Classic Lemon Pound Cake Recipe – Moist, Buttery, and Bright

Shani
-
45
Classic Lemon Pound Cake Recipe – Moist, Buttery, and Bright

It’s the kind of lemon pound cake that whispers home before you even slice it: a fragrant cloud of real lemon and rich, buttery warmth filling the kitchen.

No neon-yellow flavorings here. Just honest ingredients — fresh lemon juice, good butter, and a method that rewards your care with a cake that stays tender for days.

This is the kind of pound cake that feels like a celebration whether you serve it plain, dusted with powdered sugar, or crowned with a tangy glaze.

The kind of recipe that settles into your recipe box and stays there, worn at the corners from happy use.

Let’s bake.

this is an overhead photo of a lemon pound cake

Recipe-At-A-Glance

Prep Time: 1 hour (total)
Bake Time: 55–65 minutes
Total Time: ~5–7 hours (includes cooling)
Yield: 12–14 slices
Key Flavors: Bright lemon, buttery crumb, tender texture
Skill Level: Beginner to Intermediate
Special Equipment: Bundt pan (or tube pan)

This Classic Lemon Pound Cake is pure sunshine in every slice — tender, richly buttery, and kissed with fresh lemon. Whether you’re baking for a special occasion or simply savoring a sweet moment, this cake brings joy with every bite.

About this Lemon Pound Cake

This Lemon Pound Cake is specifically for those who love love love lemon. It is not for the faint of lemon heart. If you’re sometime-y with lemon, then I assure you that this cake is not for you.

But those who love lemon? Who crave lemon? Whose one true pound cake love is lemon pound cake? I’ve got you. This cake has lemon at every level. In the cake. In the simple syrup. And in the glaze. And it’s not half-hearted lemon either. You will use every part of the lemon, from the zest to the juice (and the pulp if you’re really feeling frisky). You will achieve peak lemon-sugar-vanilla balance without opening your lemon extract.

This cake is that girl. When you open that cake box at your Christmas gathering this year, be prepared for a waft of lemon scent that arrests the entire room.

this is a side view photo of a lemon pound cake
this is an overhead photo of a lemon pound cake

Lemon Pound Cake Ingredients

Lemon Juice: The cake calls for 63 grams (1/4 c) of freshly squeezed lemon juice. The simple syrup calls for 2 tbsp. The glaze? Another 2 tbsp. The lemon juice and lemon zest combo means that you will never need to use lemon extract in this cake. Please don’t use the lemon juice in a bottle. Call those kids into the kitchen. They love using a juicer and their little arms don’t get tired. 😂

Lemon Zest: You’ll use the lemon zest to make lemon sugar for your cake. The technique of rubbing the lemon zest into the sugar releases the oils from the zest even better, which gives a big boost of lemon flavor. You’ll also use the zest in the lemon glaze atop your cake.

Granulated Sugar: It goes without saying that the tartness of that lemon needs something sweet to create the perfect lemony balance. However, did you know that granulated sugar is also responsible for caramelization? That beautiful crust on the outside of your pound cake? It is largely because of the sugar in your recipe!

All-Purpose Flour: I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: I love the pleasantly plump texture of a good pound cake, and the lemon pound cake is the reason for that. In my experience (and with my cakes), that beautiful texture comes from all-purpose flour. That particular flour is absolutely perfect for this cake.

Baking Soda: Lemons are an extremely acidic ingredient. Because of that, baking soda was the proper leavening for this pound cake.

Kosher Salt: Salt is very important in any dessert; it balances the sugar and keeps the dessert from becoming cloyingly sweet. If using table salt for this recipe, cut the amount in half. In this dessert, the sugar/lemon/salt balance teeters on a sword’s edge, but it works!

Whole lemon pound cake with bright lemon glaze on lemon tea towel.

Unsalted Butter: This particular cake has an amazing balance of sweet and tart, and it really needs salt to balance the whole thing. That being said, it’s important to really control the amount of salt in this recipe, so I’m recommending unsalted butter for this recipe. Also, butter helps this cake become lighter! Specifically, the process of creaming butter and sugar creates air pockets that assist with cake rise.

Cream Cheese: There’s a very luxurious quality to this cake that makes it different from typical lemon pound cake. It’s because of the cream cheese! That additional fat element helps give your taste that melt-in-your-mouth quality without sacrificing wonderful flavor.

Eggs: The protein in the eggs adds structure to the cake, while the fatty yolk adds delicious flavor. This recipe calls for six eggs, which might seem like a lot. Trust me, it’s perfection.

Vanilla Bean or Vanilla Extract: You can use either; this is a matter of personal preference. If you want to “tame” the lemon flavor a bit more and give a touch more complexity to your cake, feel free to use 1/2 of a vanilla bean. If you’d prefer to have the lemon flavor come through more boldly, use the vanilla extract.

Whole Milk: Yes, whole milk. NOT buttermilk. You’ll add the lemon juice to the milk, which will cause it to curdle and give it a great buttermilk tang.

Beginners Start Here

If you’re new to baking, or if you want to learn how to do some of the more tricky baking techniques, here are a couple of super helpful articles from the BwB site that will help you get set up for success with this Classic Lemon Pound Cake.

These resources are super helpful to help you build consistency and confidence on your baking journey. Happy Reading!

Close-up of a moist lemon pound cake slice showing tight, buttery crumb

Important Tools Used in this Classic Lemon Pound Cake

So happy to announce that Begin with Butter has its own Amazon Storefront, where you can find all of the amazing equipment that I used in this special cake! Want even more specific links? Check out the links, below.

I do get paid a commission when you purchase, but these are the tools that I use all the time in my own kitchen.

If you have these tools already, great! Think of this as a checklist to help you build the confidence that you’ll need to execute this recipe!

  • Oven Thermometer — Ensure your oven is baking at the right temperature for consistent, perfect results.
  • Digital Food Scale — Precision matters! Weighing your ingredients gives you bakery-level consistency every time.
  • KitchenAid Hand Mixer — Powerful enough for batters, gentle enough for delicate mixes.
  • KitchenAid Stand Mixer — My go-to for creaming butter and sugar to silky perfection.
    Stainless Steel Mixing Bowl Set — Durable, versatile, and ideal for everything from batter to glaze prep.
  • OXO Spatula Set — Flexible and sturdy — essential for folding and scraping every last bit of batter.
  • Sifter — Aerate your flour for a lighter, more tender crumb.
  • Bundt Pans — My favorite pans for flawless pound cake shapes and gorgeous caramelization.

