What’s not to love about the classic Sara Lee pound cake? It’s tender, not too sweet, and outrageously buttery.
It’s the perfect balance of flavors, and now, you can make it in your own kitchen!
This copycat Sara Lee recipe is dense (like any good pound cake should be), but it’s also insanely moist. In fact, it’s so soft it melts in your mouth.
With this recipe, you don’t need to go to the grocery to enjoy the popular dessert. Heck, you don’t even need to change out of those PJs.
So why not make this Sara Lee pound cake today? I promise you won’t regret it!
Copycat Sara Lee Pound Cake Recipe
The original Sara Lee pound cake is a ready-to-use frozen dessert.
It’s something you can have on hand and use as a last-minute sweet treat whenever you need it.
Thanks to this copycat recipe, you can bake your very own pound cake that tastes just like the OG.
It’s dense and buttery, with just the right amount of sweetness.
It’s also very versatile. So while it’s delicious enough on its own, but you can also make it extra tasty with whipped cream and fresh fruit on top.
And, you can even use the cake to make other desserts, such as trifles and shortcakes!
Ingredients
As you can see, you don’t need much to make this recipe. In fact, I bet you already have everything on hand!
- Butter – This pound cake is ridiculously buttery, and it’s all thanks to the butter. Be sure it’s softened to room temperature, so it mixes easily with other ingredients.
- Powdered Sugar – Because this recipe doesn’t call for complicated steps such as creaming the butter and sugar and adding the eggs one by one, it’s better to use sugar that can be easily dissolved, hence the powdered sugar.
- Eggs – Use room temperature only! Cold eggs won’t mix well with other ingredients.
- Submerge refrigerated eggs in warm water for 1 minute to warm them up.
- Sour Cream – It makes the pound cake extra rich and moist.
- Flour – The base of the batter that gives the pound cake structure. Regular all-purpose does the trick but feel free to use cake flour if you want an extra tender crumb.
- Lemon Or Vanilla Extract – For flavor. You could also use almond extract if you prefer.
Note: unlike other cakes, pound cakes don’t require baking powder or baking soda. This is because they’re meant to have a dense crumb.
How to Make Sara Lee Pound Cake
1. Make the batter by mixing everything in a bowl at once.
Not only is this cake easy, but it’s super quick too!
Simply add all the ingredients – butter, powdered sugar, eggs, sour cream, flour, and extract – to a mixing bowl and beat them with an electric mixer at medium speed until well-combined.
This will take about 4-5 minutes.
Remember not to over-beat the batter! Turn off the mixer as soon as you no longer see streaks of flour.
Also, make sure to start on low, or the flour and sugar will fly everywhere!
2. Bake the cake at 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
Pour the batter into a greased loaf pan and bake for 1 hour at 325 degrees Fahrenheit (about 160°C).
To test for doneness, insert a toothpick into the center of the cake. It’s done when the toothpick comes out clean or with a few dry crumbs sticking to it.
3. Cool the cake and enjoy!
Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Then, transfer it onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Serve and enjoy!
Tips for the Best Pound Cake
- Measure the flour accurately, otherwise, you’ll get dry cake. Most home cooks will simply scoop the flour with the measuring cup and call it a day. But did you know that that method always yields more flour than needed?
- The best way is to use a kitchen scale.
- Alternatively, spoon the mixture into the measuring cup and level it gently with the back of a knife.
- Pound cakes need to be baked at a lower temperature to slow down the baking process and keep the cake from drying out. For old ovens, it’s better to have an oven thermometer so you can regulate the temperature as needed.
- Do not over-bake the cake! Check for doneness about 5-10 minutes earlier than the prescribed length of baking.
- Storage Instructions: wrap the cooled pound cake with plastic wrap and store it at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the fridge for a week.
- Freezing instructions: double wrap the cake with plastic wrap and aluminum foil and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw on the counter and enjoy.
Flavor Variations
This easy recipe makes a buttery pound cake with a bright lemon flavor. But you can also infuse the batter with your choice of extracts to suit your taste!
- For an extra lemony flavor, add the zest of 1 lemon to the batter.
- For a crunchy and nutty pound cake, add 2 teaspoons of poppy seeds and 1 teaspoon of almond extract.
- For a citrusy pound cake, add the zest of half an orange and 1/2 teaspoon of orange extract.
- For a fall-inspired pound cake, add 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon of cloves, and 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg.
How to Serve Sara Lee Pound Cake
The Sara Lee pound cake is perfect as it is, but you can make it even more delightful with these serving suggestions.
- Cut the cake into thick slices and top them with ice cream and chocolate or caramel sauce.
- Toast or grill the pound cake and top it with your favorite grilled fruit, jam, or spread.
- Top the cake with whipped cream and chocolate chips, chocolate sauce, pie filling, or fresh berries.
- Top the cake with pumpkin sauce and toasted nuts.
More Pound Cake Recipes You’ll Love
Paula Deen Pound Cake
Kentucky Butter Cake
Lemon Sour Cream Cake
Orange Crush Pound Cake
7-Up Cake
Sara Lee Pound Cake
8
servings10
minutes1
hourWhat’s not to love about the classic Sara Lee pound cake? It’s not too sweet, but it’s outrageously buttery. And now, you can make it in your own kitchen!
Ingredients
1 cup butter, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
2 eggs, room temperature
3 tablespoons sour cream
1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon lemon or vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan with butter or non-stick spray.
- Add softened butter, powdered sugar, eggs, sour cream, flour, and lemon or vanilla extract to a mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer at medium speed until well-combined, about 4-5 minutes.
- Pour batter into the greased loaf pan. Bake for 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring it onto a wire rack to cool completely. Slice, serve, and enjoy!
Notes
- Flour weight: 7.33 ounces or 208 grams
Self rising or all purpose flour??
hi Jo!
You’ll need all-purpose flour for this recipe.
I’ve clarified that in the post, too. Thanks!!