound cake has a pound of butter, a pound of eggs, a pound of sugar, and a pound of flour.

Why is there no baking powder in pound cake? ›

A simple classic pound cake recipe does not include any chemical leavening (baking powder or baking soda). Instead, this cake relies solely on the air that is mixed into the batter during the creaming process for it to rise. This process is known as physical leavening.

What is the main ingredient of Angel's food cake? ›

Angel food cake, or angel cake, is a type of sponge cake made with egg whites, flour, and sugar. A whipping agent, such as cream of tartar, is commonly added. It differs from other cakes because it uses no butter. Its aerated texture comes from whipped egg white.

What is the main ingredient in the cake lady bakery is famous for its pound cakes? ›

The main ingredient of the cakes is flour, which Cake Lady purchases by the pound. In addition, the production requires a certain amount of direct labor. Cake Lady uses a standard cost system, and at the end of the first quarter, there was an unfavorable direct labor cost variance.

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