Enjoy the recipe BBs! Happy baking, and may all of your pound cakes have perfect caramelization and beautiful lift!

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I freeze this lemon pound cake?

You can absolutely freeze this pound cake; I do it all the time. Once the cake is fully baked and cooled, brush with the cooled simple syrup. Once the simple syrup is brushed on the cake, place on a cake round, wrap the cake in plastic wrap (and freezer paper if it’s going to be frozen for more than a couple of days), and store upright in a freezer for up to three months.

You can find specific instructions for this process in my blog post, Storage Tips for Make Ahead Desserts.

Why did my pound cake crack on top?

That beautiful crack is a signature of pound cakes! As the batter rises, the top sets first — and the rest of the cake pushes through as it continues to bake. It’s a sign you’ve nailed the technique.

Why did my cake turn out dense?

A dense pound cake usually comes from too much flour or over-mixing the batter.
To prevent adding too much flour, I always recommend baking by weight instead of volume — it’s the most consistent and confident way to bake. You can find my easy metric conversion chart here.
Over-mixing can also create a tight, rubbery texture. Once you add the flour, finish mixing by hand just until combined — the goal is a tender, delicate crumb, not a tough cake!

Can I use bottled lemon juice instead of fresh?

For the best flavor, I strongly recommend using fresh lemon juice. Bottled lemon juice often tastes flat or slightly bitter, and it just doesn’t bring the same vibrant flavor to the cake.
Also, you’ll miss out on the fresh lemon zest, which adds huge, bright citrus flavor throughout the batter. The zest is what really makes this Classic Lemon Pound Cake sing — it’s not just the juice, but the aromatic oils from the peel that give it its irresistible depth.

If you bake this Classic Lemon Pound Cake, I’d love to hear about it! Leave a comment below, or tag @beginwithbutter on Instagram so I can see your bright, beautiful lemon pound cakes!

Happy baking, friends. May your kitchen smell like sunshine.

Hi! I’m Shani!

I’m the baker, teacher, and recipe developer behind Begin with Butter — and the founder of the Begin with Butter Home Baking Academy.

Here, I help home bakers build real skills — the kind that create cakes worth remembering, stories worth sharing, and traditions worth passing down.

At Begin with Butter, you’ll find cozy, tested recipes, soulful baking tutorials, and the encouragement to bake with both precision and heart.

Whether you’re just starting out or deepening your craft, there’s always room for you at this counter.

Learn More

Pumpkin Spice Pound Cake

Shani
-
9
Pumpkin Spice Pound Cake

Hi there! It’s Fall, which means that Pumpkin Season is officially upon us! That also means that the time for this Pumpkin Spice Pound Cake HAS ARRIVED!

Pull up with your pumpkin spice tea and your coziest cardigan, Beloved. This one’s quite a read. It also includes a picture tutorial so that we can make it together!

In this Post:

About Pound Cakes

The quintessential American pound cake got its name from its ingredients. A pound of flour, a pound of sugar, a pound of eggs, and a pound of butter. In theory, you should be able to take (roughly) a pound of each of those ingredients, with some milk, maybe a splash of leavening, salt and other accouterments added, and come up with a delightfully dense, rich cake with a tight crumb.

For many Black Americans in the United States, the words “pound cake” evoke powerful memories. To this day, pound cakes appear at weekly Sunday dinners and also at special holiday dinners. Pound cake travels neatly with the beloved family who’s leaving to go home after a wonderful visit. Pound cake can be a vehicle for ice cream, but also does just fine by itself. Pound cake still represents home to those who have moved far away from family.

My first memory of pound cake included me watching my mother use her Cuisinart hand mixer to mix her famous 7-Up cake, while telling me stories about what it was like to grow up in Demopolis, Alabama. She told me stories about her first crush, about growing up as the youngest of seven(!) children, and about how my grandmother was love personified while she mixed that batter. We also had some challenging conversations when she told me–over pound cake–what it was like for her as a young Black girl to come of age in the Deep South during the 1950s and 1960s. And every single one of those stories meant everything to me. They mean even more to me now that she’s not here and I’m raising my own children.

When she was done telling stories, that 7-Up cake would be in the oven and and a beater would be in my hand. I understood my assignment. That was the magic of pound cake for me; it was a connection between me and the family that was very far away. Pound cake, to me, meant connection. That connection endures to this day.

There are innumerable stories about Black people boarding buses and trains from Alabama, Mississippi, Florida, and the entire Southeastern United States, heading north and west to Los Angeles, Chicago, Milwaukee, Detroit, and New York during The Great Migration. Those migrants carried with them with bags of homemade rolls, fried chicken, and pound cake. It is a cake that endures even today, connecting generations of families in a special way that many foods cannot.

It is why, when I re-opened my custom bakery (The Gloria Bakery) in fall 2021, pound cakes were prominently and proudly featured on that menu.

About This Pumpkin Spice Pound Cake

This pound cake in particular was really fun to develop. First of all, it involves pumpkin spice, which I’m told is pretty popular in the fall. Also, because pumpkin is full of water (it is about 94% water), it presented an interesting challenge for me to get the texture just right.

I love the tight crumb of a well-executed pound cake. It’s just so…satisfying. Plus, I can walk around the house with a slab of pound cake and not have it crumble all over my clothes. #NoJudgmentZone

To maintain that tight crumb with this pound cake, I ended up using pumpkin puree (not canned pumpkin pie filling) for the bulk of the liquid in this amazing cake. While you can replace canned pumpkin puree with the fresh stuff, it’s difficult to know the water content of a particular pumpkin, and whether that means you’d have to add more butter, or reduce the buttermilk.

The Technique for this Pumpkin Spice Pound Cake

Mise en Place

The cake in this recipe has a lot of dry ingredients, which can make it seem like a much more complicated bake than it really is. But once those dry ingredients are tucked into their bowl and stirred together, the rest is easy peasy!

