February 10th, 2010
Perfect Pound Cake
This post is linked to the Valentine’s Day roundup at Ellen’s I Am Gluten Free, Gluten-Free Wednesdays over at Linda’s blog, Diane’s Friday Foodie Fix–Coconut Milk, and Gluten-Free Holiday: Gifts of Good Taste.
Today’s recipe is the third installment of SSS … a Suite of Sweets for Sweethearts.
When I was growing up, pound cake was a family favorite. Bake a good pound cake and you were loved by all. Seriously. There was no gift I could give my grandmother (my dad’s mom) that she would have preferred over my pound cake. Grandma loved pound cake, and she said mine were the best. You see … before going gluten free, I made all kinds of pound cakes. There were classic pound cakes, orange pound cakes, lemon pound cakes, cream cheese pound cakes, chocolate pound cakes, and marble pound cakes … to name a few. Some were baked in tube pans. Some were prettiest if cooked in Bundt pans. Some were 8-inches square. Others were baked in loaf pans. Some were served plain. Some required a dusting of powdered sugar. Some needed a thin drizzle of icing. But, one thing they all had in common was how good they were. Everyone in my family and circle of friends had their own personal favorite of my pound cakes. I’ve been gluten free for well over 6 years now. I have not baked a really good gluten-free pound cake in that time (although I’ve tried several). Until … Now.
This pound cake recipe is another gfe recipe that uses olive oil as the shortening. It’s from the Filippo Berio site, which was also the source of the Mediterranean Chocolate Cake recipe that I converted to gluten free. I made this cake dairy free by using coconut milk, although you can use dairy milk if you like. However, I’m pretty sold on the moisture and dense texture provided by the coconut milk in this recipe. If you consistently eat dairy, this just might be one time you want to try eating dairy free.
I made this pound cake for my dad’s birthday. Good thing the recipe made two loaves. Son was home for the weekend and ended up eating almost one entire loaf by himself, and then more later. He told me I should sell this cake in individual slices for $4 or $5 … “Mom, I’m serious. You could make a fortune.” (And, he’s mentioned his love of this cake and his entrepreneurial ideas for me several times since.) Before he headed home, he asked me to slice the remaining part of the loaf into individual pieces as a “to-go package” for easy eating while on the road. Then, he offered to deliver the remaining pound cake loaf to Dad when he stopped by to say hello on his way out of town. Do I need to tell you what happened? He ate all of his to-go package before he arrived and then ate some more of Dad’s pound cake when it was offered. In case you need any more endorsement than that, please know that this cake is very easy to make and delightfully moist. All the previous gluten-free pound cakes I’ve made were dry the following day (if not later that same day), but that’s not the case with this one.
Perfect Pound Cake
(Click here for a print version of this recipe.)
2 ¼ cups gluten-free flour*
1 ½ tsp xanthan gum
1 ¼ tsp sea salt
1 tsp baking powder
¾ cup light olive oil
1 ½ cups sugar
2 tbsp orange juice
2 tsp vanilla extract (I used my homemade vanilla extract)
3 large eggs
2/3 cup full-fat coconut milk (dairy milk or another non-dairy milk can also be used)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. (Update: Reader Wendy lives at a higher altitude—6600 ft—and she adjusted oven temperature to 375 degrees, per her comment below.)
Combine flour, xanthan gum, sea salt, and baking powder in an extra large measuring cup or separate bowl. Set aside.
Pour olive oil into large bowl, and slowly mix in sugar, orange juice, and vanilla extract.
Add eggs one at a time, stirring after each addition.
Add milk. Mix 2 minutes. Gradually add dry ingredients into wet ingredients, mixing well.
Pour batter into two greased loaf pans.
Bake for 50 – 55 minutes.
*I can’t tolerate many of the healthier, gluten-free flours; e.g., sorghum, buckwheat. Therefore, my gluten-free flour mix is 3 parts Asian white rice flour and 2 parts cornstarch. I gently mix three one-lb bags of the Asian white rice flour and two one-lb boxes of cornstarch in a very large bowl and then store the mix in several airtight containers (like large glass jars). No refrigeration is needed. But feel free to use whichever flour mix you use most often for baking, and If you’d like to learn more about how to select the right gluten-free flour for all your recipes, you’ll want to check out Amy’s (Simply Sugar & Gluten-Free) current series on Understanding & Choosing Gluten-Free Flour—Part 1 here and Part 2 here. If you’re not gluten free, you may use all-purpose flour and omit the xanthan gum.
Adapted from Filippio Berio
Shirley’s Notes: I imagine that coconut oil would work fine in this recipe. Pans can be greased with whichever oil you use. Two loaf pans are what the original recipe calls for and what I used. Don’t worry too much over the size of the pans, although you may have to adjust cooking times. The original recipe called for 6 3/4″ x 3 1/2″ x 2″ loaf pans. I (and one gfe reader) used 8 1/2″ x 4 1/2″ x 2 5/8″ pans. I don’t taste either the coconut milk or orange juice in this recipe; perhaps they balance each other, but all I taste is “good.” Last, I love the crunchy edges of this pound cake recipe. The end pieces are my absolute favorite.
