5 from 16 votes

Homemade Southern Pecan Pound Cake is the most moist and tastiest pound cake ever! It has so much flavor and comes out perfect every time!

SOUTHERN PECAN POUND CAKE

Name: SOUTHERN PECAN POUND CAKE
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 75 min
Yield: 10
Ingredients: 1 cup chopped pecans; 1 tbsp all-purpose flour; 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour; 1 tsp baking powder; 1 cup salted butter (2 sticks) ((softened to room temperature)); 1 1/3 cups sugar; 5 large eggs; 2 tsp vanilla extract; 1/2 cup sour cream; 1/4 cup chopped pecans; 1 tbsp sugar

If there is one classic dessert recipe that I go back to time and time again, it’s pound cake. It has stood the test of time for a reason. Every southern cook has a favorite pound cake recipe. You can put so many little twists on the basic recipe and it also makes a great base for other desserts. One of my favorite ways to serve pound cake is with fresh strawberries and whipped cream on top.

Southern Pecan Pound Cakes slice on a plate

VIDEO INCLUDED BELOW:

CAN I USE WALNUTS INSTEAD?

I was inspired by the south for my recipe, like my SOUTHERN PECAN PRALINE CAKE WITH BUTTER SAUCE. Pecan trees are in abundance here and they just so happen to be my favorite! I added just a bit of sour cream to this recipe to make it a bit more moist. But you could certainly use walnuts or even macadamia nuts. For an even more decadent dessert, try serving with a little drizzle of caramel sauce!

Homemade Southern Pecan Pound Cake recipe from The Country Cook

WHAT YOU’LL NEED:

chopped pecans

all-purpose flour

baking powder

salted butter

sugar

eggs

vanilla extract

sour cream

HOW TO MAKE SOUTHERN PECAN POUND CAKE:

Preheat oven to 325F degrees. Spray a 12-cup Angel Food Cake Pan with nonstick cooking spray. I like to use the nonstick spray that has flour in it. This is made especially for baking and really makes it a breeze to pop the cake out after it is done cooling. It’s super important that you spray the entire inside of the cake pan.

bundt pan sprayed with nonstick cooking spray

In a small bowl, combine 1 cup chopped pecans with 1 tbsp. flour. Stir well then set aside.

chopped pecans and flour mixed together in a bowl

In a medium bowl, combine 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour and 1 tsp. baking powder. Set aside.

all purpose flour and baking soda mixed together in a bowl

In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar together until fluffy. If you are using a stand mixer, be sure to occasionally scrape down the sides of your mixing bowl.

Slowly add in eggs (one at a time) mixing after each addition. Then stir in two teaspoons of vanilla extract.

adding vanilla extract to butter sugar mixture

Once combined, slowly add in flour mixture. You want to add it in slowly so that it incorporates fully and also so that it doesn’t fly everywhere when you turn on your mixer.

flour mixture combined with a butter and sugar mixture

Then stir in sour cream. Finally, stir in (by hand) floured pecans. Batter will be thick.

flour coated pecans added to pound cake batter in a large bowl

Pour batter into prepared angel food cake pan. Using the back of a spoon, spread out batter as evenly as possible. Top batter with 1/4 cup chopped pecans and sprinkle with 1 tbsp. sugar.

homemade pecan pound cake batter in a bundt pan sprinkled with pecans

Bake for about 55-65 minutes (until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.) Allow to cool for an hour, then turn out onto a serving dish.

Homemade Southern Pecan Pound Cake on a white plate

Enjoy!

Originally published: March 2016
Updated & republished: July 2019