I don't see much discussion on pound cakes on CC. I've been baking them for decades with great results, but I have one issue I can't solve. I usually bake them at 325. They look beautiful, golden and toothpick test says their done, but as they cool the top becomes very sticky and shrinks. I've tried raising my oven rack so top gets more heat, but it doesn't help. I've tried baking them a little longer, still does it. I know some people bake them at 350, but I don't want crust to get too brown, since they're in the oven so long. Any advice?
I bake at 350 no worries -- mine don't get too brown --
they do get perfectly brown but not too brown for me and that brown is my favorite part of pound cake -- I love that -- I just did a teensy little mini tier cake out of pound cake -- 6x4x2 -- I baked it early morning day off so the crust would be just right a bit crunchy and the interior would be soft -- loved it
Try the 350°F on your usual oven rack as suggested by -k8memphis and if it browns too much or is too crunchy for your liking, try moving your oven rack down one slot to see if that makes a difference.
I do like that "browned butter" taste of the top of a pound cake too - yum!
yeah — it’s an old classic that trish yearwood published in her cookbook called cold oven pound cake — well i’m not sure what she calls it but it is a perfect pound cake — lemme go find her recipe — my son showed me how to find links on my phone so we’ll see if I can do this...brb...
ok — never mind Trisha — I got it memorized anyhow —
2 sticks butter, cold, cubed (1/2 pound)
3 cups sugar
mix in planetary mixer until well creamed
6 eggs — add one at a time mixing well in between — after that give it a nice whirl to stretch out the eggs until smoothy smooth smooth and perfectly emulsified — 2 minutes give or take —
3 cups flour*
1 cup liquid whipping cream
i use about two tablespoons vanilla you could use less (but why — ha!)
so into the creamed mixture I put in a third of the flour, combine well, add half the cream, repeat until all incorporated — get the vanilla in there with the cream —
spin her for 2 mins — voila — crazy crazy crazy good
this gets a big crack in the top — must get the crack or it won’t bake off — once in a blue moon very rarely but depending on the pan i’m using I have to encourage the split with a knife — no worries rarely ever happens to you but must crack — don’t be bashful if the top gets too tight to split by itself — this is a very forgiving cake —
*flour — if you use cake flour you will have a finer crumb
I use all purpose store brand white flour —
you bake this for 70 mins in a regular bundt pan — but it varies when you vary the pan size of course —
i call this “chanlette’s yummy pound cake”
because jennifer chan, one of the sweetest bakers on the face of the earth gave me the recipe many years ago
and 350 degrees of course — AFTER you place the pans in the cold oven — do not preheat the oven
it’ll be a thicker batter — great on a spoon hahaha
when I said the crust has to crack — i of course meant when it was in the oven baking — I know most everyone knows that I just wanted to clearly point it out for any possible new bakers
Like -K8memphis, my husband and my favorite part of the pound cake is the crunchy top! I am guessing it is your recipe, as I've made a lot of different pound cake recipes and never had the sticky top problem.
when you need more discussion (on any topic) you may search the "forum" & get's lots of info. There is not that much going on daily about pound cakes probably because they are pretty simple, stable, and people only have one basic recipe which they've had forever and works like a dream normally. Pound cakes are fabulous.
I totally agree, MBalaska, pound cakes are fabulous!
6CatMom has has posted the following reply to this thread here: https://www.cakecentral.com/forum/t/851556/pound-cakes-are-awesome
Quote by @6CatMom on 4 minutes ago
Many thanks to those who explained that newbies can't post replies for 30 days. I was trying to share a pound cake recipe with MamaGeese.
LOL, yes this recipe is an oldie but goodie that I've made many times. The cream cheese makes it tasty, and the baking powder makes it forgiving. My family calls it "the disappearing cake" 'cause it doesn't last long around here.
I always use a bundt pan, but am wondering if would bake OK as a quarter sheet cake and not get too brown.
Happy Baking!
Cream Cheese Pound Cake
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese (room temperature)
1 + 1/2 cups butter, soft (room temperature)
2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 teaspoon almond extract
6 large eggs (room temperature)
3 cups cake flour
1 + 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. Stir together cake flour and baking power in a bowl and set aside.
3. With mixer, cream together butter, cream cheese, and sugar until light, about 7 minutes. Stir in vanilla and almond extracts.
4. Lower the speed of the mixer and add the flour and eggs alternately, beginning and ending with flour. Stop and scrape the sides of the bowl occasionally.
5. After all has been added, beat for 1-2 minutes until the flour has fully incorporated.
6. Pour batter into greased/floured bundt pan.
7. Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Notes:
1. Let all ingredients come to room temperature. Don't use the microwave.
2. If you're concerned about the cake falling: After cake is baked, turn off oven and open the door. Allow cake to cool a bit in the oven before removing it.
3. Correct mixing is important for a pound cake, especially for recipes that don't use baking powder. The baking powder in this recipe makes the whole process a bit more forgiving, and the cake always turns out fine for me.
4. Nothing better than a good pound cake!
y’all know pound cakes are called pound cakes because originally a pound of each ingredient was used —
these days a pound of vanilla would break the bank and a pound of baking powder would explode the oven like Lucille ball in that I love Lucy with the bread — that was So Funny —
This was hilarious! I had a loaf, a few months ago, that turned out almost that big! It scared me!
if you google “you tube I love Lucy bread” you can watch it — it’s so funny/corny, funny —
(baking powder is cheating :)
sandra, did it pop open the oven door and pin you against the wall? 
tcd — did you try to post the you tube link? my son showed me how to get links on my new lovely phone — and I made the same post as yours — blank — cause the phone link disappeared— except I deleted mine though but I did the same thing
Yeah, I posted the video. It shows up for me. I can watch it from within the post.
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