Indulge in a slice of pure Southern comfort with our exquisite Buttermilk Pound Cake, lavishly crowned with a sweet, luscious Caramel Icing. This recipe creates a cake that is wonderfully tender, incredibly moist, and rich in flavor – a true showstopper destined to be the star of any dessert table. Experience the timeless appeal of a classic pound cake, elevated by the tangy notes of buttermilk and the irresistible sweetness of homemade caramel.
PIN THIS DELICIOUS RECIPE FOR LATER!
If you cherish this delightful cake, you’re sure to adore our Apple Bundt Cake with Caramel Frosting, another fantastic treat that pairs fruit with decadent caramel.
The Irresistible Allure of Buttermilk Pound Cake with Caramel Icing
There’s something truly magical about a classic pound cake. Its dense yet tender crumb and rich flavor make it a beloved dessert for generations. When you combine that with the subtle tang of buttermilk and a luxurious homemade caramel icing, you create a symphony of flavors and textures that is simply unforgettable. This Buttermilk Pound Cake with Caramel Icing is more than just a recipe; it’s a testament to timeless baking, promising a dessert that’s both comforting and elegantly impressive.
My journey with this particular Buttermilk Pound Cake recipe began many years ago, dating all the way back to December 4, 2009. It quickly became a personal favorite, a recipe I returned to time and again because of its beautiful texture and profound flavor. It was a reliable go-to for family gatherings and special occasions, always eliciting rave reviews.
However, as time passes, even cherished recipes can present new challenges. A few months ago, I decided to revisit this beloved cake for a family dinner, only to be met with unexpected disappointment. The cake, much to my dismay, completely fell apart after baking. I initially dismissed it as a rare baking blunder, perhaps an oversight on my part. But when a second attempt yielded the exact same disheartening results, I knew it was time to put on my chef’s hat and embark on a comprehensive testing mission.
The quest for perfection began in earnest. I was determined to understand what had changed and how to restore this Buttermilk Pound Cake to its former glory. This involved countless rounds of baking, meticulously adjusting ingredients, and tweaking techniques. It became a mission to ensure that anyone, regardless of their baking experience, could achieve a flawless, beautifully structured cake every single time. After numerous trials and errors, I finally pinpointed the precise ingredient ratios and methods that guarantee success. Now, I’m thrilled to share these perfected insights, ensuring that your baking experience is as delightful and successful as the cake itself!
Crafting Your Perfect Buttermilk Pound Cake: Step-by-Step
Making this exceptional buttermilk pound cake is a rewarding process that begins with careful preparation and attention to detail. Here’s a breakdown of the steps to ensure a moist, tender, and perfectly baked cake:
- Creaming Butter and Sugar: The foundation of any great pound cake starts here. Begin by combining softened unsalted butter with granulated sugar in a large mixing bowl. Beat these two ingredients together using an electric mixer on medium-high speed until the mixture becomes wonderfully light, fluffy, and noticeably pale in color. This process incorporates air, which is crucial for the cake’s texture and rise. Don’t rush this step; it’s essential for a tender crumb.
- Incorporating Eggs: Next, add the eggs, but do so one at a time. After each egg addition, beat the mixture thoroughly until it is fully incorporated before adding the next. This method allows the eggs to emulsify properly with the butter and sugar, preventing the batter from curdling and contributing to a smooth, cohesive texture.
- Vanilla Infusion: Once the eggs are in, beat in the vanilla extract. Pure vanilla extract adds depth and warmth to the cake’s flavor profile, making it truly irresistible.
- Whisking Dry Ingredients: In a separate, medium-sized bowl, whisk together all the dry ingredients: all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. Sifting these ingredients beforehand can help prevent lumps, ensuring an even distribution throughout the batter. The baking powder and baking soda work as leavening agents, giving the cake its lift, while salt balances the sweetness.
- Alternating Wet and Dry: This technique is vital for the pound cake’s delicate texture. Begin by adding about one-third of the dry ingredient mixture to the creamed butter and sugar. Mix on low speed just until combined – overmixing can lead to a tough cake. Then, pour in half of the buttermilk and mix until just incorporated. Repeat this sequence: add another half of the remaining flour mixture, then the remaining buttermilk, and finally the last portion of the flour mixture. Always mix only until the ingredients are just combined. A thick batter is expected.
- Baking to Perfection: Gently pour the thick batter into your meticulously prepared bundt pan. Bake it in a preheated oven until a wooden skewer or cake tester inserted into the center comes out completely clean. This indicates that the cake is fully cooked through, with no raw batter remaining.
Mastering the Art of Caramel Icing
This caramel icing is, without a doubt, one of my absolute favorite frostings. While it is quite sweet, its rich, buttery caramel notes perfectly complement the subtle tang and moist crumb of the buttermilk pound cake. The combination is simply divine and elevates the cake to a gourmet level. Here’s how to create this delectable topping:
- Initial Melt: Start by combining the butter, packed light brown sugar, and heavy cream in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir these ingredients constantly until the butter is completely melted and the sugar has dissolved. The continuous stirring helps prevent scorching and ensures a smooth base for your caramel.
