Southern Pecan Pound Cake (+Video)
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!
A MOIST HOMEMADE POUND CAKE
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!
CAN I USE WALNUTS INSTEAD OF PECANS?
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!
INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (FULL RECIPE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE POST)
- 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.
In a small bowl, combine 1 cup chopped pecans with 1 tablespoon of flour. Stir well then set aside.
In a medium bowl, combine 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour and 1 teaspoon of baking powder. Set aside.
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.
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.
Then stir in sour cream. Finally, stir in (by hand) floured pecans. Batter will be thick.
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 tablespoon of sugar.
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.
CRAVING MORE RECIPES?
Southern Pecan Pound Cake (+Video)
Ingredients
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 cup salted butter (2 sticks) (softened to room temperature)
- 1 1/3 cups sugar
- 5 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup sour cream
For the topping:
- 1/4 cup chopped pecans
- 1 tablespoon sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325F degrees. Spray a 12-cup Angel Food Cake Pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a small bowl, combine 1 cup chopped pecans with 1 tbsp. flour. Stir well then set aside.
- In a medium bowl, combine 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour and 1 tsp. baking powder. Set aside.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar together until fluffy.
- Slowly add in eggs (one at a time.)
- Then stir in two teaspoons of vanilla extract.
- Once combined, slowly add in flour mixture.
- Then stir in sour cream.
- Finally, stir in (by hand) floured pecans. Batter will be thick.
- 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.
- 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.
Video
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
“The Country Cook” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
Originally published: March 2016
Updated & republished: July 2019
Absolutely LOVE pound cake and this one looks amazing!! Must try!
I made this for a client for Easter. He had planned to take it to his sister’s for dessert after their Easter dinner. I just saw him for the first time since then, and he went on and on about how good it was. He wanted a cake that wasn’t too sweet and had no icing and specifically asked for a ‘pecan cake.’ This was the winner! I made it in two loaf pans and it was perfect. He told me he ended up trying it the day before Easter and it was so good he kept it all for himself. Both loaves! ???? I’m sure he will be requesting it again, so thanks for this great recipe!
I do like to make this, but would need to use spelt due to a wheat allergy. Still learning how to bake with Spelt. They say to use it like regular flour, but it tends to get dryer than regular flour. Does anyone know how much milk or water to add for extra moisture without ruining this?
Can’t wait to make this.Looks so good. I love your Angel cake pan. Could you tell me where did you get your pan from?Thank you for sharing
My boys do not like pecans in anything…??? Any suggestions to substitute??
Do you need to sift the flour?
I use White Lily flour and it is pre-sifted. But, having said that, I almost never sift flour. Feel free to do so if that is what you usually do. 🙂
What can you use instead of sour cream?
I used full fat Greek yogurt , a lovely moist cake,
Do y’all have a lemon icing recipe that might compliment this outrageously tasty treat?
Lemon curd!!! Yum!!!
Just put this in the oven. Can’t wait to try it.
How about the carb count?
Can you use Splenda instead of sugar, I love pound cake , so many are trying to watch their sugar intake
The flavor is not very sweet which could be a bonus if you wanted to serve for breakfast with coffee but if you’re expecting a super sweet pound cake this one is not it.
Can this be made in a loaf pan??
Hi Alice! I wouldn’t recommend a loaf pan. It needs to be a large bundt pan or and angel food cake pan. 🙂
I wonder how this would be to substitute cream cheese for the sour cream? It looks wonderful.
Wow! We love this cake. It’s not super sweet, which I really like. The texture is incredible. Will definitely be making again and again!
Woo hoo! Thanks so much Melissa!!
I made this for my family and they absolutely loved it! Was a total hit. I’ll be making again. Can this be made in a bundt pan instead?
Woo Hoo!! Yes, it can be made in a bundt pan but it needs to be a LARGE (10-cup bundt pan) and you will want to butter and flour the bundt pan very well to make sure it will come out. Pound cakes like to get stuck in the nooks and crannies of the bundt pan sides.
Perfect. I’ll keep that in mind. Thanks again for sharing such wonderul recipes!
Can this cake be made in a Bundt pan, with the pecan topping put in the pan first?
It is a keeper, so glad you enjoyed it.
This cake was awesome! Totally loved it!
Esta buenisimo, el mejor!
Edgar, that is wonderful! So glad you enjoyed it.
I made this super cake over the weekend and it as total WINNER!!!!!! So very delicious!!!! THANKS
edgar
Woo-hoo! This must be really a deviation from the plain pound cake my mother used to bake! Can't wait to try this. Thus must be super duper yumyum!
Thanks so much, so glad you enjoyed this pound cake. Try it with the caramel drizzle, my goodness!
Looking for the Caramel Drizzle Recipe you mentioned above
I made this last week. So light and pecan filled! Not as heavy as usually I expect pound cakes to be. And makes lots more than the loaf style.
I always look forward to viewing and making your delicious recipes. This pound cake looks amazing. I can't wait to make it. Thank you for all your postings and deliciousness.
Ronnie