If you are a not a fan of pound cake as a dessert by itself, feel free to top a slice with some fresh fruit (e.g., strawberries for a strawberry shortcake-type dish). Or drizzle with your favorite chocolate or fruit syrup. Finally, you could take H.Peter’s (a.k.a. The Celiac Husband) Valentine’s Day advice and make an elegant pot of chocolate fondue. It’s easy to cut pound cake into squares, skewer with a toothpick, and dip into thick chocolate fondue. Easy, gluten-free chocolate fondue recipes abound. Here’s a dark chocolate one from Simply Recipes. (I am definitely craving fondue after looking at the photo!) I even found a chocolate fondue recipe that was free of most allergens over at Alisa’s site, Go Dairy Free. You can check it out here. I suspect it might be easy to make a fondue using the coconut milk left over from this pound cake recipe with some dairy-free chocolate. In fact, I’ll do that and report back eventually—promise. As H.Peter suggested, fondue would be a fun thing to do for Valentine’s Day. I attended a party at Christmas where there was chocolate fondue. But, the fondue had already been cross-contaminated from folks dipping in hunks of gluten-containing pound cake, so it didn’t matter that there was fruit available for dipping. I was a bit disappointed, so I think having a chocolate fondue party for two would be something special for us to do on Valentine’s Day. Hey, maybe we’ll even kick it in early if we lose power with this current storm. Making fondue on the wood stove by candlelight might just be the ticket to making the darkness a little more enjoyable. However, I’m really hoping the power will stay on … it’s not that I’m unromantic … really it’s not. How will I be able to bring you the rest of a Suite of Sweets for Sweethearts, if I lose power?
Don’t forget to check out the previous SSS entries … Surprise Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream and Cinnamon-Sugar-Crusted Almond Popovers. Last, Amy (Simply Sugar & Gluten-Free) is having a giveaway for the wonderful book, I Love Dessert, by food allergy expert, Nicolette Dumke. Head over Amy’s to enter the giveway!
Shirley
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Comments
116 Responses to “Perfect Pound Cake”
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Hi Shirley! Thank you for sharing this wonderful poundcake recipe! Like you, I also LOVE poundcake and would be thrilled to make a gluten free one for my husband. Just a thought about the orange juice..I like to make chunky applesauce with a little sugar, cinnamon and ORANGE JUICE! When I told my Dad this, he made an Apple Cobbler with orange segments! It was wonderful! This is how he put it…”You cain’t really taste the orange..it’s just good.” (Hope you don’t mind me spelling “can’t” that way…but my father is 83 and has a wonderful Southern country boy accent..and is STILL a wonderful cook!) Thanks again for a great recipe! Kay Guest
Hey there, Kay!–I always love your comments.
I can just hear your dad saying this. We speak Southern here at gfe! And, how right your dad is … you can’t taste the orange or the coconut, but it does make it taste good … really good! BTW, I’ve never heard of adding orange juice or orange segments to apple dishes, but why not? It’s amazing how unexpected additions can change a recipe with the subtle flavors added. Major kudos to your dad who’s still cooking great food at 83! Now, since you’re a pound cake girl, I think you’ll really like this one and hope your hubby does, too! Let us know, of course. 
Shirley
YUMM! YUMM! I love pound cake with strawberries and some whippy! Looks Delish!
xoxo
Hi Pam–It’s always nice to get your approval! LOL “Whippy” … you make everything sound more fun.
Thanks so much! Hugs,
Shirley
I don’t think I ever had a really good pound cake…even when I was eating gluten. I would definitely try this one when I’m eating normally again.
It looks nice and moist.
Iris–I may be visiting Son tomorrow, so I might have to make this recipe again this evening. I’m imaging that delicious end piece right now.
Sounds like you deserve a really good pound cake. Good pound cake is a fine thing indeed. Let me know when you make it … gosh, you have a “to make” list piling up for after your elimination diet. 
Shirley
Wow. Sounds wonderful. I only fairly recently came to love pound cake. When I was a kid, the only pound cakes I remember were store-bought…blech. Dry and forgettable. But the widow of our company’s founder and former CEO bakes all sorts of goodies for our company every Christmas, and before I went gluten-free, I remember having a lemon pound cake she made. Heaven. If I wanted to make a lemon version of this cake, how would you recommend I modify it? Should I sub lemon juice for the OJ, add some lemon zest, and drizzle with a lemon glaze? Oh my, I’m craving it already.
Hi Alta–Thanks! Yes, I remember those store-bought pound cakes. Few things tasted more processed than those! Oooh, that lemon pound cake sounds wonderful. I think your ideas for making a lemon version of this recipe sound good. While I don’t advise tasting raw eggs, if you’re one who tastes cookie dough, you might even taste the batter to see if it’s lemony enough. The lemon juice is probably not enough to make a lemon taste unless you use dairy milk vs coconut milk (I think the thick coconut milk “disguises” the fruit juice added. But, the lemon zest and lemon glaze should do the trick nicely. I’m imagining the flavors right now myself … yum.
Shirley
Okay so I made this tonight. Several things – fyi, in your steps, you don’t mention when to add the sugar, juice, or vanilla extract. (I just added dry to dry, wet to wet.) Anyway, I made a lemon version – I used the zest and juice of 2 lemons. Also added 1 tsp of almond extract. I think next time I need to change up a few things. One, I added more juice than you called for, and I didn’t really up my dry ingredients. I also baked it in a single 5 X 9 loaf pan. I took it out at 60 minutes, but it was still underdone in the center. Should I have split the batter into 2 loaf pans of this size? Or maybe lowered the temp and just baked longer – with a bit more flour mixture, perhaps. Even still, the flavor in this cake was absolutely delicious. I am definitely making it again.
