Snickerdoodle Pound Cake

Hello Friend! I’m fond of every pound cake I’ve ever made, but I’m especially fond of this Snickerdoodle Pound Cake because it’s my son’s favorite. And I have the softest heart for my kids.

To know me and my son is to know that snickerdoodle cookies are our absolute favorite cookie of all time. So I knew this one had to be just right. Or he wouldn’t touch it. And my poor heart would positively shatter into a million pieces.

this recipe

Recipe‑at‑a‑Glance Snickerdoodle Pound Cake

Warm cinnamon‑sugar, classic snickerdoodle tang, and a plush, confident crumb.

Level

Beginner–Intermediate

Prep Time

25–30 minutes

Bake Time

60–70 minutes

Cooling Time

3–5 hours (cool fully before slicing or glazing)

Total Time

~5–7 hours (includes full cool)

Yields

12–14 slices (10–12 cup Bundt pan)

Special Equipment

Digital kitchen scale; stand or hand mixer; 10–12 cup Bundt pan; instant‑read thermometer; fine‑mesh sifter.

Flavor Profile

Warm cinnamon‑sugar with classic snickerdoodle tang (from cream of tartar) and a plush, buttery crumb.

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My son inherited my snickerdoodle gene, and he loves them so much that I’ve named an actual menu item named after him at my former home bakery.

We are serious about cinnamon and sugar around these parts, Family.

But snickerdoodle magic comes from more than cinnamon and sugar. There’s a very special element–a slight tang–that is unique to the cookies. There’s also a singular, deliciously chewy texture that also can’t be found in any other cookie. I eat a lot of cookies so I’m kind of a subject matter expert on this point.

That ever-so-slight tang and the texture come largely from cream of tartar, and it’s really hard to make a legitimate snickerdoodle cookie without it. The cookies are in a class of their own, and while we enjoy them frequently in my house, there’s a particularly special place for them in my kitchen around the holidays.

So it’s no wonder that I decided to develop a snickerdoodle pound cake.

Y’all. This cake.

THIS. CAKE.

It has literally every amazing quality that the cookies have. But this cake substantially enhances those qualities. You’ve got the tang from the cream of tartar and buttermilk, and while I was determined to maintain that pound cake texture that I love so much (it definitely passes the “walk-around-the-house-in-a-napkin” test), the texture of this cake is ever-so-slightly more compact, giving it just a touch more chew. There’s a cinnamon simple syrup and even a cinnamon sugar glaze, with a slight crunch from finishing sugar to further amplify the snickerdoodle experience.

This cake screams snickerdoodle on every level. And my son, who has an extremely discerning palette when it comes to his beloved cookies, loves this cake.

So let’s do this!

Ingredient Spotlight: Vanilla Bean & Cream of Tartar

Two ingredients might seem like background singers in this cake, but trust me—they’re quietly running the show.

Vanilla Bean: In this new version of the recipe, I added vanilla bean instead of pure vanilla extract (you can absolutely still use extract though!), this recipe really shines with the real deal. Scraping the seeds from a plump vanilla bean means you get both incomparable flavor and fragrance. Those tiny black specks flecked through the batter are visual proof of richness, but more than that—they add a deep, almost floral warmth that lingers on the tongue. When the cake bakes, the bean’s complexity plays against cinnamon’s spice and sugar’s sweetness, elevating the whole experience from cozy to couture.

Cream of Tartar: Snickerdoodle cookies have a signature flavor—just the slightest tang—that sets them apart from all other cinnamon-sugar cookies. That subtle sharpness comes from cream of tartar, and it’s what gives a true snickerdoodle its unmistakable character.

In this pound cake, cream of tartar is doing the same important work. By weaving it into the batter, you’re not just adding an ingredient—you’re capturing the spirit of the cookie itself. The cream of tartar cuts through the richness of butter and sugar, leaving a light, almost citrusy lift that balances the cake’s sweetness.

It’s a small touch, but without it, you’d lose that playful snickerdoodle personality. With it, every bite carries that familiar tang, translated from cookie to cake in the most delicious way.

Beginners Start Here

Whether you’re brand new to baking or you’ve been baking for a while, there are a few resources that will really help you get started on the right foot with this cake. Take a look!

• Meet Your Kitchen BFF–Your Digital Kitchen Scale!
• Technique Tips for the Best Pound Cakes (& Big News!)
• How to Cream Butter and Sugar (With New Video!)
• Baking 101: How to Measure Ingredients
• The Best Tools for Perfect Pound Cakes
• Knowing When to Stop a Technique

If you have lots of questions and still want to make this cake, you can feel free to email me (hello@beginwithbutter.com). While these articles aren’t mandatory reading (you can surely make an excellent cake by just reading the recipe!), they will absolutely help you with both your baking confidence and your baking competence as you embark on this baking journey.

Important Equipment

• Digital Kitchen Scale – Guarantees the right ingredient ratios for texture and rise.
• Stand Mixer or Hand Mixer – Essential for creaming and incorporating eggs evenly.
• Decorative Pound Cake Pan – Showcases the glaze beautifully. I used the Nordic Ware Elegant Party Pan for this cake.
• Instant-Read Thermometer – Confirms doneness without over-baking (look for 212°F in the center).

This cake is phenomenal, so let’s get to the recipe!

Snickerdoodle Pound Cake

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5 from 9 reviews

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Snickerdoodle lovers, this cake is what you’ve been waiting for.  With the signature snickerdoodle tang and additional, wonderful chew from cream of tartar, this cake is sure to please even the most picky snickerdoodle palette.