As usual, Beloveds, the secret is in the mise en place. Any recipe can look complicated before your ingredients are neatly prepared and ready to go.

For this recipe, my mise en place (before sifting my dry ingredients) looks something like this:

For you eagle-eyed readers out there, the final recipe calls for six eggs.

As you can see, my dry ingredients are together in their bowl, and all of my other ingredients are separated and measured as well. At this stage, I’m ready to mix!

In the Mix

Like many standard American pound cake recipes, this one uses the creaming method. The creaming method simply means that you mix room-temperature (70°F) butter and sugar together until the mixture has increased in volume, the the color is lighter, and the texture is much less grainy. You can click here to read more about it.

There’s video too! Click here to learn the stand mixer technique, or here to see how it’s done with a hand mixer.

Proper creaming is absolutely essential for this recipe to succeed. If you’re looking for help to figure out proper creaming technique, I hope that blog post and those videos help you achieve the pumpkin spice pound cake of your dreams!

Here’s what the creamed butter and sugar should look like:

Once the butter has reached this stage (~3-7 minutes on low/medium speed in a stand mixer, or ~5-12 minutes on medium speed with a hand mixer, as long as you’re using room temperature butter), you’re ready to add your eggs. For eggs, add them one at a time and mix each one on medium speed until thoroughly combined. For a recipe with six eggs, I usually scrape the bowl after the third and sixth eggs.

Once all of the eggs are incorporated, your batter should look dreamy and luscious.

Time for your two teaspoons of vanilla and another good mix until incorporated:

After the vanilla, give your bowl a good scraping with that silicone spatula. This is the last time during this mixing session that you’ll be able to mix mix mix to your heart’s content with a machine.

Because now it’s time for that flour mixture. First, add the first half of your flour and mix on lowest speed until just combined. You can even leave a few streaks of flour at this point:

Remember, Friend, that the introduction of flour means the start of gluten development. And too much gluten development will mean a tough cake!

Once you’ve gently mixed your first batch of flour, add all of your pumpkin at one time. Again, mix until just combined. With half of your flour already onboard, you’ll want to reduce the mixing time at this point.

From the “after” picture, above, you can see that the the pumpkin is mostly incorporated, but it’s not completely mixed into the batter. That’s okay! You can stop mixing at this point. Time for your second flour addition:

The mix on the right is where you should stop mixing with a machine. It’s at this point that my handy-dandy silicone spatula comes into play.

My silicone spatula takes my batter from this…
To this.

I use the silicone spatula to get a get a good final scraping in my mixing bowl. Going around the sides and bottom of the bowl, I collect all of the loose flour and then do 10-15 good turns around the bowl. The result is always a smooth batter that’s not over-mixed and is ready for the oven. This is a thicker batter, and that’s okay!

Into the Oven!

This next part is not a popular opinion.

But I’m going to tell you anyway.

I don’t prepare my cake pans before I start mixing my cake batter. I know this is not a normal recommendation, so feel free to disregard it.

If you’re still reading, hear me out!

In my experience, butter and flour left in a cake pan for too long can cause an unappetizing crust on the outside of my finished pound cake. And, since the outside of the cake is so prominently featured on a pound cake, who wants that?!

One day, purely by happenstance, I forgot to prep a pan before mixing my cake batter, so I just took four minutes after the batter was done and prepped the pan at that time. I’ve done it that way ever since, using the good old butter/flour combo to make sure that things don’t stick. Before I prep my pan, I also check my cheap-o oven thermometer to make sure that my oven is truly at 325°F. (For my top oven, this means setting it to 350°F.)

You have to work pretty quickly if you choose to prep your pan after your batter! That’s why it’s helpful to take out some extra butter for your pan at the same time that you take out the butter for your recipe.

With all bundt pans, you have to butter them to within an inch of their lives before moving on to the next step. Please, Family, do not fall for the “non-stick” cake pan claims. THEY ARE NOT TRUE. I’m also not a huge fan of cooking sprays, since I find they don’t help produce the caramelization that I like to see on the top of my bundt cakes.

This is what I mean by “butter them to within an inch of their lives”:

After you’ve reached this stage, add flour and maneuver the pan around until you’ve covered all of the buttered surfaces. It’s important to remove any remaining flour when you’re done with this step (I remove extra flour by banging the pan over a countertop or clean sink):

After this step, I gently pour my batter into my prepped pan and gently even out the top with my silicone spatula:

Then it’s onto a baking sheet and into my 325°F oven for 70-80 minutes. The cake is done when a cake tester comes out clean and the top springs back under your finger, OR when an instant-read thermometer reads somewhere between 210°F and 215°F.

At this point, you can place the cake on a cooling rack and place the cake and cooling rack on top of some parchment paper. Allow it to cool for about ten minutes.

After the ten-minute timer goes off, invert the cake on top of the cooling rack, gently put it down atop the parchment paper, and say a very quick prayer (if you pray).

Then, gently lift the pan and wait for release. While there will inevitably be a few tiny crumbs that are left on the pan, as you can see, the beautiful detail from the cake pan is clearly present in the finished cake.

The Game-Changer: Simple Syrup

::Friends, come close::

This next tip is the real difference between home bakers and pros.

Two words: simple syrup.

Simple syrup is equal parts water and sugar boiled together until they achieve a watery-syrup texture. There are innumerable variations on a “simple” simple syrup, but the most common one is the plain one. For bundt cakes, I find that 100 g (.4 c) of sugar and 100 g of water (.4 c) is the perfect amount.

I make the simple syrup by just adding those two ingredients together, bringing them to a boil, then reducing to a simmer just until all of the sugar is dissolved. I do not want simple syrup that has the consistency of corn syrup or maple syrup. I prefer that it be closer to a watery texture, so that it doesn’t grab crumbs from the warm cake when I’m brushing it onto my cake with a pastry brush.

For a great video tutorial on how I use simple syrup on my cakes, check out my YouTube video, entitled “Three Tips for Making Great Cakes”! Specifically, you can jump to 3:15 in the video for the simple syrup technique.

Or you can watch the whole thing because I kinda love it.

