Sourdough Pound Cake (Buttery & Delicious Recipe)

This Sourdough Pound Cake is everything a classic pound cake should be—buttery, rich, incredibly moist, and simple to make. The sour cream and sourdough discard work together to create a tender crumb that somehow gets even better the next day.

All you need are a few pantry staples and a loaf pan to make this timeless dessert that’s perfect with a cup of coffee or served with fresh berries and whipped cream. And if you’re looking for another homemade cake, my Sourdough Lemon Loaf is perfect for citrus lovers, while my Sourdough Angel Food Cake is a lighter option that’s just as delicious.

Quick Look: Sourdough Pound Cake

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 50 minutes
Servings: 1 loaf
Calories: ~390 kcals per slice (based on nutrition panel)
Cook Method: Baked
Flavor Profile: Dense yet tender and incredibly moist with a rich, buttery crumb and subtle hints of vanilla and almond. Best served with fresh summer berries and homemade whipped cream!
Difficulty: Easy — Simple ingredients, straightforward steps, and no special equipment needed beyond a loaf pan and mixer!

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Why You’ll Love This Sourdough Pound Cake

A delicious summer recipe—This is a sourdough twist on the traditional pound cake, sliced up and served with sweet summer berries and a big dollop of homemade whipped cream for the perfect warm-weather treat. Sourdough Strawberry Cake is another summer favorite I top with fresh berries and whipped cream.
A chance to dress things up—Drizzle a little lemon or orange glaze over the top, and this pound cake goes from everyday to something you’d serve at a holiday, baby shower, or get-together. My Sourdough Lemon Cake uses fresh lemon juice and lemon zest in its frosting, and I love how the richness gets balanced by that lemon flavor.
Super buttery—There’s two full sticks of butter in this recipe, and you can taste it. If buttery’s your thing, this Sourdough Vanilla Cake Recipe has that same soft, rich crumb.
Dense, but tender and moist—This pound cake holds together with a tight crumb, but it never feels heavy. Sour cream keeps every slice so soft and moist, but nothing beats Sourdough Carrot Cake for sheer moistness.
Don’t waste food—If you feel a little guilty after tossing out useful things like that leftover sourdough discard, this delicious recipe solves the problem. It’s the perfect recipe to try next time you’re looking to bake something new.

Ingredients & Substitutions

* To find precise measurements, scroll to the bottom of this post to find the recipe card*

ingredients for making sourdough pound cake

Unsalted butter — Your butter needs to be at room temperature. You’ll know it’s ready when you can press it and leave a fingerprint, but your finger doesn’t come away oily. Cold butter won’t cream properly, and you’ll end up with a dense brick instead of a tender pound cake.
Sugar – I wouldn’t cut back on the sugar here since it keeps the cake tender and gives it the right amount of sweetness. White sugar works best, but you can substitute cane sugar in the same amount.
Eggs — Most of the height in this cake comes from the eggs. Make sure they’re at room temperature so they mix into the cake batter easily. If you forgot to set the eggs out, place them in warm water for about 5 minutes.
Flour — I use all-purpose flour for this recipe. I haven’t tested it with cake flour, but you could substitute it for a 1:1 ratio. Use the same amount in grams. If you give it a go, I would love to hear how it turns out in the comments below!
Baking powder—Helps this delicious pound cake rise.
Sourdough Discard—When I’m making sweet recipes like this sourdough discard pound cake, I like to use fresh discard, no older than 2 days, for the best flavor. Older discard gives this pound cake a tangier flavor. If a little tangier is your idea of the perfect pound cake, definitely use older discard. You can also use an active sourdough starter. If you go with an active starter, be sure to use the same amount by weight, not volume.
Sour Cream—Gives this pound cake a moist crumb and adds a little tang that balances the sweetness. You can swap it for Greek yogurt if that’s what you have on hand.
Salt—I add a pinch of sea salt for the minerals and extra flavor.
Extracts—I use a mix of vanilla and almond extract. The almond extract adds a subtle, nutty depth that plays really nicely with the vanilla, but you can leave it out if you’d rather keep things simple.