- Boil and Remove: Continue stirring the mixture until it reaches a full, rolling boil. A rolling boil means the bubbles are forming rapidly and cannot be stirred down. As soon as it hits this stage, immediately remove the saucepan from the heat. Over-boiling can result in a much harder, more brittle icing once cooled.
- Whisk in Powdered Sugar: Off the heat, vigorously whisk in the powdered sugar. To achieve the smoothest possible icing, it’s highly recommended to sift your powdered sugar beforehand. This prevents any stubborn lumps and ensures a silky-smooth finish that will beautifully coat your cake.
- Setting the Stage: Allow the prepared icing to sit undisturbed for about 10-15 minutes. This crucial resting period permits the icing to cool slightly and thicken to the ideal pourable consistency. If you pour it too hot, it will simply run off the cake; if it cools too much, it will be too thick to spread evenly. After resting, give it one final quick whisk, then pour it evenly over your completely cooled pound cake. Let the icing fully set before slicing and serving to achieve that perfect glossy caramel coating.
Essential Tips: How to Keep a Bundt Cake From Sticking to the Pan
Baking a beautiful bundt cake is immensely satisfying, but there’s always that moment of truth when you invert the pan, holding your breath and hoping the cake slides out perfectly. The dreaded scenario of half the cake remaining stuck to the pan is a heartbreak every baker knows. While no method is 100% foolproof, these tips significantly increase your chances of a successful release every time, ensuring your stunning Buttermilk Pound Cake emerges intact.
- Ditch the Nonstick Spray for Butter or Shortening: While convenient, nonstick cooking sprays can sometimes leave a sticky residue or simply not provide enough barrier for intricate bundt designs. Instead, opt for solid shortening or softened butter. You want to ensure every single nook, cranny, and crevice of your bundt pan is thoroughly coated. Some bakers prefer using a pastry brush, but I often find it easier and more effective to use a paper towel to really work the fat into all the details of the pan. This thorough greasing creates a robust nonstick layer.
- The Flour Dusting Technique: Once your pan is generously coated with butter or shortening, sprinkle about a tablespoon or two of all-purpose flour into the pan. Then, gently rotate and tap the pan over your sink (to minimize mess) to evenly distribute the flour, coating the entire greased surface. The goal is a light, even dusting – not accumulated clumps of flour. This process also serves as a final check: if you see any “wet” spots where the flour isn’t adhering, it means you missed a spot while greasing, and you should go back and re-grease and re-flour that area. The flour creates a barrier that helps the cake release cleanly.
- Never Skip Greasing and Flouring: This step is non-negotiable, even if you own a “nonstick” bundt pan. The nonstick coating can wear down over time, and the intricate designs of bundt pans simply require this extra layer of protection to ensure the cake doesn’t adhere. It’s a small effort that prevents big disappointments.
- Cooling Time is Crucial: The timing for removing a bundt cake from its pan is critical. Do not attempt to invert it immediately after taking it out of the oven. When the cake begins to cool, it naturally starts to contract and pull away slightly from the sides of the pan. I recommend letting your cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for at least 10-15 minutes. This allows it to firm up enough to handle the inversion without tearing. However, don’t wait too long either! The cake should still be slightly warm when removed, not hot, and definitely not at room temperature, as it can sometimes re-adhere to the pan if completely cold.
- Consider Pan Replacement: If, despite following all these tips meticulously, you consistently encounter problems with your bundt cake sticking, it might be time to invest in a new bundt pan. Older pans, especially those with scratches or worn nonstick coatings, can become notorious for sticking. Sometimes, it truly is the pan, not your baking skills!
Buttermilk’s Role: Can I Substitute Regular Milk in This Pound Cake?
Buttermilk is a star ingredient in this pound cake recipe, playing a crucial role in both its flavor and its incredibly tender texture. It’s not just a fancy name; it’s an integral component that contributes significantly to the cake’s distinctive qualities. The acidity in buttermilk reacts with the baking soda (and sometimes baking powder) in the recipe, creating carbon dioxide bubbles that help the cake rise, resulting in a lighter, softer crumb than you would get with regular milk.
More importantly, buttermilk’s acidity acts as a tenderizer for the gluten in the flour. This chemical reaction leads to a much more delicate, moist, and soft pound cake. If you were to substitute regular milk for the buttermilk, you would lose this vital acidity. Without it, the leavening agents wouldn’t activate as effectively, and the gluten wouldn’t be tenderized, likely resulting in a dense, flat, and significantly less flavorful cake. The characteristic tangy note that buttermilk imparts also adds a delicious depth to the overall taste, balancing the sweetness beautifully.
If you find yourself without buttermilk on hand for this Buttermilk Pound Cake, don’t despair! You can easily make a homemade substitute that works wonderfully. Simply measure 1 tablespoon of white vinegar or fresh lemon juice into a liquid measuring cup. Then, fill the rest of the cup with enough regular milk (dairy milk works best for this substitution) to reach the 1-cup mark. Give it a gentle stir and let the mixture sit undisturbed for 5-10 minutes. During this time, the milk will curdle slightly and thicken, mimicking the consistency and acidity of true buttermilk. Once it’s visibly curdled, it’s ready to be used in the recipe exactly as indicated.
