Paula Deen Mama’s Pound Cake

Paula Deen Mama’s Pound Cake is a rich, buttery classic made with butter and shortening, five eggs, and three cups of sugar. It bakes for 90 minutes in a tube pan and serves 10. This is the kind of cake that shows up at every Southern family gathering, church supper, and holiday table.

The recipe calls for creaming butter and shortening together first. That step traps air into the batter, which is the only leavening besides a half teaspoon of baking powder. Rush it, and the cake turns dense. Add each egg one at a time, beating well after each, so the batter stays smooth.

Grease and flour the tube pan well, or the cake will stick. Alternate adding the dry ingredients and milk to the mixer, starting and ending with flour. Let it cool in the pan for about 10 minutes before turning it out. Wrapped tight, it keeps on the counter for three to four days.

Paula Deen Mama’s Pound Cake

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Course: DessertCuisine: American, SouthernDifficulty: Easy

Servings

10

servings

Prep time

20

minutes

Cooking time

1

hour 

30

minutes

Calories

675

kcal

A dense, golden pound cake made by creaming butter and shortening with sugar and eggs, then folding in flour alternated with milk. Baked in a tube pan until a toothpick comes out clean.

Ingredients

• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  

• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
  

• 5 eggs
  

• 3 cups all purpose flour plus more for pan
  

• 3 cups sugar
  

• 1/2 cup vegetable shortening
  

• 1/2 lb (2 sticks) butter plus more for pan
  

• 1 cup milk
  

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

• Preheat: Preheat oven to 350 °F.
• Mix and bake: With a mixer, cream butter and shortening together. To the bowl, add sugar a little at a time. Then, add eggs, 1 at a time, beating after each addition. In another bowl, stir dry ingredients together then add to mixer alternately with milk, starting with the flour and ending with the flour. Mix in vanilla. Pour into a greased and floured tube pan and bake for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.

Tools for this recipe

• KitchenAid Artisan 5-quart stand mixer, Chicago Metallic angel food tube pan, removable center, Checkered Chef cooling racks, Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon vanilla extract, 8 oz. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

Can I use all butter instead of shortening?

You can, but the texture changes. Shortening gives pound cake a softer crumb and helps it stay moist longer. All butter tastes richer but dries out faster. If you swap, use the same amount by weight.

How long does this pound cake stay fresh?

Wrapped in plastic wrap or stored in an airtight container, it stays fresh on the counter for three to four days. After that the edges dry out. Refrigerating extends it to about a week, but bring slices to room temperature before serving.

Can I freeze Mama’s Pound Cake?

Yes. Wrap the cooled cake tightly in plastic wrap, then in foil, and freeze for up to three months. Thaw on the counter overnight while still wrapped so condensation forms on the outside of the wrapping, not on the cake.

Why did my pound cake sink in the middle?

Opening the oven door too early is the most common cause. The batter needs steady heat to set. Underbaking also causes sinking, so use the toothpick test at the 60 minute mark. Do not pull the cake until the toothpick comes out clean.

Why alternate flour and milk instead of adding them all at once?

Adding all the flour at once tightens the gluten and makes the cake tough. Alternating keeps the batter loose and even. Starting and ending with flour gives the liquid something to absorb into right away, so the batter never separates.