Hi Alta–Thanks so much for the feedback; it’s always greatly appreciated. Yep, I see that I left out part of a step. The sugar, juice, and vanilla extract get added to the olive oil, but as you determined, wet to wet and dry to dry works, too. My sincere apologies for the omission … I’ve fixed it now. The recipe is designed for two loaf pans, and I just added more wording to make that clear. Because lemons vary in size and how much juice you can get from two equal-sized lemons even varies greatly, I like using measurements for the amounts of juice. (I’m the same when it comes to mashed bananas, etc. in recipes.) I just did some looking around at other lemon pound cake recipes to see how much lemon juice and zest were added. Of course, the amounts varied greatly. But, if you don’t want to adjust the flour amount (and I’d be hesitant to know the exact adjustment to make), I’d go for about 2 tsp lemon juice and 4 tsp lemon zest, for this recipe next time. A small amount of lemon extract could be added, too, to help add that little sharp pucker of lemon taste without adding extra liquid. Finally, if the cake still comes out with less lemon taste than you’d like, you could make a lovely lemon glaze with your remaining lemon juice. There are many recipes online, but just adding lemon juice to some confectioner’s sugar or mixing lemon juice and agave and heating/reducing until syrup thickness should provide a nice glaze to pour or drizzle over your pound cake. Hope that helps! I’m so very sorry about the glitches, but I’m thrilled that you found your cake “absolutely delicious” despite the difficulties.
I’ll be anxious to hear how your next one turns out!
Thanks again, Alta.
Shirley
Thanks so much again Shirley. Well, my juice measured to 4 tablespoons, so that was part of it. The zest was nearly a tablespoon – but adding more zest would’ve definitely been the way to boost the flavor (and the yummy yellow lemon color!). I thought about lemon extract as I was tasting the batter…of course, I don’t have any. Anyway, wonderful recipe – and my favorite parts were the crusts too!
Alta–You’re welcome, of course.
Sounds like you’ve figured out a great plan for your next version of this cake … I’ll be looking forward to it on your blog! Of course, I’ve been wanting lemon pound cake ever since I read your comment. I think it would be great for a girlfriends’ tea or a support group meeting. There are only two of us at home the majority of time, so I have to be careful when I make these goodies. 
Thanks!
Shirley
Great recipes!
One thing I have found helpful is to add frozen juice concentrates to recipes to get that intense flavor. Try a natural frozen lemonade concentrate (melted) in place of the juice.
Hi Val–First, welcome to gfe! I believe you may be on the gfe FB page, but this is your first time commenting here. I appreciate it, and your very kind words!
For those who use frozen juice concentrates, that is a great idea for more intense flavor indeed.
Shirley
I have all of these ingredients at home, so I am soooo making this tonight! Thanks for posting this recipe. I am soooo excited to make it.
Yadi–I’m waiting to hear … hoping this recipe turned out phenomenally for you.
I always worry when others make my recipes. Fingers (and toes) crossed …
Shirley
I’ve been SEARCHING for the perfect GF pound cake recipe (to no avail), so I cannnnnnnot wait to try this. Thank you, thank you. I need to buy eggs and then I can get to work. I can taste it now. Yummmmm.
Hi Jenn–You’re welcome and thank you for always taking the time to leave such “warm fuzzy” comments!
I can’t wait to hear what you think. Yes, yummm, for sure. 
Shirley
Thank you for this recipe and all the others you have shared with us.
My mother taught me a decadent way to eat pound cake, which would work great when it gets a little dry.
She would toast slices under the broiler then spread them with butter.
YUMMMM!
She also introduced me to hot fudge sundays, and whipped cream in coffee. Bad mommy!
Aww, thanks so much, Wendy! It’s my pleasure to share with you and others.
Thanks for sharing your mom’s tips. LOL on “bad mommy” … she sure sounds like fun! My mom would broil leftover pound cake, too. We didn’t add butter though. She also broiled cake doughnuts … they were like the best thing on earth. Seriously. Better than eating one as it was. When I make gluten-free doughnuts, I need to broil a few. Stay tuned. 
Hugs,
Shirley
P.S. Looks like you’re new to gfe (or at least commenting)—let me extend an official welcome!
Pound cake for me only happens with fondue. I’ve never really had it as dessert though (although I have been eyeing a few lately ;D). This looks super yummy. Want to send me some? I’d be up for any type ;D.
Hi Lauren–Hey, if that’s the only way you’ve had pound cake before, that’s not bad at all! Yes, super yummy, so it might be time to change your ways. LOL
I’m so glad you’re flexible on what kind you’ll accept. I’ll see what I can do. 
Shirley
Oh my goodness, would you look at that cake! Wow, you nailed it
One of these days when I’m ambitious again
I’ll have to try this.
I wondered if you could send me that link to the Easy Eats publication? Thanks for letting me know about that! Congrats to you too!
I just made this, it’s soooo good! My (rather picky) 4 year old son can’t get enough of it! I’ve had a hard time finding a cake he likes (not that that’s such a bad thing)for birthdays, etc. He keeps coming back into the kitchen and asking for more. We’ll be having this along with some gf brownies, marshmallows and fruit with chocolate fondue sunday night. Thanks for the great recipe!
Hi Kassia–Great to see you again!