I brushed simple syrup on half of the cake and snapped a quick picture so that you can see the difference:

The Final Glaze

This, Friends, is the hardest part of the proceedings. This is the part where you wait.

Once that warm cake is brushed with warm simple syrup, it’s time to leave.

No, really. Go do something else. Because it’s going to be 3-5 hours before you can touch this cake again for the final glaze. It needs to be completely cooled before you do this last step.

To make the glaze, mix the confectioner’s sugar, fine sea salt, cinnamon, 1 tablespoon of whole milk, 2 tablespoons of maple syrup, and maple extract (not mandatory, but it gives you even more maple flavor) in a medium bowl.

Whisk the mixture gently until combined. Don’t worry about lumps! Just keep stirring gently. You might need to add up to one more tablespoon of whole milk, one 1/2 teaspoon at a time. Be patient!

You’re done when the mixture has the texture of thick honey.

This is a photo of glaze at the beginning
This is a photo of a final maple cinnamon glaze.

At this point, you can either use a spouted measuring cup or a plastic squeeze bottle to pour the glaze on your finished, cooled cake.

This is a photo of a spouted measuring cup.
This has been a go-to for glaze lately.

That’s it! You’re done! Time to enjoy this wonderful taste of fall that was inspired by the humble, amazing pound cake.

This is a photo of a pumpkin spice pound cake.

You’re ready! I hope you love this pumpkin spice pound cake as much as my family does. If you tried it and love it, tag me on Instagram @beginwithbutter so that I can see your masterpiece!

The Recipe

I hope you enjoy this little taste of fall from Begin with Butter! If you make it, don’t forget to tag @beginwithbutter on Instagram so I can cheer your success!

-S ??

Did you love this post? Don’t forget to subscribe so that you can see more from Begin with Butter!

Join the List

Subscribe to get a free video lesson and our latest content by email!

    We won’t send you spam. Unsubscribe at any time.
    Built with ConvertKit

    Pound Cake SOS: Ten Common Problems (and How to Fix Them)

    Shani
    -
    0
    Pound Cake SOS: Ten Common Problems (and How to Fix Them)

    At Begin with Butter, we know that pound cake is the grand dame of cakes — they’re classic, simple, elegant, and deeply unforgiving when you take liberties with the pound cake rules. She’ll tell you right away if you missed a step or tried to cut a corner. If you’ve ever pulled a pound cake out of the oven and wondered, what on earth happened here? — this guide is for you.

    Today, I’m walking you through ten of the most common pound cake problems, why they happen, and how you can fix them for good. Think of it as Baking 101 with a safety net.

    In this Post

    The Problem: My Pound Cake Has an Unappetizing, Fatty-Looking Line

    Why it Happens:

    That sad, unappetizing little line is pure butter and sugar that never fully mixed into your batter. It usually happens when you don’t scrape down your bowl often enough. The unmixed butter and sugar coat the bottom and sides of your mixing bowl, then end up in the pan when you scrape everything in. Beginners often miss that scraping isn’t just cosmetic — it’s the difference between a smooth crumb and a greasy streak.

    The Fix:

    Scrape, scrape, scrape! While mixing, stop AT LEAST 2–3 times to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl. And at the very end, give it one final, thorough scrape, and then fold the batter completely before the it goes into the pan. Those little steps keep your crumb uniform and gorgeous.

    The Problem: My Pound Cake Takes Metallic or Soapy

    Why it Happens:

    You either used the wrong leavening (baking soda instead of baking powder, or vice versa) or too much of the right one.

    If you’re unsure what to use, or when to use it, then this post about the basics of baking powder and baking soda is a really helpful article for you!

    Listen, baking is sometimes really unfair, in that you can do nearly everything right and still have things go very, very wrong.

    Leavening agents are chemical — too much, and you’ll literally taste like chemicals in your bakes (big YUCK).Remember, Friend: leavening doesn’t contribute to flavor in any positive way. It’s an ingredient of pure function, and overdosing it guarantees off-flavors and other ill-effects.

    The Fix:

    Double-check your recipe and measure your leavening carefully. This is not the ingredient to “measure with your heart.” When in doubt, level that spoon off with a knife, or the top of the box or can that it’s in.

    The Problem: My Pound Cake Didn’t Caramelize.

    Why it Happens:

    Caramelization is chemistry, but it’s also visual — and deeply sensory, filling your kitchen with a nutty-sweet aroma and giving each bite a subtle crunch around the edges. If your oven is running too cool, the sugar won’t get hot enough to brown, leaving your cake pale and almost unfinished-looking. If you’re short on leavening, the cake won’t lift properly, and that flatter, denser surface won’t brown evenly. And if you cut back on sugar, you cut back on caramelization — less sugar means less golden color and less crisp crust. If your cake comes out looking anemic instead of golden, that’s caramelization calling you out.

    The Fix:

    • Get an oven thermometer and make sure your oven is hitting the right temperature.
    • Use the exact amount of leavening your recipe calls for. While its primary function is rise, caramelization is an important secondary job.
    • Don’t skimp on sugar — it’s not just for sweetness; it’s also for structure, moisture, and that beautiful golden crust.

    The Problem: My Cake Stuck to the Pan

    Why it Happens:

    Bundt pans are beautiful but ruthless. Every naked ridge, curve, and crevice is an opportunity for batter to grab hold if the pan isn’t prepared properly. A thin layer of residue from old spray will act like glue on the next cake. Scratches in the nonstick surface could be another culprit — they create tiny grooves where batter clings tight.

    The result, if you have one, two, or three of these things happening, is a dramatic reveal that ends in utter heartbreak. If you’ve ever turned a pan over and failed to feel the satisfying thunk of it hitting the cooling rack with ease, you know the stakes here.

    This ain’t it.

