Brown Sugar Pound Cake with Brown Sugar Icing (let’s be honest, it’s mostly caramel) is utterly delicious and just perfect for Fall. A simple classic that everyone loves. This makes a wonderful and delicious homemade gift for Christmas. The pecans add a little extra crunch to this sweet and amazing Easy Pound Cake Recipe.
Brown Sugar Pound Cake Recipe
Brown Sugar Pound Cake topped with Caramel Brown Sugar Icing and Toasted Pecans…Yum! I just love this easy pound cake recipe!
I’m a bread-making MACHINE! First the Caramel Cheesecake Stuffed Apple Bread and now this Brown Sugar Pound Cake Recipe…we are on a roll! With these two recipes combined, you can conquer Fall and especially the holidays!
As far as sweet, cakey breads go, this Easy Pound Cake Recipe is EVERYTHING. A simple classic, you cannot go wrong when making this for anyone and everyone. Plus the caramel brown sugar icing is SOOO GOOD and just pushes this recipe over the top.
Work party? Bring this. Homemade gift needed? Make this. New baby in the world? Make this for her mama. Utterly delicious, pretty, and so perfect for Fall. Everyone is going to LOVE this easy brown sugar pound cake recipe.
Brown Sugar Pound Cake with Brown Sugar Icing. You’re going to love this easy pound cake recipe for fall!
Brown Sugar Icing
Now that we have talked about the easy pound cake recipe itself, let’s PLEASE discuss this brown sugar icing. A mix between an icing that you spread on and a glaze that you pour, this icing is way too delicious. If I could dip the entire cake in the icing, I would.
Brown Sugar Icing Ingredients:
- Brown Sugar
- Powdered Sugar
- Butter
- Milk
- Vanilla
So basically everything good in life.
“Brown Sugar Icing” is actually code for CARAMEL, and that’s pretty much what it tastes like. Caramel Icing. Addicting is an understatement. The sweet brown sugar pound cake combined with the crunch of the pecans and the sweet thick layer of brown sugar icing…it’s all too much and all just right.
Easy Pound Cake Recipe
This Brown Sugar Pound Cake is genuinely hard to put down or avoid when it’s on your counter. Good luck to you all. I ate way too much of this in one sitting and I actually don’t regret it. This is why it’s great you can wear layers in the Fall and Winter. Thank goodness for sweaters when this easy pound cake recipe is around. Breakfast, snack, dessert, eat it all the live long day.
Why do they call it a Pound Cake?
True authentic Pound Cake dates back to the 1700s. The recipe called for a pound of each ingredient; butter, flour, sugar, and eggs. WOW! No wonder they call it pound cake!
What causes a Pound Cake Recipe to be too dense or sink in the middle?
If you over-mix the ingredients (thus developing the flour’s gluten too much), it will rise too high in the oven and then sink once you remove it. That will also result in a cake that is too dense/firm. Beating the eggs and dry ingredients on medium speed should help!
What does Brown Sugar Pound Cake taste like?
Is Heaven too simple of an answer?! This easy pound cake recipe is so decadent, and each bite is sweet perfection. It’s great on its own, with brown sugar icing as shown, or left alone and topped with fresh cream and sliced strawberries. It’s similar to shortcake but even better.
Is Pound Cake the same as Foam Cake?
No, pound cake has so many more calories! Pound Cake is an all-butter cake while Foam Cake is made from three basic ingredients: Eggs, Sugar, and Flour. Both are great but I think you can tell which one is my favorite.
This Easy Pound Cake Recipe became a favorite last Christmas, but we have been enjoying it year-round ever since. I hope you give it a try!
