I’m finally sharing how my dad’s 84 years of baking made his Dad’s Famous Sour Cream Pound Cake the one everyone begs for, and there’s a single humble trick behind it.

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My dad makes the best sour cream pound cake in the world! He’s 84 and he’s famous for his pound cake!

Just one bite and you’ll know why.. I grew up sneaking slices off the cooling rack, the smell of unsalted butter filling the kitchen, the tender crumb from real sour cream stealing the show.

I call it Dads Famous Sour Cream Pound Cake because he refuses to change a single thing, not even when I beg for tweaks. It feels almost wrong to explain it fully, like giving away an inside joke, but one bite will make you curious and maybe a little selfish about the recipe.

Ingredients

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Unsalted butter gives richness, lots of saturated fat, but makes crumb tender
Granulated sugar adds sweetness and structure, no fiber, mostly empty calories
Eggs add protein, moisture and lift, they help bind the batter together
Sour cream gives tang, fat and acidity, keeps cake moist and soft
All purpose flour provides carbs and gluten, creates structure but can be dense
Fresh lemon zest and juice add bright acidity and a subtle fresh aroma
Powdered sugar makes sweet glossy glaze, no fiber, thin with juice or milk
Vanilla adds warm aroma, tiny flavor boost, no calories or real nutrition

Ingredient Quantities

1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

2 1/2 cups granulated sugar

5 large eggs, room temp

1 cup sour cream, full fat not low fat

3 cups all purpose flour, spooned and leveled

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon fine salt

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 tablespoon lemon zest (optional, for a little brightness)

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted (for the lemon glaze)

2 to 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (for the glaze)

1 teaspoon lemon zest, extra for the glaze

1 to 2 tablespoons milk or cream, if needed to thin the glaze

How to Make this

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1. Preheat oven to 325 F (163 C). Grease and flour a 10 inch bundt pan or two 9×5 loaf pans really well, tap out excess flour. Let 5 large eggs and 1 cup sour cream sit at room temperature while you work.

2. In a large bowl beat 1 1/2 cups softened unsalted butter with 2 1/2 cups granulated sugar until pale and fluffy, about 4 to 5 minutes, scraping the bowl once or twice.

3. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing until each is incorporated. In a small bowl stir together 1 cup sour cream, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract and 1 tablespoon lemon zest if using.

4. Whisk together 3 cups all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon fine salt in another bowl.

5. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture in three additions alternating with the sour cream mixture, beginning and ending with the dry. Mix on low until just combined, dont overmix or you’ll toughen the cake.

6. Fold the batter gently, scrape the bowl and pour into the prepared pan, smoothing the top. Tap the pan once on the counter to release big air bubbles.

7. Bake about 65 to 75 minutes for a bundt or 55 to 65 minutes for loaves, until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs and the top is golden. If the top browns too fast tent loosely with foil.

8. Let the cake cool in the pan on a rack for 10 to 15 minutes then invert onto the rack to cool completely, this helps it release cleanly.

9. For the glaze sift 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar into a bowl, whisk in 2 to 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, 1 teaspoon lemon zest, and add 1 to 2 tablespoons milk or cream only if you need to thin it to a pourable consistency.

10. Drizzle the glaze over the slightly warm or cooled cake so it sets, let it sit until the glaze firms up. Store covered at room temperature up to 3 days or refrigerate for longer.

Equipment Needed

1. 10 inch bundt pan or two 9×5 loaf pans, greased and floured well
2. Stand mixer with paddle attachment or a good hand mixer
3. Two large mixing bowls (one for dry, one for wet)
4. Measuring cups and spoons plus a liquid measuring cup for sour cream/juice
5. Rubber spatula and a sturdy mixing spoon to fold and scrape the bowl
6. Whisk and a microplane or zester for the lemon zest
7. Sifter or fine mesh sieve for powdered sugar and to remove lumps
8. Cooling rack and oven mitts for safe handling and cooling
9. Toothpick or cake tester to check doneness

FAQ

What pan and baking time should I use for Dad's Sour Cream Pound Cake With Lemon Glaze?