• Total Time: 5-7 hours
• Yield: 14 servings 1x

Ingredients

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For the Batter:

• 384 grams (3 cups) all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 173 grams (3/4 cup) butter, room temperature, plus two additional tablespoons for greasing the bundt pan
• 58 grams (1/4 cup) cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 tablespoon neutral oil (I use avocado oil)
• 500 grams (2 1/2 cups) sugar
• 1 vanilla bean, or 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 6 eggs, room temperature
• 250 grams (1 cup) buttermilk, room temperature

For the Cinnamon Simple Syrup:

• 87 grams (1/3 cup) water
• 67 grams (1/3 cup) granulated sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt

For the Final Snickerdoodle Glaze:

• 240 grams (2 cups) confectioner’s sugar
• 2– 2/12 tablespoons whole milk (start with 2)
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
• Decorating sugar (optional)

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Instructions

To Make the Batter:

1. Preheat oven to 325°F.  It’s highly recommended to use an oven thermometer for this recipe, since proper oven temperature will impact the outcome of your cake.
2. Sift the all-purpose flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, and cinnamon together in a medium bowl. Set aside.
3. Place the granulated sugar in a large bowl or deli container. If using vanilla bean, add the vanilla beans to the sugar. Either massage the vanilla beans into the sugar, or put the top on the deli container and shake. Either way works, but the deli container is so satisfying.
4. Place the room temperature butter, cream cheese, and oil in a large mixing bowl, or the bowl of your stand mixer.  Mix on low speed until smooth.
5. Slowly add the granulated sugar/vanilla mixture and mix on medium speed until the mixture is light and fluffy.
6. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing until each one is fully incorporated.  Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.  Don’t skimp on this step because it helps the cake rise! 
7. If using pure vanilla extract, add extract and mix until thoroughly combined.
8. Add half of the flour mixture and mix on lowest speed until nearly combined.
9. With the mixer on the lowest speed, add all of the buttermilk and mix until just combined. 
10. Add the second half of the flour mixture and mix on low speed until nearly combined.  Stop mixing just before the mixture is fully together.
11. Using a rubber spatula, fully scrape the sides and bottom of the mixing bowl.  Then, stir the batter until it is smooth and consistent.  Make sure to fully scrape the bottom of the bowl during this step!
12. Grease a 10-12 cup bundt pan as you normally would and place the batter in the pan.
13. Bake the cake at a true 325°F for 60-70 minutes, or until an instant read thermometer reads 210°F-215°F.  My preferred internal temperature for this cake is 212°F.  Alternately, the cake is done with a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and a fingerprint indentation bounces back.
14. Allow the cake to rest for ten minutes while you make the simple syrup.

To Make the Cinnamon Simple Syrup:

1. Combine sugar, water, salt, and cinnamon in a small saucepan and bring to a boil.  Stir occasionally until the sugar is completely dissolved.
2. Remove the simple syrup from the heat and add vanilla. Stir until incorporated.
3. Allow the cake to cool completely, then use a pastry brush, gently brush the cinnamon simple syrup over the entire cake.

To Make the Snickerdoodle Glaze:

1. Combine the confectioner’s sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, salt, and 2 tablespoons of the whole milk in a medium bowl.  (see note about glaze, below.)
2. Stir with a spoon until nearly combined, adding additional milk 1/2 teaspoon at a time if necessary.  Stir until smooth.  The glaze will be the consistency of thick honey.
3. Using a spouted measuring cup, spoon, or squeeze bottle, drizzle final glaze over the cake.  For this cake, I used a spouted measuring cup.
4. If necessary, use a spoon to help the glaze fall over the sides of the cake.
5. Allow the glaze to set for five minutes, then gently sprinkle decorating sugar (if using) to finish.

To Store:

This cake can remain on a countertop overnight, or it can be stored in a refrigerator for up to a week.

Equipment

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Notes

• A note on the glaze:  when you first add the milk to the confectioner’s sugar, it will seem like it’s not enough milk.  Resist the urge to add more milk until you’re absolutely certain that the whole milk cannot moisten the confectioner’s sugar any further! Only at that point will you add additional whole milk, 1/2 teaspoon at a time. The glaze it will eventually come together into a thick mixture and you’ll then be ready to add your heavy cream.
• An oven thermometer is strongly recommended to make sure that your oven reaches the correct temperature.
• It is also strongly recommended to use a digital food scale to measure ingredients using metric measurement. It will seriously make your baking so much easier!
• This recipe can be halved for a loaf pan or a 6-cup bundt pan. Make sure to use follow the instructions in my blog post about how to scale recipes like a professional!
• Make sure you take your time to cream the butter and sugar on the front end!  Once you add your flour mixture, you have to mix gently in order to avoid over-mixing.
• This is a big bundt cake.  I recommend placing a sheet pan underneath this cake while it bakes for extra insurance.

• Author: Shani
• Prep Time: 1 hour
• Inactive Time: 3-5 hours
• Cook Time: 60-70 minutes
• Category: Dessert
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 slice
• Calories: 476
• Sugar: 59 g
• Sodium: 255.4 mg
• Fat: 14.5 g
• Carbohydrates: 80.7 g
• Protein: 6.6 g
• Cholesterol: 113.1 mg

This one was so fun to develop, and, bonus, it’s now an official menu item at my bakery! It’s a trusted recipe that I can’t wait to share with my own family and friends during the holiday season (and beyond). I hope you love it too!

See you next time!

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