Sour Cream Pound Cake with Cinnamon Walnut Swirl
This Sour Cream Pound Cake with Cinnamon Walnut Swirl is a tasty (and easy) recipe that can be served for dessert or breakfast…or both!
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Pound cakes are one of those desserts that often face an identity crisis. Are they meant to be a dessert? Or should they be served for breakfast? They work well for both occasions, so I say let them have a split personality! Serve up with this Sour Cream Pound Cake for dessert one night, and then serve up more for breakfast the following morning. I don’t think anyone would be sad about that!
Growing up, pound cakes were always one of my favorite desserts. Put a slice in the toaster oven so it got just a little warm and crispy on the edges? Oh yeah! That made for one heck of an after-school snack!
As much as I love my Mom’s pound cake recipe, I’ve updated it slightly over the years. I’ve added some sour cream to her tried-and-true recipe. Sour cream adds moisture without thinning out the batter, and it also helps activate the baking soda. One bite of this Sour Cream Pound Cake with Cinnamon Walnut Swirl and you’ll understand why I’ve updated my Mom’s go-to pound cake recipe. This one is delicious, folks!
Sour Cream Pound Cake with Cinnamon Walnut Swirl
Sour Cream Pound Cake with Cinnamon Walnut SwirlSpeaking of delicious, I went one extra step and adding a Cinnamon Walnut Swirl into the middle of this pound cake. It’s a fun (and unexpected) treat when you slice into this one! Don’t like walnuts? That’s cool. I get it. Walnuts can be polarizing. I personally love walnuts, but pecans would be another good addition here, too. And if you don’t like nuts? Leave ’em out entirely! I promise the flavors in this Sour Cream Pound Cake will still be delicious!
One thing you’ll note about this recipe is that it takes a long time to bake. The cake stays in the oven for ~90 minutes on a relatively low temperature. I like going with the low and slow method for this sour cream pound cake as it ensures that the center is fully baked without having to worry about the top (err, bottom?) of the cake burning. (I say bottom because once the cake gets inverted, the top becomes the bottom.) Don’t worry – the sour cream ensures that the cake won’t dry out at all!
We typically serve this bundt cake by itself, but it would also be great served with fresh berries. Add a small scoop of vanilla ice cream, and you’ve got a fantastic dessert!
How to Store Leftover Pound Cake
Leftover pound cake should be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. If you don’t think you’ll finish the cake in that time, just wrap each slice in plastic wrap and place in a freezer safe bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. To thaw, let cake rest at room temperature for a couple of hours.
All together, this Sour Cream Pound Cake recipe is a classic, and the results are fantastic. The taste and texture are both amazing, and this is a good recipe to keep on hand for when friends and family are visiting. It’s definitely a crowd-pleaser!
This tasty cake can serve as dessert, breakfast or both. I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we did. It’s on our short list for favorite pound cakes! Happy baking!
Did you make this Sour Cream Pound Cake with Cinnamon Walnut Swirl at home? Leave a comment, or better yet snap a photo and tag me on Instagram (@Spicedblog). I’d love to see your version!
Sour Cream Pound Cake with Cinnamon Walnut Swirl
Ingredients
For the Cinnamon Walnut Swirl
- 1 cup chopped walnuts
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter melted
For the Cake
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1½ cups unsalted butter room temperature
- 3 cups granulated sugar
- 6 large eggs
- 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
- 8 oz. sour cream
- {optional} powdered sugar for dusting top
Instructions
For the Cinnamon Walnut Swirl
- Using a small bowl, combine walnuts, brown sugar, cinnamon and melted butter; stir until well combined. Set bowl aside.
For the Cake
- Preheat oven to 325°F.
- Using a large mixing bowl, add flour, baking soda and salt; stir until well combined. Set bowl aside.
- Using a stand mixer, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy (3-4 minutes on medium speed).
- Add eggs two at a time, mixing well after each addition.
- Add vanilla; mix until well combined.
- Add flour mixture to the bowl in 2 additions, mixing well after each addition.
- Add sour cream; mix on low speed until well combined.
- Using a rubber spatula, scrape sides of the bowl to ensure batter is well combined.
- Grease and flour a 10-12 cup Bundt pan (or generously spray with baking spray and then lightly dust with flour).
- Pour ½ of the cake batter into the prepared cake pan. Use a spoon to level the top of the batter.
- Sprinkle the walnut mixture on top of the batter. Pour remaining batter on top, and use a spoon to level batter.
- Bake for 90-95 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Let cool in pan for 10 minutes before inverting onto a wire baking rack. Let cool completely before slicing.
- {Optional} Dust top of cake with powdered sugar before serving.