How to Make Sourdough Pound Cake

Preheat the oven to 375°F and grease an 8.5×4.5-inch loaf pan. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients, including flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy

On low speed, add the eggs one at a time, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl so everything mixes in evenly.

Add the sourdough discard, sour cream, and extracts, then mix on low speed until everything’s smooth. Then, add the flour mixture and mix until just combined.

Next, pour the pound cake batter into the prepared loaf pan.

Bake at 375°F for 15 minutes, then lower the oven to 325°F and continue baking for 75 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 205°F.

Halfway through baking, tent the top of the cake with a piece of aluminum foil so it doesn’t get too dark.
Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing. Enjoy!

McKenna’s Helpful Tips

For that classic cracked top, place a small slice of cold butter in the center of the batter right before it goes into the oven.
Make sure all your ingredients are at room temperature before you start. Cold ones make blending the batter a little tougher, and you’ll end up with a curdled-looking batter that doesn’t come together the way it should. My Sourdough Apple Cake has the same creaming step, and cold butter causes the exact same problem there.
Don’t overmix once the eggs go in, or you’ll have gummy streaks running through the cake. My Sourdough Coffee Cake has the same sour cream and discard base, and the same overmixing rule also applies to the recipe

How to Store

Once the cake’s completely cooled, cover it and leave it on the counter for 3 to 4 days. Need it to last longer? Pop it in the fridge, and it’ll keep for about a week. If you want to save some for later, wrap individual slices in plastic wrap, toss them in a freezer bag, and they’ll keep for up to 3 months. Let them thaw on the counter before you dig in.

Sourdough Pound Cake FAQs

Can you long-ferment this sourdough pound cake recipe?

This hasn’t been tested with this recipe, but I’m sure you can! Since this recipe relies on baking powder rather than the sourdough discard for leavening, you can mix the batter, cover it, and refrigerate it for 8–24 hours before baking. Just let it sit at room temperature for about 20–30 minutes while the oven preheats, give it a gentle stir if needed, and then bake as directed. If you give it a try, please share how it goes!

Can you bake this pound cake in a bundt pan?

I haven’t personally tested it, but I think a double batch would fit for a standard 10–12 cup Bundt pan! I’d keep the oven temperature the same and start checking for doneness around 55–65 minutes and continue to bake for 5 minutes more until the cake has reached an internal temperature of 205 degrees F. If you give it a try, I’d love to hear how it turns out!

Can I use a glass loaf pan to bake this delicious cake?

Yes, you can. Glass holds heat differently than metal, so drop the oven temperature by 25°F. The cake may need a few extra minutes in the oven, so keep an eye on it near the end rather than pulling it out right at the original bake time. The same goes for any sourdough cake, really. My Sourdough Rhubarb Cake bakes in a metal pan at 350°F, and getting that temperature right is what gives you an even bake every time.

More Sourdough Cake Recipes

Sourdough Angel Food Cake (Delicious from-scratch Recipe)

Sourdough Tres Leches Cake With Whipped Cream (Easy Recipe)

Sourdough Strawberry Cake Recipe {Made With Discard}

The Best Sourdough Vanilla Cake Recipe

If you tried this Sourdough Pound Cake recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!

Sourdough Pound Cake Recipe

Yield: slices

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 1 30

Total Time: 1 45

This Sourdough Pound Cake is a rich, buttery loaf made with sourdough discard, sour cream, and simple pantry ingredients for an incredibly moist, tender crumb. Perfect for dessert, brunch, or an afternoon coffee break, this classic homemade pound cake gets even better with time.

