Brown Sugar Pound Cake (Southern Recipe)
This delicious Brown Sugar Pound Cake has a buttery, brown sugar flavor with a tender crumb texture that is perfect for enjoying with a cup of coffee or serving at your next party or holiday get-together!
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This brown sugar cake is truly a star. It’s simple yet full of flavor that reminds you of warm, buttery, caramel notes. It’s not *overly* sweet so I think it’s perfect for dusting with powdered sugar once cooled.
Alternatively, you could glaze your brown sugar cake with a rum glaze, brown butter glaze, caramel sauce, etc. Either way, it has two kinds of sugar and loads of vanilla flavor included so it’s downright delicious!
My absolute favorite pound cake recipe is this southern cream cheese pound cake, but I’ll tell you, this brown sugar cake is giving it a run for its money. The dark brown sugar makes all the difference.
Brown Sugar Pound Cake Inspiration
This cake is inspired by a recipe from the Charleston Cake Lady, Teresa Pregnall. I lived in Charleston when I was younger and let me tell you, there are some delicious Southern recipes from the Charleston area! This is one of them!
While I made a couple of small adjustments, the brown sugar cake is divine and the perfect dessert recipe for dropping off to a friend or neighbor or serving at a tea party or shower.
Ingredients for Brown Sugar Pound Cake
Brown Sugar Pound Cake Recipe Baking Tips
Here are a few key tips and tricks for making the very best Southern brown sugar pound cake…
Softened Butter: In any pound cake, you want to be sure that your butter is room temperature. That means, when you press a finger into it, it leaves an indention.
Dark Brown Sugar: Don’t substitute light brown sugar here, you need that rich, molasses flavor from the dark brown sugar!
Nuts: If you want to make this a brown sugar nut cake, add in pecans, walnuts, etc. This is totally optional!
Baking Time: Always test for doneness near the end of baking for any cake. Use a knife or wooden skewer inserted into the center of the cake. If batter remains, bake for an additional 5 minutes before testing again. Be sure not to over-bake as that can result in a dry cake!
Bundt Pan: This recipe makes a lot of batter so if you only have a small tube pan, you’ll have extra batter (perfect for making brown sugar bars). HERE is a 12-cup bundt pan that would work very well for this cake. You could also use two loaf pans if you prefer.
Powdered Sugar or Frosting: You can glaze, frost, or dust the top of your brown sugar pound cake with powdered sugar for an extra touch of sweetness! Need a recipe? I love this rum glaze!
To Freeze: If you want to freeze this brown sugar pound cake, then wrap it very tightly in several layers of plastic wrap and place in a freezer plastic bag. Just be sure it’s completely cooled before freezing. It will last 4 to 6 months in the freezer.
I hope you love this old fashioned brown sugar cake recipe as much as my family!
Want more Southern dessert recipes?
- Southern Cream Cheese Pound Cake (Heirloom Recipe)
- Southern Lemon Chess Pie Recipe
- Easy Apple Dump Cake with Pecan Topping
- Banana Nut Cake (the GLAZE…delish!)
- Southern Brown Sugar Pie
If you try this brown sugar pound cake, I’d LOVE for you to leave me a star rating below! And pretty please feel free to share this recipe with friends and family! I hope you love it as much as I do!
Brown Sugar Pound Cake
Ingredients
- 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 cup nuts (pecans/walnuts/etc, chopped) - *optional*
- 1 3/4 cups butter - softened
- 2 cups dark brown sugar - *firmly packed*
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 5 large eggs
- 1 cup milk
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease and flour a 12-cup tube or bundt pan. If you only have a smaller bundt pan, you can use leftover batter in a smaller pan.
- Sift 3 cups of the all-purpose flour and the baking powder together in a mixing bowl.
- If using nuts: Stir together nuts with remaining 1/4 cup flour in a separate small mixing bowl. If not using nuts, then add remaining flour to original mixing bowl.
- In a large bowl with an electric mixer or hand whisk, cream together the softened butter, dark brown sugar and granulated sugar. Cream for at least 5 minutes, on low to medium-low speed.
- Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
- Add the sifted flour mixture and the milk, alternating between the two. Continue to mix well and add in vanilla extract.
- If including nuts, gently stir those in the batter.
- Pour the brown sugar pound cake batter into your pan and bake at 325°F for 1 hour and 15 minutes to 1 hour and 25 minutes. Ovens vary, so be sure to insert a knife or long wooden skewer to test for doneness. Allow the cake to cool before removing from pan.
I love the combination of sweet and toasty flavor of this cake!! Really perfect!
Thanks Toni!
I just adore the flavors in this cake! It is so tender and delicious and the brown sugar adds such depth. It’s just fabulous!
This cake is amazing! I will be making it again and again. So easy and turned out moist and perfectly sweet.