Looking for more tasty pound cake recipes? Check out these other favorites, too:
Lemon Blueberry 7UP Pound Cake
Wow! 90 minutes to bake is a long time. Thanks for the heads up – I’ll just need to plan a little extra time. This pound cake looks amazing, but I can’t wait to try all your other ones too. You have quite the recipe collection of pound cakes!
I do love a good pound cake! My mother baked a lot of pound cakes growing up, and I think that’s where I got my love of the pound cake. They do take a bit of extra time to bake, though – it seems too long, but it’s not at all. I hope you get a chance to try this one, Kathy. It’s amazing!
For dessert and breakfast please! I love everything about this pound cake, David. And that cinnamon walnut swirl is so pretty!
Haha – I agree, Marissa! Pound cake all day, every day. 🙂
I can see why it’s a favourite, especially when toasted (and maybe a smear of butter)! A big slice of this is just what my afternoon coffee needs 🙂 Hope you have a wonderful week ahead, David!
Oh man, a lightly toasted piece of pound cake is amazing, Dawn! In fact, I think I just heard my belly grumble at the thought of that one. 🙂 Thanks so much, my friend!
To be completely honest, a pound cake has never been my first choice. It’s a little too simple and boring kind of cake (A lemon pound cake is an exception. Also, a dulce de leche pound cake would definitely be an exception. As you also mentioned correctly, toasting a slice of pound cake elevates it to a new level. Wait, have you ever grilled it? It’s so good too! Well, after all, I do enjoy a pound cake every now and then, ha!) That being said, that this creation looks stunning, and this walnut cinnamon swirl makes the difference. This cake is nothing but exciting and delicious!
I do agree with you that a pound cake can be very simple – but I think that’s what I like about it. (Of course, I’m the guy that loves vanilla flavored everything!) I have indeed tried grilling pound cake before. That was a fun one – but it was years ago. I should try that again…when it warms up. Haha! Thanks, Ben!
i like the idea of the cinnamon swirl! there’s something about a Bundt cake, isn’t there? I’ve seen so many on the net lately:) Love ’em!
There really is something about a Bundt cake – they feel so old fashioned, but in the best way possible. I love ’em, too, Sherry!
Because I have tried many of your recipes, I can tell how delicious this cake must taste. 🙂
Thank you so much, Muna! I really do appreciate your support. 🙂 (And, yes, this cake is amazing!)
David, I love pound cake and think of it as a snack, breakfast, lunch, or dinner. I too enjoy it toasted, but for a special treat, I spread strawberry jam on the warm pound cake. It’s also my go-to cake to use with fresh strawberries. I love the idea of the walnut swirl. I might not even need the jam with the swirl…
Oh, I’m with ya on the pound cake train, Ron. Pound cake is a good decision any time of the day! The jam sounds like a great idea – I don’t think I’ve tried that yet. And as far as the jam with the swirl? Go ahead – it’s the holidays! 🙂
Love the “split personality!” So funny, and true. I feel that way about most short/quick breads and muffins, too. 🙂 Well, whenever I eat this, it’s amazing. Happy Thanksgiving, David. ~Valentina
Thanks so much, Valentina! I hope you and your family had a great Thanksgiving as well. 🙂 And I hope there was pound cake involved!
Why not a breakfast dessert! I would love to have desserts on my breakfast if it is as good as this
Haha – I’m with you, Raymund! Dessert…breakfast…anywhere in between…it’s always time for a slice of pound cake!
Like you, David, I’m a big fan of pound cakes! I usually like mine pretty traditional, but I think the swirl and the nuts do make it more breakfast-like. And I also like the idea of dessert, and then breakfast, because there’s bound to be a little leftover, right?
A pound cake is one of those special things – breakfast, dessert, anywhere in between – it always works! And the cinnamon + nut swirl does add a fun little twist to this recipe. I highly recommend it! 🙂
I love this fusion of coffee cake and pound cake in one! Also props for “fancifying” it in a bundt pan! Love the addition of cinnamon and walnuts 🙂 Be sure to save me a slice!
I’m all about the pound cakes lately! The cinnamon-walnut swirl in this one is a fun little twist, and I highly recommend cutting off a slice for breakfast (or dessert) sometime during the holidays. Thanks, Michelle!
Did anyone else have a problem with the batter growing over the sides of the bundt pan? The cake is delicious but the recipe is far too large for a standard bundt pan.
Hey Rose! We’ve made this pound cake a handful of times, and we’ve never had any trouble with it growing over the sides. I double-checked the size of our Bundt pan, and it’s a 12-cup pan. I’m sorry your cake overflowed – but I hope it was still tasty!! 🙂
I didn’t have a problem with it baking up out of the standard Bundt pan that I used. I did, e however, bake it at 300, so the bottom wouldn’t get too brown. Still for 90 minutes. It came out perfect!
Excellent tip on the baking temperature, Maryann – I’m so glad you enjoyed this cake. It’s one of our favorites here!! 🙂