5 from 1 vote

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Equipment

Ingredients

195 grams all-purpose flour 1 1/4 cups + 2 Tablespoons
2 grams baking powder 1/2 teaspoon
6 grams salt 1 teaspoon
226 grams unsalted butter, room temperature 1 cup
275 grams granulated sugar scant 1 1/3 cups
4 large eggs room temperature
120 grams sourdough discard, room temperature 1/2 cup
60 grams sour cream, room temperature 1/4 cup
8 grams vanilla extract 2 teaspoons
2 grams almond extract 1/4 teaspoon

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and generously grease a 8.5×4.5 inch loaf pan. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
195 grams all-purpose flour, 2 grams baking powder, 6 grams salt
With a handheld mixer or in a bowl of a stand mixer with a whisk attachment, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 4-7 minutes.
226 grams unsalted butter, room temperature, 275 grams granulated sugar
On low, add the eggs, one at a time. Allow each egg to be fully mixed in before adding another. Stop and scrape the sides to ensure that everything is well incorporated in the batter.
4 large eggs
Add the sourdough discard, sour cream and extracts and mix on low until everything is smooth.
8 grams vanilla extract, 60 grams sour cream, room temperature, 120 grams sourdough discard, room temperature, 2 grams almond extract
Finally, add the flour mixture and mix until just combined. Be careful not to overmix the batter, otherwise it can lead to an overly dense and gummy cake.
Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and smooth down to create an even layer.
For the bakery-style crack top, place a thin sliver of cold butter on top in the center of the batter just before baking! See the photo above.
Bake at 375 degrees F for 15 minutes, then lower the oven to 325 degrees F and continue to bake for 75 minutes more until a toothpick comes out clean or until the internal temperature reaches 205 degrees F. See notes if you want a classic domed/cracked finish!
Halfway through, place a piece of aluminum foil on top so the outside doesn’t get too dark.
Leave the cake in the pan to cool for 10 minutes before transferring it to a cooling rack to cool completely. Slice and serve with homemade whipped cream and berries. Enjoy!

Notes

Ingredients & Substitutions

Unsalted butter — Your butter needs to be at room temperature. You’ll know it’s ready when you can press it and leave a fingerprint, but your finger doesn’t come away oily. Cold butter won’t cream properly, and you’ll end up with a dense brick instead of a tender pound cake.
Sugar – I wouldn’t cut back on the sugar here since it keeps the cake tender and gives it the right amount of sweetness. White sugar works best, but you can substitute cane sugar in the same amount.
Eggs — Most of the height in this cake comes from the eggs. Make sure they’re at room temperature so they mix into the cake batter easily. If you forgot to set the eggs out, place them in warm water for about 5 minutes.
Flour — I use all-purpose flour for this recipe. I haven’t tested it with cake flour, but you could substitute it for a 1:1 ratio. Use the same amount in grams. If you give it a go, I would love to hear how it turns out in the comments below!
Baking powder—Helps this delicious pound cake rise.
Sourdough Discard—When I’m making sweet recipes like this sourdough discard pound cake, I like to use fresh discard, no older than 2 days, for the best flavor. Older discard gives this pound cake a tangier flavor. If a little tangier is your idea of the perfect pound cake, definitely use older discard. You can also use an active sourdough starter. If you go with an active starter, be sure to use the same amount by weight, not volume.
Sour Cream—Gives this pound cake a moist crumb and adds a little tang that balances the sweetness. You can swap it for Greek yogurt if that’s what you have on hand.
Salt—I add a pinch of sea salt for the minerals and extra flavor.
Extracts—I use a mix of vanilla and almond extract. The almond extract adds a subtle, nutty depth that plays really nicely with the vanilla, but you can leave it out if you’d rather keep things simple.

Tips

For that classic cracked top, place a small slice of cold butter in the center of the batter right before it goes into the oven.
Make sure all your ingredients are at room temperature before you start. Cold ones make blending the batter a little tougher, and you’ll end up with a curdled-looking batter that doesn’t come together the way it should. My Sourdough Apple Cake has the same creaming step, and cold butter causes the exact same problem there.
Don’t overmix once the eggs go in, or you’ll have gummy streaks running through the cake. My Sourdough Coffee Cake has the same sour cream and discard base, and the same overmixing rule also applies to the recipe