    The Fix:

    • For Bundts, use a pastry brush to brush room temperature (NOT MELTED) butter on every nook and cranny, then dust with flour, tapping out the excess. For chocolate cakes, swap the flour for cocoa powder so you don’t end up with a pale dusting on your dark beauty. (Want a tutorial? Check out this article for my favorite pan prep tips!)
    • If you prefer spray, check your pan before baking to make sure that there is no remaining nonstick spray residue from your last bake. If there is, scrub thoroughly with Dawn Power Wash and a silicone bottle brush to remove it, then place into your warming oven for 2-3 minutes to dry it completely before spraying it again. After baking, you’ll once again clean the pan thoroughly with Dawn Power Wash and a silicone bottle brush while it’s still warm (but safe to handle). The silicone bottle brush safely gets into the ridges, scrubbing the pan clean without damaging the nonstick surface.
    • Retire scratched pans. A damaged surface will betray you every time. I’ve seen some brilliant repurposing done with scratched pans; everything from mini herb gardens to kitchen wall art, to jell-o mold pans. Bundt pans are often heirloom pieces. Just because they’re retired from oven use doesn’t mean they can’t have a second act.

    The Problem: My Glaze is Too Thin.

    Why it Happens:

    Confectioner’s sugar is basically dust. It dissolves quickly and completely in just a little bit of liquid. This is the single biggest reason why our glazes end up watery and disappointing. With glaze, patience, like time, is an ingredient.

    If you pour in too much liquid too soon, the sugar gives up all structure and turns watery. And because glaze is all about balance (just enough liquid to coat, not enough to flood), once it tips too far into thinness, it’s tough to reel it back in without over-sweetening. If your finish looks more like liquid than satiny glaze, this is why.

    I’ll say it. This glaze is *too thin*.

    The Fix:

    Start with the bare minimum amount of liquid the recipe calls for. Two tablespoons of milk can handle about two cups of confectioner’s sugar — it doesn’t take much. Stir until that liquid is fully absorbed before adding more. If you must add, do it a ½ teaspoon at a time. Patience wins here.

    The Problem: My Cake is Dry.

    Why it Happens:

    Flour is thirsty. If you add too much, it soaks up the liquid in the batter, leaving less moisture for the finished cake. Ovens that run hot or bake too long will drive off more moisture, too. What should have been a velvety crumb ends up tight, crumbly, and parched. Beginners sometimes mistake “golden brown” for “keep going,” but even a few extra minutes can tip the scale toward dry.

    Because there’s a difference between “this would taste delicious with a cold glass of milk” and “I have to have a cold glass of milk to choke this down.”

    Ask me how I know. 😂

    The Fix:

    • Weigh your flour with a digital food scale for accuracy. ::ahem:: For my beloved saints in the back: Please, please, please weigh your flour instead of using measuring cups. It makes an immense difference in your finished result, as I explained in this article on Metric Measurement.
    • Bake at the right oven temperature — and confirm your oven temperature with an inexpensive oven thermometer. This alone will make an immense difference.
    • Pull the cake out when it is domed and caramelized, when it is pulling away from the sides of the pan, and when the internal cake temperature reads 212°F on an instant read thermometer.
    • If you already have a dry cake, cube it, soak with simple syrup, layer with fruit and cream, and boom: trifle. It’s a glamorous second life.

    The Problem: My Leavening Didn’t Work.

    Why it Happens:

    Baking powder and baking soda expire. If yours has been sitting around for a year (or two… or three 😩) it’s probably lost its power. Old leavening won’t just fail to lift your cake — it can also affect flavor and texture. You’ll notice a cake that bakes up squat and pale instead of tall and golden.

    The Fix:

    Test your leavening before you bake. Stir a little baking powder into hot water (it should fizz) or baking soda into vinegar (it should bubble). If it’s flat, toss it and buy new. If you already baked with expired leavening, there’s no rescue — you’ll have to start again.

    The Problem: My Cake is Dense and Heavy.

    Why it Happens:

    Creaming isn’t just mixing — it’s building structure. Beating butter and sugar together creates thousands of tiny air bubbles that act like scaffolding for your cake. If you skip or rush that step, there’s nothing to hold the cake up, so it bakes flat and heavy. Cold eggs dumped into the batter can also curdle the emulsion, knocking out precious air. Add too much sugar or liquid, and the whole system collapses under the weight. If your cake feels more like a brick than a slice of heaven, this is why.

    The Fix

    • Cream butter and sugar until they are truly light and fluffy. Not sure what that looks like? This article on creaming butter and sugar will help you nail this technique with every pound cake you bake.
    • Use room-temperature eggs, liquid, and butter so you get a fully smooth batter.
    • Stick with trusted recipes from sources you trust — some pound cakes are more generous with freestyling than others, but a solid, tested recipe is always the best starting point.

    The Problem: My Cake Cracked and Overflowed.

    Why it Happens:

    A beautifully caramelized, gentle dome and a single central crack aren’t flaws, Beloved! Those are pound cake’s signature look, proof that this dense batter rose and split the way it was designed to. Where it becomes a problem is when the dome turns mountainous, the crack looks chaotic instead of clean, or the cake actually spills over the pan. That usually means the oven ran too hot, which causes the leavening to activate too quickly. The cake rises before the structure has a chance to set, leading to collapse, overflow, or both. You can also have this kind of chaotic result if there was too much leavening, or the pan was overfilled.

    This is exactly what you want to see in the oven. By the by, this is my Pumpkin Spice Pound Cake.

    The Fix:

    • Celebrate a modest dome and crack — they’re badges of honor, not mistakes.
    • Measure leavening precisely so it doesn’t over-activate.
    • Keep your oven in the gentle 325°F so the structure can set before the rise runs away.
    • Make sure to check the pan size of the recipe! Many of my cakes won’t fit in anything less than a 10-cup pan.

    The Problem: My Cake Tastes Bland.

    Why it Happens:

    Flavor is layered, and pound cake needs every one of its layers. Without enough salt, sweetness overwhelms the palate. Old vanilla extract or imitation flavorings fade in the oven’s heat, leaving only a melancholy whisper of what once was. Even butter quality matters — if the butter doesn’t taste rich and creamy on its own, it won’t magically improve once baked. The result is a cake that looks fine but tastes like sweet cardboard. If you’ve ever thought, “this cake is pretty but forgettable,” you’ve tasted this issue.

    The Fix:

    • Never skip the salt — it tames the sweetness and enhances the other flavors.
    • Use fresh, high-quality (pure) extracts and spices.
    • Invest in good butter. Pound cake is basically a butter delivery system, so don’t make her carry bad butter.
    • Consider complimentary flavors: coffee, espresso, stout beer, and even cinnamon work wonders with chocolate, for example.

