Brown Sugar Pound Cake Recipe

Name: The Easy Cake I Can't Wait To Make Every Fall
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 85 min
Ingredients: 1 1/2 sticks (6 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into 1-tablespoon pieces; Cooking spray; 1 1/4 cups (150g) all-purpose flour; 2 tablespoons cornstarch; 1 teaspoon baking powder; 1/4 teaspoons salt; 3/4 cup (160g) brown sugar; 3 large eggs; 1 tablespoon vanilla extract; 4 tablespoons whole milk, divided

Sliced brown sugar pound cake on a cooling rack displaying its texture and layers — Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek

The transition of seasons always makes me feel like I am neither here nor there, and sometimes that can make me uneasy. Baking has been my calming place for years now, and recipes like this one help to center me. This brown sugar pound cake kisses the end of summer goodbye and welcomes the onset of cozy fall vibes, which is why I make it every single year around this time.

Pound cakes are simple to make. The name of the recipe comes from the original formula, which uses a pound each of sugar, butter, eggs, and flour to make a delicious tea cake that is perfect for any time of day.

This recipe is a little different from traditional pound cake. I use brown sugar and brown butter to make it, which adds a nutty, caramel-like flavor to the batter. Since brown sugar has more moisture in it than granulated sugar, a little extra flour is needed to ensure a tender and light crumb.

Sliced brown sugar pound cake served on plates with tea and a knife on the side — Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek

Easy Tweaks

This pound cake is delicious with regular butter, but the addition of brown butter is a flavor bomb. It takes a little bit of extra effort to make the brown butter, then allow it to cool in the fridge and firm up before mixing it with the brown sugar. In my opinion, it is well worth it, but you can skip it and use plain softened butter if you’re in a hurry.

To elevate the fall-inspired vibes in the cake, I sometimes also add some cinnamon, chopped apples, and pecans. But if summer is still hanging on where you live, you could also use blueberries or peaches, and sliced almonds and granulated sugar on top would offer a delicious crunch.

Serving Suggestions

I love slicing up this pound cake and serving it with a dollop of whipped cream and a dusting of cinnamon. You could also serve it warm with a slather of honey butter and a sprinkle of flaky salt. Alternatively, serve this pound cake with vanilla ice cream and sliced bananas for a banana split-inspired dessert treat.

More Fall Baking Recipes

Brown Sugar Pound Cake

Prep Time 25 mins

Cook Time 45 mins

Cooling Time: 15 mins

Total Time 85 mins

Servings 8 servings

Yield 1 (9x5-inch) loaf cake

Cook Mode (Keep screen awake)

1 1/2 sticks (6 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into 1-tablespoon pieces
Cooking spray
1 1/4 cups (150g) all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoons salt
3/4 cup (160 g) brown sugar
3 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
4 tablespoons whole milk, divided

Brown the butter (optional):

Heat a thick-bottomed skillet over medium heat. Add the butter and melt it. Once melted, the butter will foam up a bit, then subside. Continue to cook, whisking frequently, and watch carefully as lightly browned specks begin to form at the bottom of the pan. Smell the butter; it should have a nutty aroma. Pour the brown butter into a bowl to stop the butter from cooking further or burning.

Transfer the bowl to the refrigerator and allow it to cool and set up to a softened consistency, about 30 minutes. If you over-chill the butter, just let it sit out at room temperature until softened.

Simple Tip!

If you’re not browning the butter, just make sure it’s softened before creaming it with the sugar in step 4.
Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan by brushing it with oil, then line it with parchment paper, leaving extra hanging over the sides to make the cake easier to remove later.
Sift the dry ingredients:

Add the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt to a sifter or fine-mesh strainer and sift together into a medium bowl. Stir the ingredients to make sure they are evenly distributed. Set aside.
Cream the butter and sugar:

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a large bowl if using a hand mixer, combine the softened butter and brown sugar. Beat them together on medium-high speed until pale and creamy, about 2 minutes.
Add the eggs and vanilla:

Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. With the mixer running, add the eggs one at a time, beating well between each egg, until the mixture is combined. Make sure to stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl every now and then. The mixture might broken or look curdled, but don’t worry.

Add the vanilla and mix until combined, about 30 seconds.
Alternate the dry and wet ingredients:

Add 1/3 of the flour mixture to the egg mixture and beat on low speed until combined. Add 2 tablespoons of the milk and continue to beat until combined.

Add another 1/3 of the flour mixture and mix. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of milk and beat well until combined.

Finish with the remaining flour mixture and mix together until no dry pockets are visible. Using a rubber spatula, scrape down the sides of the bowl and give the batter one last mix by hand.
Bake:

Transfer the batter to the parchment-lined loaf pan and smooth out the top. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes.
Cool and serve:

Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 15 minutes before running a knife around the edges and removing the cake. Slice and serve it warm or at room temperature.

Leftover cake can be wrapped in plastic wrap or transferred to an airtight container. It keeps well at room temperature for 3 days, in the fridge for up to 1 week, and in the freezer for up to 1 month.

Love the recipe? Leave us stars and a comment below!

Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
341	Calories
19g	Fat
37g	Carbs
5g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8
Amount per serving
Calories	341
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 19g	25%
Saturated Fat 11g	57%
Cholesterol 116mg	39%
Sodium 166mg	7%
Total Carbohydrate 37g	13%
Dietary Fiber 1g	2%
Total Sugars 20g
Protein 5g
Vitamin C 0mg	0%
Calcium 78mg	6%
Iron 1mg	8%
Potassium 90mg	2%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.