Oh my goodness, I am just thrilled that the pound cake turned out so well for you and your son loves it. Just makes my day plus much more. I was agonizing earlier today, thinking that perhaps I had entered the recipe info wrong. So it’s such wonderful news on that front as well to hear that the recipe worked great for you. 
Sounds like you have a very special and fun Valentine’s Day evening planned. Love that! Enjoy! Thanks so much for taking the time to comment with such good news!
Shirley
This pound cake is the real deal. I’ve been trying pound cake recipes since going GF and haven’t found one that comes close, let alone a dairy-free recipe. Who would have thought that olive oil and coconut milk are the secrets of wonderful GF pound cake?! You did, apparently. Thank you for a wonderful, wonderful recipe. The only downside is that I cannot stop eating it. The crust and texture are so impressive; this is my new cake of choice.
I used two 8×4 pans, and they baked to perfection in about 55 minutes
Hi Jenn–I’m doing back flips here … such great news! I’ve been waiting anxiously to hear your feedback.
I’ve been learning that olive oil makes rich baked goods and I just used coconut milk because that’s my “go-to” non-dairy milk. And, yes, it just so happens that the combination makes for a great pound cake. Gluten-free, dairy-free baking serendipity. 
And, frankly, I’m still amazed that you can get two loaves of great pound cake from a recipe that only requires 3 eggs. Usually pound cakes require about twice that number. So another winning factor.
Thank you so much for taking the time to let us know about your success!
Shirley
This is my husband’s kind of cake. Thanks. Thanks from him, too. He just doesn’t know it yet.
Chaya–LOL … hope your husband and you both love the pound cake. Please let us know.
Shirley
Absolutely gorgeous pound cake! I imagine this would be very good with a strawberry or raspberry coulis on top of it too, though fondue is always tasty. So sorry that you can’t enjoy a lot of other flours, but it looks like this pound cake did just fine with rice flour and cornstarch!
Hey Jenn–Nice to see you, and thanks so much! Every dish you make has star photo quality, so your praise makes me feel good.
Oh, yes, either coulis would be lovely and make this a high-end restaurant quality dessert. Even though I can’t tolerate the other flours, I’m sure you could use a healthier, but still “light” flour mix. I’ve found the white rice flour and cornstarch mix to work well in most recipes. I did just get some finely ground brown rice flour and plan to experiment with adding that into my flour mix some.
Thanks again … need to visit your blog and see what you’ve been cooking up of late!
Shirley
I made this pound cake today, YUMMY! I live at 6600ft and the only adjustment I made for the altitude was to bake it at 375 instead of 350. This helps set the structure.
Wendy in NM
Hi Wendy–Thank so much for letting us know! Great news!
I especially appreciate the info about the altitude adjustment. I’m going to add that info into the post, because it could be really helpful to others.
Now I hope your cake stays nice and moist, so you don’t have to go decadent and broil with butter.
Thanks so much!
Shirley
Shirley, I made this PERFECT Pound Cake. It truly is PERFECT. Since I only have one loaf pan, I made one loaf and the rest of the batter, I put into two cake pans, and just made a simple icing and made a two layer cake with vanilla icing!(Of course, the two small cakes cooked in half the time.) My husband loved them both! I followed your directions exactly and so I thank you for this great recipe. Please anyone reading this, MAKE THIS CAKE! Forget any dry poundcake you have eaten in the past, this is the moistest cake ever! Thanks again, Shirley!
Kay
Hi Kay–Thanks so much for your wonderful review! And, it sounds like you turned your loaf pan deficit into a cake bonanza—very creative and yummy! I’m so glad your husband really enjoyed both versions.
I always greatly appreciate your comments and your feedback, Kay! Hmmm, I’m thinking I need to try your layer-cake version …
Shirley
THANK YOU……
I have been trying to figure out a recipe like this of years…I will be trying this on Saturday. I thank you and my family thanks you..
so excited…
Live Laugh and Enjoy!
Hi Fire-Eyes! Awww, you’re welcome.
I’ll be looking forward to your feedback. Keeping my fingers crossed that your experience will be like all the other positive ones. BTW, Alta over at Tasty Eats At Home, even made a lemon version of this pound cake. You can read about the changes she made and see her drool-worthy photo here.
I’ll be waiting …
Shirley
Somehow I missed this recipe last month, so I’m glad you linked up this week. It looks delicious and I hope to give it a try soon.
Thanks, Linda. So far everyone has loved this recipe. I hope you and your family will, too!
Shirley
MMMM, pound cake! I can’t wait for strawberry season to accompany this. Looks delicious!
Hi Brian–Thanks! I remember you making a pretty fine pound cake last year, too.
Strawberries are a great topping for pound cake. I’m ready for the warmer weather that will bring fresh strawberries!
Shirley
Do you think the recipe would work with ‘Pamela’s Baking Mix’instead of the gf blend, leaving out the baking powder since this mix already has it in it??
Thanks for your input.
Stacey
Hi Stacey–Welcome to gfe!
I looked at Pamela’s site and found this info, which says that Pamela’s baking mix contains 1 tsp baking powder and 1/4 tsp baking soda. So, you’re right, definitely leave out the baking powder. Of course, the pound cake doesn’t call for baking soda, but that is such a small amount that I’m hoping it won’t have a negative effect. I can’t say with 100% certainty that Pamela’s mix will work, but it should. Give it a try and report back please. I’m sure others use Pamela’s mix and would appreciate the info on how it works for this recipe. Fingers crossed! 