    Final Crumbs

    Pound cake doesn’t forgive shortcuts, but she does reward discipline. Scrape your bowl, measure carefully, check your oven, and respect the ingredients. If you do, you’ll get that fine crumb, golden crust, and rich flavor that has kept pound cake on the table for centuries.

    And if things go sideways? Well, now you’ve got the answers in your back pocket. Every mistake is just another step toward mastery.

    What other questions do you have? Feel free to put them in the comments, below!

    Buttermilk Vanilla Bean Loaf Cake

    Shani
    -
    0
    Buttermilk Vanilla Bean Loaf Cake

    About This Cake

    This is the kind of bake that turns heads even before it goes into the oven. The cake’s aroma is unmistakable; real vanilla bean and cultured buttermilk create a fragrance that’s elegant and comforting all at once. Its crumb is plush, fine, and impossibly soft, and the donut glaze adds a gentle crackle that makes each bite a little indulgent.

    You can dress it up with macerated fruit, add a scoop of vanilla ice cream, or enjoy it as-is with coffee. Either way, it’s a showstopper in a own way.

    Buttermilk Vanilla Bean Loaf Cake

    🧾 Recipe-at-a-Glance

    • Level: Beginner
    • Prep Time: 20 minutes
    • Bake Time: 50–60 minutes
    • Cooling Time: 3–5 hours
    • Total Time: 4–6 hours
    • Yields: 10–12 slices in a 6-cup decorative loaf pan
    • Special Equipment: Stand mixer, hand mixer, digital kitchen scale, loaf pan, fine mesh strainer
    • Flavor Profile: Floral vanilla, tangy buttermilk, soft crumb with a sweet donut glaze finish

    Ingredient Spotlight

    Buttermilk

    Buttermilk appears in both the batter and the glaze, lending moisture and a subtle tang that balances the sweetness. Its acidity also helps create a delicate, tender crumb. Use full-fat cultured buttermilk for best results—low-fat or substitutes will compromise the texture and flavor.

    Vanilla Bean

    This is not the time to skimp. If you can, use real vanilla bean—just half a pod is enough to fill the cake and glaze with warmth and depth. Gently massaging the seeds into granulated sugar before creaming helps extract the aromatic oils, intensifying the flavor throughout the cake. If you’re using extract, make sure it’s pure vanilla and not imitation.

    Because this cake has so few ingredients, the quality of each one is critical. Choose real butter, full-fat buttermilk, and high-quality vanilla. You’ll taste the difference in every bite.

    Technique Spotlight: The Donut Glaze

    To achieve that bakery-style, glazed-donut finish, timing and confidence matter:

    • As soon as the cake is turned out onto the cooling rack (and I do mean IMMEDIATELY after baking), pour the glaze slowly and evenly over the top. This is a completely different technique than I usually do for glaze, but the heat is necessary to give the glaze the donut texture that I wanted for this cake.
    • With this cake, it’s critically important that you glaze on top of a cooling rack. There is a GENEROUS amount of glaze in this recipe, and a lot of it will run down the sides. If you glaze on top of a plate or other flat surface, you’ll likely get a pool of glaze that will just soak into the bottom of your cake.
    • When glazing, work quickly to cover the entire surface, allowing the glaze to flow naturally over the ridges and edges.  
    • Avoid letting it pool in the center, or around the edges. Excess glaze can soak in and disrupt the cake’s plush texture. While the cake is still very warm, you can use a spoon to remove excess glaze.
    • Once glazed, step back. No nudging or adjusting. Let the glaze settle and set on its own as the cake cools completely. Please know: at this phase, it will look a FRIGHT. Just trust the process.

    This method creates a light, translucent glaze that clings beautifully to the cake without overpowering it. The warm cake helps the glaze grip and set into that signature donut-like finish.

    Beginners Start Here

    Important Equipment

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Can I use vanilla extract instead of vanilla bean?

    Yes, use ½ tablespoon of pure vanilla extract in the cake and ¼ teaspoon in the glaze. If using pure vanilla extract, you can skip the vanilla bean prep steps.

    Can I make this cake ahead of time?

    Absolutely. The cake keeps beautifully for 2–3 days at room temperature in an airtight container. If you want the donut glaze finish, you’ll still need to glaze right after turning it out of the pan.

    What does the corn syrup do to the glaze? Is it necessary?

    The corn syrup in this glaze helps to create the glossy, donut-like finish. You leave it out entirely, but the glaze may lose its translucent finish.

    Final Crumbs

    If this Buttermilk Vanilla Bean Loaf Cake makes its way to your kitchen, I’d love to hear about it. Leave a comment and a star rating to let me know how it went—your feedback isn’t just helpful, it keeps this community growing and glowing.

    Macerated Peaches

    Shani
    -
    0
    Macerated Peaches

    Rules for My Daddy’s Favorite Fruit

    This simple technique is rooted in reverence—for ripe fruit, for summer’s fleeting sweetness, and for my Daddy.

    He was a sharecropper’s son from Virginia who believed in the beauty of a late summer peach. The kind you smell before you see. The kind that insists on a slow bite and rewards you with a dribble down the chin. If a dessert dared to call itself “peach-flavored”, it had better taste like the real thing—or he wouldn’t tolerate it.

    Texture mattered too. He would never eat soggy or mushy peaches. He wanted bite from those peaches. He wanted sticky juice to fall down his chin and would laugh while wiping it away. Seeing my Daddy just…be in the moment of enjoying peaches is something that sticks to me to this day.

    So when I think about peach preparations in baked goods now, I do it with his voice in my heart. I generally don’t cook them because that really destroys the essence (and then you have to add ingredients to try to replace that essence, which doesn’t make sense to me). I don’t bury them in sugar, because these late-season peaches don’t need it. I just give them what they need to shine.

    About This Technique

    This isn’t a peach topping that disappears into syrup or melts into mush. This one stands on its own. And macerating gives you a way to draw out every ounce of flavor and still let the fruit keep its texture.

    With just a bit of sugar, fine sea salt, lemon, vanilla extract, and time (because yes, time is an ingredient), this process gently coaxes some of the juices from ripe peaches—without breaking them down completely. What you’re left with is the perfect balance of perfectly peach flavor and structure.

