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Moist Vanilla Sour Cream Pound Cake Loaf

By Marley Goldin

on March 12, 2026

5 from 1 vote

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This sour cream pound cake is moist and dense with a tender crumb. The flavor is buttery and vanilla-forward, with the perfect level of sweetness. One bowl and 8 ingredients!

This Moist Sour Cream Pound Cake is buttery and rich, with just the right amount of sweetness and a subtle vanilla flavor. It has a dense texture with a tender crumb and is complete with a crispy golden-brown crust on the top and sides.

The moisture comes from a combination of the butter and sour cream. I first discovered the magic of sour cream in cake recipes when I did a thorough kitchen experiment, testing every way I could think of to Make Box Cake Mix Better.

Since then, I’ve been adding sour cream into my bakes for its unique ability to add moisture and balance the sweetness. Because as a busy mom who loves to bake, I love a one-ingredient upgrade that elevates my baking with very minimal extra effort.

This moist pound cake recipe with sour cream requires just one bowl, a loaf pan, 8 simple ingredients, and less than 10 minutes of hands-on time to make!

Overhead image of moist pound cake with sour cream with three slices stacked on top of one another so we can see the inside texture. — The sour cream in this pound cake recipe adds extra moisture for the best texture and crumb!

Sour Cream Pound Cake Ingredient Highlights

I recommend using full fat sour cream for best results. I always go for unsalted butter and add my own salt, but you can omit the extra salt and use salted butter instead.

Make sure the butter is softened. Not melted, and not too cold. For help, see How to Quickly and Easily Soften Butter.

You can use vanilla bean paste in place of vanilla extract here.

Everything you need to make sour cream pound cake including butter, sugar, vanilla extract, eggs, sour cream, flour, salt, and baking powder. — All you need to make a **moist pound cake** is butter, sugar, vanilla extract, eggs, flour, salt, baking powder, and the secret ingredient: sour cream.

Moist Vanilla Pound Cake Tips and Tricks

How to Make Pound Cake with Sour Cream

Start by creaming the butter, sugar and vanilla extract together. This will aerate the batter for a more tender crumb. Use a hand (or stand) mixer on high to beat the three ingredients until well-combined and airy.

Then, one at a time, add the eggs, mixing in between. This is the best way to integrate the eggs into the butter without the batter “breaking” and ultimately beats more air into the batter for a better-textured cake.

Next, add the sour cream and mix on low until just combined.

Finally, mix in the flour, baking powder, and salt. You should have a smooth batter. Use a rubber spatula to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to make sure everything is integrated before transferring to a prepared loaf pan.

You can line your pan, but I usually just butter it. I simply take a stick of butter and rub it around the pan, using clean hands to go back over it, ensuring the butter is spread in an even layer around the entire pan.

Make sure to get the bottom and the sides. This will easily allow the vanilla pound cake to release once it’s done baking. Bake it on the middle rack until a toothpick comes out clean.

Butter, sugar, and vanilla extract creamed together in a large mixing bowl. — Cream together the butter, sugar, and vanilla first.

Eggs beaten into butter, sugar, and vanilla extract, one at a time, to make an airy base for pound cake batter. — One at a time, beat in the eggs, mixing in between each egg.

Sour cream folded into pound cake batter to make the cake extra moist. — Mix in the sour cream.

Cake batter made with sour cream in a large mixing bowl. — Add the flour, baking powder, and salt and combine.

Pound cake batter with sour cream in a loaf pan ready to bake in the oven. — Transfer to a greased pan and bake on the middle rack.

How to Store Homemade Vanilla Pound Cake with Sour Cream

I like to slice my moist pound cake and store the slices covered at room temperature, where it will last for about a week. I do notice that it tends to start slowly drying out after 4 days.

Storing it in the refrigerator tends to dry it out more quickly, so if you want it to last longer, freeze it! In a freezer-safe bag, it will stay fresh there for about 3 months. Just thaw at room temperature before enjoying.

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