Shirley
Wow Shirley! I just saw this post today, via The Cinnamon Quill, beautiful! This is precisely why I NEVER GET ANYTHING DONE! I have dropped what I was planning to do because I must now have pound cake!
Thank you.
Have you ever used Ground Mace in a pound cake?
Hi Heidi–I’m wondering if you made the pound cake. I must make another one soon because Son has been whining for, uh, I mean asking for one.
I haven’t made a pound cake with mace, but I may have enjoyed one before going gf. I used to have mace in my spice cabinet, but don’t think I do right now. I used it in gingerbread if I recall. Can’t wait to hear about your version and how it turns out … fingers crossed! 
Shirley
Hi Shirley,
I just was referred to your site via The Cinnamon Quill and love your sweet sense of humor. I am recently diagnosed gluten/egg/garlic(??) intolerant and am new to GF recipes. I wonder if you would be willing to try to alter a friend’s favorite sweet bread recipe? I will leave the recipe here and wait for a reply as to whether you are interested or not.
1 pkgs yeast
1/4 C warm water
1 C Whipping Cream
1/4 Evaporated Milk
3 Egg yolks
3 1/3 C flour
1/42 C Sugar
1 tsp Salt
1/2 C Butter
Dissolve yeast in warm water. Mix in cream, milk, egg yolks. Stir flour, sugar, salt. Cut in butter w/ pastry blender. Stir yeast mixture into dry, incorporate well. Spread dough with light film of butter to prevent drying, cover and refrig. Shape and bake. My friend fills with cinnamon/sugar/butter then drizzles cream cheese/sugar/lemon glaze over top or sometimes fills with Almond paste/sugar/sliced almonds w same glaze… I LOVE these and think I can never eat them again, unless you can help? Blessings to you,
Toni
Hi Toni–Welcome to gfe! What a very nice thing to say about my sense of humor—thank you! How wonderful that you came over from Jennifer’s blog, Cinnamon Quill … she’s one of my faves.
As far as your listing, when I was first diagnosed gluten intolerant, I was also diagnosed as intolerant to some other foods like onions, egg whites, and a few other strange ones that I can’t remember. I mention that since you are questioning the garlic intolerance. In my case, I didn’t eat those others for the first 6 mos I was gluten intolerant. Then I started reintroducing them. Most I have no isssues with now. Some doctors think that it’s the whole leaky gut issue and you’re going to test sensitive/intolerant to whatever you’re eating at the time … until you heal. Gluten stays off the table, but it’s possible that you may be able to eat the others another time. All that depends on what your doctor says, what type of testing you had, etc.
Now as far as your recipe, based on your issues, you’re asking me to convert this to both gluten free and egg free, right? While I’d be happy to convert it to gluten free, converting it to egg free would not be in my current area of expertise. I just haven’t done much in the way of egg-free baking. BUT, I can give it a try some time using flax meal and water (to make a substitute for an egg). I’m just not sure when because I have lots going on right now with my support group and presentations in the community and other commitments. I have lot of blogging buddies who do egg-free, gf baking, but in those cases they are usually dairy free, too. I’ll do my best and get back to you though. And, please know that you’ll find new versions of your old favorites or even better versions gluten free. It will all work out and you’ll feel so much better not eating foods you are intolerant to.
Thanks for stopping by. Hope to see you again! All the best,
Shirley
I made this cake and it is fabulous!!
The only change I made was to put it in a bundt pan. I greased and rice floured the pan. It took the same amount of time to bake. My family can’t believe that it is gluten-free. This is definitely my ‘go to’ cake from now on.
Thank you, Shirley!
Hi Shelly–Thanks so much for taking the time to comment and let us all here at gfe know about your success with my pound cake recipe! I love that you made it in a Bundt pan. I’m going to do that … maybe tomorrow as I have a birthday party for which I’m providing the dessert.
I love that I’ve given you your new “go to” cake recipe. That just makes my day!
Thanks again, Shelly! Many hugs,
Shirley
I can confirm that this recipe works wonderfully with the Pamela’s Baking Mix — I made it tonight and fed it to my (gluten-eating) family with strawberries, and we all loved it. I didn’t have any coconut milk on hand, so I used a combination of milk and Greek yogurt (trying to approximate the thickness of coconut milk) and it seemed to work.
Since giving up wheat I have all but given up baked goods, as the GF stuff always seems hardly worth the bother and calories. But this I will definitely make again. Thank you!!
Hi Mir–It looks like it might be your first time commenting here at gfe–welcome!
I’m so excited that you had this wonderful success with the pound cake recipe! I love when you can make gluten-free recipes that keep you safe (presumedly, you are the one who is eating gf), but that you all can enjoy eating. I think you’ll find lots of baking recipes here at gfe that meet that criteria. 
Thanks so much!
Shirley
A solution to achieving a good lemony taste for pound cake is to use Boyajian’s Pure Lemon Oil in place of lemon juice and zest. I bought mine at Williams Sonoma but I’m sure you can find it elsewhere on the internet. It is extremely concentrated. It is also incredible when used in a lemon glaze.
Thanks for your gluten/dairy/soy free baking suggestions. My husband is most grateful!
Hi Selene–Welcome to gfe!