    Some of My Favorite Uses for These Peaches

    Tools You’ll Need

    Fine Mesh Strainer – Essential for draining the peaches and capturing the gorgeous syrup
    Stiff Silicone Spatula – Gentle enough to fold without bruising
    Glass Bowl or Metal Bowl – Use a larger bowl than you think you’ll need for this process; you can work more gently with more space in your bowl.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Can I use frozen or canned peaches?

    Not for this. This recipe is built around the texture and fragrance of fresh peaches. Frozen or canned fruit breaks down too quickly and won’t give you the same texture or bite; you’ll likely end up with a very slimy result.

    Can I serve these warm?

    I wouldn’t. The beauty of macerated fruit is that it’s not exposed to heat, which will quickly break down the texture. Heating or cooking these peaches will change them completely.

    What do I do with the syrup?

    This is a delicious question, BB…save that syrup! Brush it on a pound cake. Swirl it into glaze. Stir it into whipped cream. Add it to iced tea. Drizzle it over toast. It’s absolutely delicious in its own right. Just be sure to use it in a timely manner; three days is the maximum time I’d give both the fruit and the syrup.

    Final Crumbs

    This one’s for the fruit that doesn’t need to try too hard. For the late summer days that taste like home. For my Daddy, who would enjoy an August peach more than a new bike for Christmas.

    If you make this recipe, I hopeyou love it. Let the syrup gather. Let the memory rise. If you serve these macerated peaches this summer, I hope they bring you joy that you’ll remember for a lifetime. 🍑 

    Homemade Bourbon Vanilla Extract

    Shani
    -
    0
    Homemade Bourbon Vanilla Extract

    I’m aware that it’s July, BB. But it’s time for us to start getting ready for the holidays with our very own homemade Bourbon Vanilla Extract.

    Making vanilla extract is one of those things that feels bougie and extra—but in reality, it’s just excellent sense. It’s easy, much more affordable than continuously buying those 2- and 4-ounce bottles, and wildly rewarding. The extract you create is deeper, richer, and more resonant than anything on a grocery store shelf—and that’s because it’s yours. Every batch will be different. Every bottle has its own fingerprint. And it will make your homemade baked goods sing every single time.

    So let’s make something extraordinary out of the ordinary. Let’s make vanilla extract.

    About Homemade Vanilla Extract

    What sets homemade vanilla apart? Depth.

    Store-bought extract often tastes thin and one-note; it gets the job done, but bakers who know, know that you don’t really achieve real vanilla depth with the store-bought stuff. But when you steep your own—especially in bourbon—you unlock deeply warm caramel notes, along with the big vanillin punch from the beans. It’s the kind of vanilla that makes you reconsider every chocolate chip cookie you’ve ever made or eaten.

    Once you’ve made this extract, you’ll even find yourself reaching for full vanilla beans less often—not because you can’t find them, but because your extract brings so much to the table on its own (and because you’ll always have so much of it on hand that buying vanilla beans will feel superfluous). And if you’ve got baking friends? Homemade vanilla in a beautiful little bottle is a personal, practical, and poetic gift at holiday time.

    “Once you make your own vanilla, you’ll never sacrifice flavor again—you’ll have it steeping on standby, ready for weekday or holiday cakes and cookies.”

    Ingredients

    This “recipe” is mostly vibes, and yours will be deeply personal to you after your first batch, but let’s talk about the two essentials:

    Grade B Vanilla Beans

    These are the more brittle, “less pretty” cousins of Grade A beans—and they are perfect for extract. Grade B beans have lower moisture content, which means they’re more concentrated and ready to release their flavor into your liquor of choice. They’re also more affordable, which is important because you’ll need a LOT of them for big-batch vanilla making. I typically use 1-2 full packs (around 35-45 beans) per batch. But, as you can see, I make HUGE batches. You an easily halve this amount for more recreational use (and that’s the amount that I’ll put in the recipe card, below.)

    The Alcohol

    There are three kinds of alcohol that are typically used for extract; the specific alcohol that you choose is extremely personal, and sometimes the best way to determine what you like best is to just try more than one. Generally speaking, though, for vanilla extract, vodka is classic and neutral. Bourbon is bold, with deep caramel notes. Rum is sweet and tropical. The notes of the specific alcohol will be a big driver in the final flavor of your extract, so choose wisely!

    I’m a bourbon girl, through and through. It gives the vanilla a smoky warmth that feels tailor-made for fall and winter baking. While I don’t love drinking bourbon, I absolutely adore baking with bourbon (as you can see from my Brown Butter Kentucky Bourbon Cake and my Bourbon Brown Butter Vanilla Pound Cake, to name a couple of fan favorites). They are each so unique and add so much to baking; I’m glad for the opportunity to work with them on a regular basis.

    While I am a bourbon fan, you may like the more linear, clean flavor that vodka produces, or the more tropical notes that rum (especially dark rum) gives to your vanilla extract. Make it your own! This is your choice and will become part of your baking signature as you flavor your baked goods with this vanilla for years to come.

    Special Equipment

    All you need is a clean, airtight glass jar large enough to hold your beans and your booze.

    You can use any size, but if you’re really baking a lot, or if you intend to make huge batches of vanilla, a gallon-sized, wide-mouth jar with an airtight seal is your best bet.

    Special Considerations

    Storage: Keep your extract in a cool, dark place—like the back of your pantry or cabinet. The less it’s moved around, the better.

    Shake or Stir: Every couple of weeks, give it a gentle swirl to help the caviar (the tiny black vanilla seeds inside the pod) distribute and infuse even more flavor.

    To Split or Not to Split? You can split your beans, but I don’t anymore. Whole beans are just fine, and they’re less likely to shed fragments if you’re gifting.Reuse: You can reuse beans up to 4 times, though I personally stop after 2–3 rounds. Each use takes longer to steep, and the potency of the beans goes down with each steeping process. To refresh, just remove the old beans, add the new beans and top off with more of your chosen alcohol.

    Keep the Sediment: Don’t strain out the beans. It’s mostly the caviar! It’s the good stuff. That sediment adds character and richness over time, and it means your extract is still alive and evolving. You’ll come to think of it as seasoning. And that seasoning will be the difference, in the future, between your bakes and everyone else’s.