More easy dessert recipes:
- Truly Easy Angel Food Cake
- Chocolate Pound Cake
- Easy Key Lime Pie Recipe
- Carrot Cake Bars
- Easy French Silk Pie
- Easy Banana Bread Recipe
Brown Sugar Pound Cake
Equipment
- Kitchen Scale (optional)
- 2 9x5-inch loaf pan
- Stand Mixer
- Fine Mesh Sieve
Ingredients
For the Pound Cake
- 1 cup unsalted butter 227 grams, room temperature (2 sticks)
- ½ cup vegetable shortening 92 grams (½ stick)
- 2 cups brown sugar 426 grams
- 1 cup granulated sugar 200 grams
- 6 large eggs 300 grams, room temperature
- 3 cups cake flour 360 grams (SEE NOTE)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder 4 grams
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup evaporated milk 227 grams
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract 8 grams
- 1 cup chopped toasted pecans 114 grams, optional
For the Brown Sugar Glaze
- ¼ cup salted butter 57 grams (½ stick)
- ½ cup brown sugar 107 grams
- ¼ cup milk 57 grams
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 4 grams
- 2 cups powdered sugar 226 grams
- ½ cup chopped toasted pecans 57 grams, optional
Instructions
For the Pound Cake
- Grease and flour 2 9x5-inch loaf pans or spray with nonstick spray.
- Place the butter and shortening in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed until creamy. Gradually add the sugars and beat until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating after each addition, just until incorporated.1 cup unsalted butter, ½ cup vegetable shortening, 2 cups brown sugar, 1 cup granulated sugar, 6 large eggs
- In a large bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together.3 cups cake flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- In a small measuring cup, mix the milk and vanilla together.1 cup evaporated milk, 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- Add the flour to the butter/sugar mixture alternately with the milk/vanilla mixture. Begin and end with the flour mixture.
- Fold in the pecans, if using.1 cup chopped toasted pecans
- Fill the prepared loaf pans with batter and place on the middle rack of a cold oven. Set the temperature to 300°F (SEE NOTE)
- Bake for 70 minutes, test with a toothpick, and check every 5 minutes thereafter. The cake is done when the toothpick inserted in the middle comes out with just a few crumbs attached.
- Transfer cooked cake to a cooling rack 10-15 minutes. Remove from pan and cool completely on the wire rack.
For the Brown Sugar Glaze
- Melt the butter in a medium saucepan set over medium-low heat. Add the brown sugar and cook for 2 minutes, whisking constantly. Continue whisking and add the milk. Bring to a boil. Remove pan from heat and add the vanilla. Add the powdered sugar in ¼ cup increments, whisking after each addition. Whisk until drizzle is creamy and smooth. (Add more milk, if necessary, to desired thickness.)¼ cup salted butter, ½ cup brown sugar, ¼ cup milk, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, 2 cups powdered sugar
- Pour the glaze over the cooled cake. Sprinkle with toasted pecans, if desired.½ cup chopped toasted pecans
Video
Becky's Tips
- Cake Flour: If you don't have cake flour, you can make your own by measuring 3 cups of all-purpose flour, removing 6 tablespoons from the cup, and adding 6 tablespoons of cornstarch. Whisk together and sift well before using.
- NOTE: Brown Sugar Pound Cake starts in a cold oven to bake. Do NOT preheat the oven.
- If you over-mix the ingredients (thus developing the flour's gluten too much), it will rise too high in the oven and then sink once you remove it. That will also result in a cake that is too dense/firm. Beating the eggs and dry ingredients on medium speed should help!
- Feel free to swap the pecans for walnuts or cinnamon/butterscotch baking chips!
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did you make this? Leave a comment!
Hi Mercedes, did you start the cake in a cold oven? That’s a really important step to ensure it gets cooked properly all the way through! I would also recommend checking your oven temperature with an oven thermometer, as oven temps can vary up to 25°F from the listed temperature!
By shortening, co you mean Crisco? thank you!
Yes!
I substituted coconut oil for the shortening. Also does it freezer well? It made two cakes.
Yes, you can definitely freeze them!
What size cake pan/s?
Great tasting cake but recipe needs to be edited to include information about pan size and quantity, and how the pan size impacts cooking time. The recipe yielded 3 medium sized loafs for me, but I needed to cook them for 25 minutes longer than the recipe recommends.
What size pan(s)did you use for the brown sugar pound cake
Caramel frosting
in tHe good old days we called this frosting Penuche. It was used i think on lady baltimore cake but i am spitballing about that. I have the recipe in an old southern living cook book but it is in my garage and we are not talkibg about that.
It is penuChe Frosting though fOr sure someone had to really love you to make it.
Awesome info to know!
I’m also wondering about pan size. It seems like 2 loaf pans or 1 Bundt. It sounds really tasty!
Drool! This looks amazing!!
After I look this cake picture, I really hungry… :D