Thanks so much for the tip on the pure lemon oil! Of course, I had to search for it right away and found it at Amazon. I love the sound of it! I found that you can buy it individually or in sampler packs with orange oil and lime oil. All sound great to me! Key lime pound cake, perhaps? I like the idea of that, too. And, lemon glaze … ooh, must try. If I don’t get this from Amazon right away, I’ll certainly look for it the next time I’m at Williams Sonoma. Thanks so much for telling all of us at gfe about it, Selene!
Thanks, too, for the kind words on my my recipes … it’s so rewarding to know that folks are finding the recipes helpful! All the best to you and your husband and look forward to seeing you here more at gfe!
Shirley
This pound cake is amazing. Not only is the crust excellent, but the taste and texture are wonderful – even the day after! I can’t imagine why anyone would want to dip this in fondue because it’s so good all by itself.
When I greased the pans, I sprinkled sugar on it too. I read about doing that with another sweet bread and it’s pretty good – either straight sugar or a cinnamon-sugar mix.
I also really appreciate the GFE flexibility of using whatever GF flour mix I have on hand. I don’t feel comfortable doing that when the recipe gives a specific combination of flours in a recipe. And whenever someone says to use their “special” blend, it always makes too much and then what do I do with the left over 1/4 – 1/2 cup of their special blend? I put it in GFE recipes!!! For this recipe, I used the authentic flour brand blend and reduced the xanthan gum by 1/2 teaspoon and in case I haven’t already made this clear, it made an unbelievably wonderful perfect pound cake. Thank you so much for this recipe!!!
Hi Kathy–Thanks so very much for coming back with this delightful report on my pound cake! I use the cinnamon-sugar mix on my molasses banana bread and my special popovers, but haven’t tried it on pound cake yet.
Bet it makes a lovely presentation, too.
I’m so glad you are using and appreciating the gfe concept! It just makes life so much simpler, doesn’t it? I greatly admire folks who know all the “chemistry” of flours and like figuring out the best texture for each recipe, but I like to keep it simple for myself and others. I appreciate you sharing your variations on this recipe, and I’m tickled pink that you love it so much. I’m actually going to make this recipe for a neighbor a little later.
Hugs,
Shirley
Just made this today and it is SO good! Yum! I used a mix of rice flour and potato starch since that is what I had on hand. I actually am using it for a dessert for the 4th of July that calls for pound cake. I only used one loaf for that recipe, so I cubed up the second loaf and will use it for strawberry shortcake! I’m so glad I found this recipe. Thanks!!!
Hi Melissa–First, it looks like you are new to gfe—welcome.
Now as far as your success with my pound cake recipe … I’m doing the happy dance here! 
It’s absolutely wonderful to get your feedback! Two desserts from the one recipe sounds even better—great job. 
I have a brand new recipe index. I hope you’ll look around and find others that you like. 
All the best and happy 4th!
Shirley
WOW, WOW, WOW, Shirley!!!! This is amazingly delicious pound cake: so dense, moist, and perfect! Thanks so much for sharing the recipe.
Hi DP–Oh, what happy, happy feedback—thanks so very much! You have totally made my day.
I’m thrilled you enjoyed my pound cake so much! Son just fussed at me for not having one made yet for his visit home. 
And, it looks like you are new to gfe–welcome!
Thanks again … have a great weekend, DP!
Shirley
Thanks for the warm welcome, Shirley! You made my day when I made this a couple of weeks ago, so I’m happy to have made your day!
I look forward to trying more of your recipes. However, I’m going to make the pound cake again this weekend and wanted to ask you if you have tried making a lemon version, either as part of the cake itself or with a glaze. Please advise as I’m not a very good baker. Thanks!
DP–
I haven’t made a lemon version, but my friend, Alta (Tasty Eats At Home), made a lemon version of my pound cake AND with a glaze, so you’re in luck! You can read her modifications here. They’re very simple, so you should have no problems making it, although I doubt what you say about not being a very good baker. 
Again, check out Alta’s photo and directions here. Hope you’ll report back to both me and Alta, if you’re successful! BTW, this question came at the perfect time because I’m writing a post on great food Christmas gifts and I’d mentioned my pound cake, but had forgotten about Alta’s lemon version. Now I’ve inluded that, thanks to you! 
Hugs,
Shirley
Hey there Shirley!
I’m new to your site and so excited!!!!!!!!!
Quick question, As you know Thanksgiving is rapidly approaching…will your recipe work wi:
-a bundt pat
-Jules Gluten Free All Purpose Flour
and lastly coconut sugar/?
all the best
Hi Johnetta–Welcome to gfe! I LOVE your enthusiasm … you’ve perked me up this Sunday afternoon as the daylight is already starting to fade in our woods.
First question … in the comments you’ll see that one of my friends/readers made it successfully in a Bundt pan.
Second question … Jules should work great, but Jules already contains xanthan gum so you need to leave that out.
Third question … I have not tried this recipe with coconut sugar yet. I love coconut sugar and think it *should* work, but can’t be certain. Want to be our guinea pig and let us know what happens? Fingers crossed …
Shirley
Hi Shirley!!!!!!!!!!!
You ROCK:-)
Thank you for your “kind” zippy response. I’d love to be the guinea pig from not just the coconut sugar way. I’ve never made a pound cake and love them soooo. My grandmother and auntie have been the master bakers for decades but my fam. are the only GF one’s in the family. I looke forward to wowing everyone:-)
I know it’ll be fantastic – YUMMM
ohhh Happy Thanksgiving – All
Hey Johnetta–I wasn’t quite as zippy on this one.