Keeping Your Buttermilk Pound Cake Fresh: Storage Tips
One of the most remarkable qualities of this Buttermilk Pound Cake is its incredible ability to improve with age. Unlike many cakes that are best enjoyed fresh from the oven, this particular recipe truly shines on day two, and even day three! The flavors meld and deepen, and the texture becomes even more wonderfully moist and tender as it sits. So, while it’s certainly delicious on baking day, patience will reward you with an even more exquisite experience.
To ensure your Buttermilk Pound Cake retains its freshness and delightful qualities, proper storage is key. This cake will remain perfectly good for 3 to 4 days after it is made. Here are my best tips for storing it:
- Room Temperature is Best: For optimal flavor and texture, store the cake at room temperature. Refrigeration can sometimes dry out pound cakes and alter their texture, making them a bit denser.
- Keep it Covered: The most important rule for storing any cake is to keep it well covered to prevent it from drying out and absorbing other odors. For an entire bundt cake, I often simply use a large overturned plastic bowl or a cake dome to cover it completely. This creates a protective seal around the cake.
- Protect Sliced Edges: If you’ve already sliced into the cake, the exposed crumb is particularly vulnerable to drying out. To combat this, it’s always best to place a piece of plastic wrap directly over the cut part of the cake, pressing it gently against the exposed surface before covering the entire cake with a dome or bowl. This extra step forms a barrier that locks in moisture and keeps your slices tender and delicious.
- Freezing for Longer Storage: If you want to enjoy your Buttermilk Pound Cake for an extended period, it freezes exceptionally well. For best results, allow the cake to cool completely, then wrap it tightly in several layers of plastic wrap, followed by a layer of aluminum foil. You can freeze the whole cake or individual slices. Thaw it at room temperature before serving.
Explore More Crowd-Pleasing Bundt Cake Recipes
Bundt cakes are beloved for their beautiful presentation and satisfying slice. If you’ve enjoyed baking this Buttermilk Pound Cake, you might also love exploring these other delightful bundt cake recipes from our collection:
- Decadent Double Chocolate Bundt Cake
- Bright and Zesty Orange Bundt Cake
- Tropical Coconut Bundt Cake
- Indulgent Almond Joy Candy Bar Filled Chocolate Bundt Cake
LOOKING FOR MORE DELICIOUS RECIPES?
Join our community by subscribing to our free recipe newsletter to receive new family-friendly recipes directly in your inbox each week! For daily culinary inspiration and more delightful baking ideas, follow us on Pinterest, Facebook, and Instagram.
Buttermilk Pound Cake with Caramel Icing
Pin
SaveSaved!
Ingredients
For the Buttermilk Pound Cake:
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- 2 1/3 cups granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 1 1/2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup buttermilk
For the Caramel Icing:
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter cubed
- 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 cup powdered sugar sifted, to prevent lumps
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 325ºF (160ºC). Ensure the oven rack is in the center position for even baking.
- Prepare a 10-inch bundt pan by generously greasing its interior with softened butter or shortening, ensuring every crevice is coated. Then, dust the pan thoroughly with all-purpose flour, tapping out any excess. This double-layer method helps prevent sticking.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the softened butter and granulated sugar. Cream them together with an electric mixer until the mixture is light, fluffy, and pale, typically for 5-7 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition until fully incorporated. Finally, beat in the vanilla extract until just combined.
- In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. Whisking ensures they are evenly distributed.
- Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet mixture, alternating with the buttermilk. Start by mixing in 1/3 of the flour mixture until just combined. Then, add half of the buttermilk and mix briefly. Follow with another 1/3 of the flour mixture, the remaining buttermilk, and finally the last of the flour. Mix only until the ingredients are just incorporated to avoid overdeveloping the gluten, which can lead to a tough cake. The batter will be thick. Use a spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl and ensure everything is fully mixed.
- Carefully pour the thick batter into your prepared bundt pan, spreading it evenly. Bake for approximately 60 minutes, or until a wooden skewer or cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Once baked, let the cake cool in the bundt pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. This allows the cake to firm up slightly and pull away from the pan’s edges. After 15 minutes, carefully invert the pan onto the wire rack to fully cool the cake.
- Once the pound cake is completely cooled to room temperature, transfer it to your chosen serving plate or stand, ready for its decadent caramel icing.
- To make the Caramel Icing: In a saucepan, combine the cubed butter, packed light brown sugar, and heavy whipping cream. Place over medium heat and stir constantly until the butter is completely melted and the mixture comes to a full rolling boil. Immediately remove the pan from the heat. Whisk in the sifted powdered sugar until smooth. Allow the icing to sit for 10-15 minutes to thicken slightly; this is crucial for the perfect pourable consistency. Whisk one more time just before pouring the luscious caramel icing evenly over the cooled pound cake. Let the icing set for a bit before slicing and serving for the best presentation.
Recipe Notes:
Nutritional information is provided as an estimate only. Variations in brands and precise measurements of ingredients can alter the final counts. Any nutritional information should therefore be used as a general guideline and not as a definitive statement.