Southern Big Mama's Sour Cream Pound Cake

My family's sour cream pound cake recipe is velvety, buttery, and rich filled with the moistness and flavor of sour cream.

Jump to Recipe

Y’all, this Sour Cream Pound Cake recipe is the real deal! It’s velvety smooth, buttery, all kinds of rich, and packed with that creamy, moist goodness only sour cream can give ya. And that crumb? Baby that crumb is EVERYTHING. This recipe from my Mississippi Big Mama has been passed down from generation to generation and trust me, it’s gonna turn into an absolute classic in your fam for years to come.

This post may contain affiliate links. Read our disclosure policy.

A slice of sour cream pound cake being removed from a full cake on a cake server in a white background

Want to Save This Recipe, Boo?

I'll email this recipe to you, so you can come back to it later!

They’re Lovin’ It! Here’s what They’re Sayin’:

“I have made this countless times now, always requested. I share the recipe often. Thank you giving the world this best ever pound cake!!!”

—KAT

My Big Mama’s cake recipes are the true treasures of my family. They work consistently and perfectly always yielding impeccable results. Tried and true, it’s a recipe that just slaps every single time y’all. It has been passed down through generations and is guaranteed to be a hit whenever you serve it up. With a crumb as smooth as silk, this moist sour cream pound cake recipe is dense to the point of creaminess, and velvety-soft as it melts on your tongue. Let’s get into it!

Table of Contents

The Lowdown of This Sour Cream Pound Cake Recipe

Closeup of Jocelyn in pink dress smiling

Cuisine Inspiration: Southern Soul Food Classic

Primary Cooking Method: Baking

Dietary Info: Beyond rich and indulgent with dairy and eggs. Can be made gluten-free with swaps.

Key Flavor: Dense, Moist Buttery Goodness

Skill Level: Easy y’all (No Sweat Fam!)

Moisture on Point

Y’all sour cream creates the most crazy-moist crumb ever to a pound cake. It’s responsible for creating that bomb melt-in-your-mouth texture.

Old School Vibes

We keep it classic with OG ingredients like real butter, sugar, eggs and flour which you probably already have in your kitchen y’all. The simplicity of this cake is what makes it so delish!

The Ultimate Crowdpleaser

Whether you bring this to a bake sale, a potluck or serve this to the church ladies for Sunday supper, it’s a hit!

Ingredients You’ll Need to make Sour Cream Pound Cake

Flour, butter, eggs, sugar and vanilla in glass bowls on white countertop

Butter: This gives your cake that insane richness and flavor y’all. To make your cake the best it can be, go with high fat and high quality unsalted butter option.
Granulated Sugar: This melts into the butter providing sweetness while also adding air to give our cake a lift during the creaming process.
Eggs: These stabilize our cake while adding moisture and richness too!
Cake flour: This type of flour is lower in protein than all-purpose flour and gives this old fashioned sour cream pound cake a more delicate, tender crumb.
Salt: Just a little balances the sweetness and enhances the overall flavors.
Baking Soda: I only use a very small amount here and it is actually optional. It just gives a tiny lift to the cake.
Sour cream: Not only does it give a subtle tang to the batter, it adds moisture on moisture!
Vanilla extract: Those aromatic notes stay popping with a high-quality, PURE extract.

How to Make Sour Cream Pound Cake

Butter and granulated sugar in a stand mixer bowl on white countertop

Add butter and sugar to the bowl of your stand mixer or use a large bowl with a handheld mixer. Mix them together for 3-4 minutes on high speed, until very pale yellow and fluffy y’all.

Eggs added to a creamed butter and sugar mixture in a stand mixer bowl on white countertop

Add the eggs, one at a time, combining well after each egg. Scrape down the sides of your bowl as needed with a spatula.

Dry ingredients added to a sour cream pound cake batter in a stand mixer on a white countertop

Turn your mixer down to its lowest speed, and slowly add flour into the batter in two increments. Then add the salt and baking soda. Be careful not to overbeat boos.

Sour cream and vanilla extract being added to a sour cream bundt cake batter in a stand mixer bowl on white countertop

Lastly, add the sour cream and vanilla extract, scrape down the sides of the bowl, and mix until just combined, then turn off the mixer.

Cake batter in a greased bundt pan on white countertop

Pour the cake batter into a greased bundt pan.