And, BIG THANKS on your kind words … like I said before, you sure know how to make a girl feel good. 
Hope you’ll do a test run before you share with others just in case the coconut sugar “behaves” differently. Otherwise, I know this pound cake will lift you to that master baker pedestal! Yes, even with a gluten-free pound cake.
Like I said, fingers crossed on the coconut sugar. If I had some on hand, I’d give it a try right away myself.
Happy Thanksgiving to you, too, dear!
Shirley
Shirley, forgive me for not reporting back right away. I made the lemon version, and it was amazing! the only problem I had was the icing being too watery, but adding more powdered sugar fixed that right up! I also made a version of the regular pound cake with butter, and it was to die for! I’m about to try your molasses pumpkin bread/cake and, if I have time, some cookies, too. Then I’m going to have to run a marathon to burn off all the calories!
Hey there, DP!–Great news on the lemon version.
Oh, I bet the cake would be scrumptious with butter, too. Thanks for sharing your success on both version. Have fun with all your gfe baking! And, LOL, on the marathon … I think we’ll all need to be there running beside you! 
Hugs,
Shirley
Am having a dinner party sat. and want to try the pound cake and use a reciepe on the none glut free cake you buy were you poke holes and add the milks to it and refrig. What do you think? Have you made it in a bunte pan yet?
Hi vickie–Welcome to gfe!
I’m excited you’re trying the perfect pound cake; folks love it! First, while I personally haven’t made this in a Bundt pan yet, one of my friends did and she shared her experience in comments. Bottom line—she said it worked great. As far as your other question, it sounds like you want to poke holes and pour a glaze-like mixture over all to allow the glaze to seep into the cake. I see no reason why it woudn’t work. This cake is great on its own, but I *think* that should work fine. I can’t say for sure, of course. Best of luck and please report back to us all!
Thanks!
Shirley
Hi Vicki,
I make this cake in a Bundt pan all the time. Works fine. I think your idea of using the pound cake as a base for Tres leche cake sounds like a great idea. I’ll have to try that myself sometime.
Hi Wendy–Thanks so much for jumping in to help Vickie! I was obviously not connecting all the dots.
Can you believe I’ve never had Tres Leches Cake before? Now it sounds like I need to make a Perfect Tres Leches Cake. 
Thanks so much to you and Vickie for bringing up this topic!
Hugs,
Shirley
Hi Just made this pound cake but used granulated honey instead of sugar( easier to digest for diabetics) and I am glad it makes 2 loaves! My husband loves pound cake and he is now on a gluten free salt free diet. I did not put any salt in it and still came out moist and yummy! I think this would be great with strawberries for shortcake. Thanks so much!
Hi Marjorie–It looks like you’re new here at gfe–welcome.
I’m so happy you had such success with your version of my pound cake! Even though we keep bees, I’m not familiar with granulated honey other than honey that has crystallized, but I don’t think you’re talking about that. Must investigate further–thanks! And you’re right, I’m sure this pound cake would be great as strawberry “shortcake.” Thanks so much for taking the time to let me know about your success, Marjorie!
Shirley
I loved your pound cake, Shirley! Yumm, it was wonderful! I posted pictures and rave reviews.
http://www.glutenfreespinner.com/2011/06/shirleys-pound-cake.html
Hi Mary–I love that you are now a perfect pound cake fan!
I’m so honored by your beautiful post, too. Your photos are always gorgeous, but I think these are exceptional … now if only I could reach through the screen and grab a piece of that cake. And way cool that you used sweet rice flour and it worked just fine. That’s great for folks to know! 
Thanks again, dear! I love having you test my recipes, especially when you try out slight tweaks and share your success.
xo,
Shirley
Thanks for the great recipe and notes! I found this recipe via godairyfree.org, and we don’t have gluten issues, so I used regular AP flour and adjusted the temp for altitude. I only had regular EVOO, so that’s what I used. It turned out ok – certainly yummy, but I could taste the oil. The texture was perfection!! I just had to give it another go with the proper ingredients… but then I found sweet almond oil when I was looking for light olive oil, and I’m glad I took that chance. It turned out so yummy! We used it to make a school bus shaped cake for a back to school party. My daughter was so excited that she could eat any and all parts of the cake. Thanks again for sharing!
Hi Eileen–Welcome to gfe!
It’s wonderful that you found my recipe through Alisa’s great site. Thanks for the feedback on regular EVOO being too strong in this recipe. EVOO usually works well with chocolate recipes, but yes, light makes sense in this recipe. A sweet almond oil recipe sounds incredible! And OMG, I love the school bus-shaped cake idea. I’m going to share that idea on my Facebook page for those who haven’t gone back to school yet. 
Thanks so much, Eileen!
Shirley
OH boy. I am so sorry to report that I was very much like your son. The first one disappeared in record time, and the 2nd soon followed. Feeling bereft when there was no more poundcake, I made 2 more. Then 2 more. I wish I could report that we ate pound cake for weeks, but WEEK would be more honest.
My non-GF honey was eating it just as fast as I was, and NOW we know what to serve those guests so I don’t have to make two desserts!
I know I SHOULD shred this recipe…….:0)
Hi Linda–It looks like this is your first time commenting at gfe–welcome! And WOW!
Of course, I absolutely love your review, athough I take no responsibility for the number of gfe pound cakes consumed. LOL
Serioulsy, I’m thrilled that you and your “honey” enjoyed this recipe so much and that you now have a recipe that you can happily serve to all your guests! And don’t worry too much … I doubt that you’ll keep up this pace of pound cake consumption.