Use a ten to twelve cup bundt pan for the classic shape. Bake at 325 F about sixty to seventy five minutes, until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs. If you use two nine by five loaf pans plan on about fifty five to sixty five minutes. Ovens vary so start checking at the earlier time.

Can I swap the full fat sour cream for low fat or yogurt?

Full fat sour cream gives the best rich tender crumb. Low fat will work but the cake will be a bit drier and less tender. You can substitute plain Greek yogurt one to one, it will be slightly tangier and may need a few extra minutes to bake.

How do I know the cake is done without overbaking?

Insert a toothpick in the center it should come out with moist crumbs not raw batter. The top will spring back lightly and pull away from the sides a bit. For a more exact check the internal temp should be about two hundred to two hundred five F.

My pound cake cracked on top is that bad and why would it sink?

A small crack on top is normal for dense cakes and nothing to worry about. Sinking happens from underbaking, opening the oven too soon, too much leavening or overbeating the batter. Make sure ingredients are measured right and the oven stays closed while it sets.

Any tips to get the lemon glaze perfect so it sticks and looks nice?

Sift the powdered sugar for a smooth glaze. Add lemon juice slowly until it is pourable but not runny, add one to two tablespoons milk or cream if you need to thin a lot. Let the cake cool about fifteen to twenty minutes so the glaze clings instead of running off, and sprinkle extra lemon zest on top for brightness.

How should I store or freeze this pound cake?

Store at room temp loosely covered for three to four days. You can refrigerate up to a week but it may dry a bit. For longer keep it wrapped well in plastic then foil and freeze for up to three months, thaw at room temp before glazing or serving.

Dad’s Sour Cream Pound Cake With Lemon Glaze Recipe Substitutions and Variations

Butter: swap for unsalted margarine, 1:1, it bakes the same but wont have as much buttery flavor; or use neutral oil (like canola), about 3/4 cup oil per 1 cup butter, so for this recipe use ~1 1/8 cups oil, expect a slightly different crumb.
Sour cream: use full‑fat Greek yogurt 1:1, same tang and thickness and usually the best sub; plain whole‑milk yogurt also works; if you only have buttermilk use 1 cup buttermilk but the batter will be looser so watch baking time.
All purpose flour: for a lighter crumb use cake flour, or turn AP into cake flour by replacing each cup AP with 1 cup minus 2 tablespoons AP plus 2 tablespoons cornstarch, so do that for each of the 3 cups—gives a softer, more tender cake.
Powdered sugar (glaze): pulverize granulated sugar in a blender to make powdered sugar and add 1 tablespoon cornstarch per cup to stop caking; if you need a thinner, less sweet glaze you can also thin the powdered sugar with extra lemon juice or a spoon of milk but add slowly till you like the consistency.

Pro Tips

1) Let the butter and eggs actually come to room temp, not just kinda warm. The butter should dent when you press it, if it’s cold you’ll get lumps and if it’s too soft the batter will be greasy. If you need to speed it up put the eggs in warm water for 8 to 10 minutes and cut the butter into chunks so it softens fast.

2) Weigh your flour instead of guessing, trust me it’s worth it. Spoon and level is okay but scales remove the guesswork, 3 cups all purpose is roughly 360 grams. Less drama, more consistent cakes.

3) For a clean unmold use a thin flexible spatula to loosen the edges before flipping, and if the bundt seems stuck warm the outside of the pan with a warm towel for a minute to help release. Also tapping the pan gently on the counter gets big air bubbles out, so do that once or twice after you fill it.

4) Glaze tricks: make the glaze just pourable not runny so it clings, if it gets too stiff add a little lemon juice or milk one teaspoon at a time. Drizzle over a slightly warm cake so the glaze sets with a nice sheen, and once it’s set wrap loosely in plastic so it stays moist without sweating.