Baked sour cream pound cake recipe in a bundt pan on a white countertop

Bake in a preheated 325° F oven for 1 hour and 15-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.

How to Serve Sour Cream Bundt Cake

Get Fruity: Add fresh berries or peaches as a topping adds a delightful lightness that will be the highlight of any summer get-together.
Drizzle it Up: Drizzle each slice with a strawberry sauce, caramel sauce or a chocolate ganache.
A La Mode: Now y’all know a nice warm slice will hit with some vanilla ice cream or even a scoop of strawberry ice cream.
Dollop it Up: Add a nice dollop of whipped cream to each slice you serve.

Recipe Substitutions

Unsalted Butter: You can use salted butter here instead but just make sure you leave out the salt.
Cake Flour: If you don’t have any around, you can make homemade cake flour with all-purpose flour and cornstarch boos.
Baking Soda: If you don’t have any, you can actually leave this out. Just cream your butter and sugar a little longer to add more air.
Vanilla Extract: Feel free to swap out for some vanilla bean paste for more intense vanilla or even use almond extract instead.

A perfect sour cream pound cake recipe plain on a white countertop

They’re Lovin’ It! Here’s what They’re Sayin’:

“Hands down the best recipe for Pound Cake ever. Even better the next few days after it sits and flavors marry… Being southern we love pound cakes and this one is over the top !!!”

—DONNA L.

Recipe Variations and Additions

Spice it Up: In the Fall, add cinnamon or brown sugar to the batter like in this brown sugar pound cake.
Go Bananas: Top the cake with some delicious bananas foster.
Zest it Up: Swap out the vanilla extract for lemon, lime or orange extract and add some fresh citrus zest to the mix to brighten the flavors more in your sour cream bundt cake.
Go Marble: Remove half of your batter and add cocoa powder to one half and swirl the vanilla and chocolate batters together and bake it up boos.

Expert Tips and Tricks

Go Room Temp: Make sure the butter, eggs and sour cream are at room temperature. This will help them to melt into each other while mixing.
Take your time!: During the mixing of the butter and sugar, also known as the creaming period, exercise some patience boos. This will add a lift of air and lightness to your cake that you won’t even believe y’all. It also ensures that your ingredients start off well mixed.
Don’t Overdo the Dry Ingredients: Only mix the dry ingredients into the batter until just combined. Don’t over mix and risk additional gluten forming which will make the cake less tender.
New To Baking? Get some additional baking tips to help you out!

A slice of pound cake made with sour cream being lifted from the cake on white background with striped napkin in background

How to Store Sour Cream Pound Cake

Once your cake has completely cooled down, either tightly wrap in plastic wrap so no air gets in or add to a cake container. Store at room temp for up to 5 days.

How long will it last in the fridge?

Don’t do it boos! I simply don’t recommend storing pound cake in the fridge since it will dry it out y’all. Store at room temp so that texture stays on point.

Can I freeze?

Now freezing is totally fine boos. Wrap the leftovers in plastic wrap tightly then put it in a heavy-duty freezer bag. Make sure you add a label with the date. It should keep for for 4-6 months. When ready to serve it back up, thaw overnight in the fridge.

A perfect slice of a pound cake with sour cream on a white plate with a silver fork

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make this sour cream bundt cake recipe ahead of time?

Absolutely boos! You can bake and store this cake at room temp for up to 3 days before you serve it. Just don’t pop it in the fridge.

How can I make sure my sour cream pound cake doesn’t stick to the pan?

Grease that pan and don’t skimp! I like to personally use my homemade cake release brushing it into all the nooks and crannies so it doesn’t stick at all.

What kind of pan do you use for a pound cake?

A round bundt or fluted pan is the most common type of pan used for making a pound cake though some recipes will use a loaf pan for a rectangular-shaped cake. For making a pound cake, I think the cake presents best when using a fluted bundt cake pan.

What does sour cream do to a cake?

The sour cream adds moisture that keeps your cake soft and silky, just the way it was intended to be. It can also add richness and slight tang thanks to the additional dairy it provides to the cake.

Y’all my family’s sour cream pound cake is perfect for indulgent late-night treats or as an offering to unexpected guests or even lightly toasted and served with your morning coffee. The possibilities are endless. And trust me, you will find all types of ways to enjoy it. Let’s get into it!

More Cake Recipes