Thanks so much for taking the time to leave this delightful comment!
Shirley
I made this for my father’s birthday, and everyone loved it!
Hi Stephanie–It looks like you are new to gfe–welcome!
How wonderful to read this review. I love that you made it for your father’s birthday and everyone enjoyed it. 
I have to agree that it’s very, very good. 
Shirley
I’m so glad you posted this on FB today. I realized that I missed making Amaretto Bread last year for my first gf Christmas. I was thinking about how to do a pound cake and now I don’t have to think! I can just use your recipe as a jumping off point.
Hello Shirly,
I thought I’d drop in to show you that I do come to your website frequently. And that poundcake – I’ll report back after the weekend how it turnes out! The only thing that’s holding me back from whipping up a batch right this moment is that I don’t have all the ingredients – otherwise I would be in the kitchen even at this hour!
Thanks Shirley!
Hey Angela–I’m wondering if you’ve made the pound cake by now. No worries if not, but I know you and your famiy will love it!
Shirley
Hi! I used your pound cake recipe as the base for cake in my mock TastyKake Peanut Butter KandyKake recipe. Gluten and dairy free!
They are amazing!!!
http://mudpiesandcranberryteagoallergenfree.blogspot.com/2012/01/gluten-free-dairy-free-mock-tastycake.html
Hi Jenn–I was tickled pink to read your comment when it arrived in my In Box! I absolutely LOVE that you were able to use my pound cake to create some amazing treats of your own! They look and sound phenomenal.
Thanks so much for sharing that news with us!
Shirley
Whow! Whow! Whow! Just made this pound cake, and it was outstanding! Soooo good! Shirley, this was fantastic! It tasted so good, and I also love your simple gluten free flour mixture, it works well and it doesn’t give the cake any “weird” taste.
…and I thought I would be loosing weight on a gluten free diet….
My family loved it as well, and so did every person that was lucky enough to get some. Will make this a lot – pound cake is one of my very favorite things to bake!
Hi Angela–Thank you so much for reporting back, dear.
I’m a pound cake lover, too, as I shared in the post, so I’m thrilled that I am keeping the love going gluten-free style, and in the easiest way with that easy gluten-free flour mix. 
Thanks for reminding folks that this recipe works well in a Bundt pan, too. Others have said that and it definitely makes for a great presentation. The most unique presentation though came from one reader who turned the loaf into a school bus cake for a Back to School party! Clever and fun, huh?
Enjoy, dear! I’m so happy about all the success you’ve had with gluten-free baking. As you implied, to think that one would be depriving one’s self and losing weight when gluten free because of not getting delicious homebaked goodies couldn’t be further from the truth.
Hugs,
Shirley
..and I made it in a Bundt pan simply because I didn’t have a loaf pan – it turned out perfect!
I’m so glad to find this! I enjoy making cakes for my daughters’ birthday parties and i’ve wanted to try making a GF cake, but was concerned because they really need to be pound cake density. Now to find a healthier icing that still works for decorating!
Hey Nikki–Thanks! I hope you’ll really enjoy it. Readers have used this cake to create all kinds of fun, celebratory cakes. I’m sure you’ll find lots of healthy frosting recipes. Depending on the cake, sometimes even whipped cream made from coconut milk works.
Shirley
Absolutely amazing cake! I am not only GF but rice free. I had to make some ‘modifications’ to this as I’m also allergic to olives (so no olive oil!). I used Bob’s Red Mill GF Flour, vegetable oil and used lime juice (I was out of orange). I was also out of full fat coconut milk so I used almond. Just awesome!! My daughter who is not GF said she couldn’t tell it was GF!! I have searched now for almost a year for a cake that we could use for a tier in my other daughter’s wedding cake and I think we have found it!! She will be home in 2 weeks for her birthday (she’s away at grad school!). I can’t wait for her to try this!! Thank you so much!!
Hi Renee–What a pleasure it is to meet you through Stephanie on Facebook! Welcome to gfe.
To think that you just found out about my pound cake earlier today and have already made these adaptations and made this recipe work for you. And the thought that it might become your daughter’s wedding cake … well, that both totally thrills me and blows me away! Fingers crossed that she will love it as much as you and your other daughter did. 
Thanks again, dear!
Shirley
Shirley I am planning to make a few of these babies for my weekend gathering with girlfriends.These pictures are so enticing, I can’t wait for the awesomeness to dance across my tastebuds. Thank you for sharing!
Hi Denise–You’re welcome, of course. And it’s great to see you again here at gfe!
I hope you and your girlfriends all love these pound cakes. They’ve been a big hit with everyone who’s made them so far. 
I’ll be waiting for your report …
Shirley
Just made this pound cake this afternoon. It was FANTASTIC!!! Since I wasn’t sure how it would turn out, I halved the recipe (used 2 eggs) so I made only 1 loaf. Thank you soooo much–pound cake is a great base for so many other desserts, too–It tastes delicious
Hi Maureen–Welcome to gfe and thanks so much for taking the time to leave such a wonderful review!
This recipe is definitely a favorite recipe at our house and it’s also loved by my support group members and readers. And you’re right, folks use this recipe for all kinds of other desserts … cupcakes, fondue, shortcake, and much more. I guess you will make two loaves next time 
… enjoy!
Thanks again,
Shirley