    The Process

    Here, dear BB, is the process in pictures.

    Add vanilla beans to a clean glass jar. Don’t worry about splitting them.
    Pour the alcohol. All of it.
    Seal the jar shut. Make sure you use an airtight container.
    Make sure that the vanilla beans are fully submerged in the alcohol.
    Congratulations! You just made vanilla extract!

    I can’t wait for you to make your own batch! Here’s the recipe.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    How long does homemade bourbon vanilla extract last?

    Potentially indefinitely. The alcohol preserves the beans and prevents them (and the extract) from spoiling.

    How should I store it?

    Place the extract in a cool, dark, dry place (like the very back back of your pantry). Stir or shake it every few days to distribute the caviar.

    How do I use it?

    Once it’s ready, you can do a 1:1 swap for any recipe that calls for pure vanilla extract.

    When is it fully ready?

    It’s usable at around 10 weeks, but hits its stride around 4 months.

    Final Crumbs

    Ina Garten says she’s had a batch of vanilla extract going for over 40 years. Honestly? Goals. She blew my mind with the thought of homemade vanilla extract many years ago, and made me feel empowered to do it on my own. She is the reason why I’m re-committing to holding onto this new batch long term.

    I’m starting my big-batch journey now—and I hope you’ll start yours too. This is one of those slow rituals that rewards patience, consistency, and intention. Which, incidentally, are also the ingredients for good living.Once your extract is ready, here are a few BwB favorites to test it out:

    Toffee Crunch Cake
    Very Vanilla Pound Cake
    Bourbon Brown Butter Vanilla Pound Cake
    Brown Butter Kentucky Bourbon Cake

    Steep on, beloved. I hope this helps you!✨

    Strawberry Shortcake in a Charlotte Pan

    Shani
    -
    0
    Strawberry Shortcake in a Charlotte Pan

    That whipped cream isn’t just a topping-it’s the luxurious bridge back to the full symphony of this amazing Strawberry Shortcake. If the vanilla cake is the steady cello section grounding the dessert, and the macerated strawberries are the bright violins that hit every vibrant high note, then the whipped cream is the rich clarinet—the warm, mid-tone instrument that weaves it all together and makes the music whole.

    Today, I’m going to give you every bit of every tip that you need to achieve shortcake perfection with this incredibly simple cake base, the most plush whipped cream, and macerated strawberries that just scream that “SUMMER HAS ARRIVED.”

    In this Post

    About This Cake

    When I was a kid, strawberry shortcake was about a once-a-year event. It was rare. Treasured. If it happened (and I do mean if), it was the kind of dessert that showed up only at the absolute peak of summer: when the strawberries were so fragrant, you could smell them before you saw them. And perfect strawberries were in such abundance that nobody would miss the ones sacrificed to a dessert.

    This recipe is an ode to those strawberry shortcakes of my youth. Elusive. Rich. Crave-worthy. Slightly maddening, especially as you watched adults get the choice pieces and wondered if there would be anything left for you.

    It’s nostalgic without being plain. A little luxe without being showy. And when made in a Charlotte pan? It turns the humble shortcake into a centerpiece.

    ✨Recipe-at-a-Glance✨

    Before we dive into the how, here’s a quick overview of what you’re working with:

    Strawberry Shortcake in a Charlotte Pan
    • Level: Beginner-Friendly
    • Prep Time: 30 minutes
    • Bake Time: 35–45 minutes
    • Cooling Time: 90 minutes
    • Total Time: ~3 hours
    • Yields: 10–12 slices
    • Pan Size: 6-cup Charlotte pan
    • Special Equipment: Charlotte pan, digital scale, balloon whisk or stand mixer
    • Flavor Profile: Soft buttermilk vanilla cake with plush stabilized whipped cream and a tangy-sweet strawberry topping
    • No More Soggy Cake: Stabilized whipped cream creates a plush but sturdy barrier that prevents the strawberries from soaking through the cake.

    Ingredient Spotlight: Unflavored Gelatin

    Let’s take a moment to celebrate a behind-the-scenes hero in this dessert: unflavored gelatin.

    While it might not sound luxurious, it solves one of the most frustrating problems for strawberry shortcake lovers—the dreaded soggy bottom. Stabilizing your whipped cream with just a bit of unflavored gelatin gives it structure and strength, so it prevents juicy strawberries from turning your cake to mush.

    And here’s the best part: it does all of that while preserving the whipped cream’s soft, swoon-worthy texture. Luxurious and sturdy? We love a multitasker.

    Here’s why it works: unflavored gelatin blooms into a gel when hydrated and gently heated, forming a fine, flexible network throughout the whipped cream. That network helps the cream hold its shape longer, even under the weight and moisture of macerated strawberries—giving you structure without sacrificing softness.

    Beginners Start Here

    This recipe is as approachable as it is luxurious. With just a few simple techniques to help ease any intimidation that you might feel, it’s perfect for a weekday bake or a relaxed weekend project. A few key techniques will make all the difference:

    • Creaming Butter and Sugar: This tutorial will help you get the light, fluffy texture needed for the base.
    • All-Purpose Flour Matters: Your flour choice makes a difference in both texture and flavor. For a deep dive on why, check out this flour test with Gold Medal Unbleached All-Purpose Flour and this side-by-side comparison of King Arthur vs. White Lily. I tested with all three, and for this cake, I actually loved the Gold Medal Unbleached All-Purpose Flour msot.
    • Decorative Pan Tips: If you’re using a Charlotte pan (or any decorative loaf pan), here’s how to get the best results. These tips will help you achieve a sharp release and highlight the beauty of every ridge and curve.
    • Sifting Matters: This quick technique will make a huge impact on your final texture. It breaks up clumps, aerates your flour, and ensures a smooth, even crumb.
    This Nordic Ware Charlotte Cake Pan Makes this a positively stunning dessert.

    Mastering these small steps brings out the best in every layer of this dessert.

    Technique Spotlights: Whipped Cream and Macerated Strawberries

    Stabilized Whipped Cream: Light but Mighty

    Of all the components, the whipped cream deserves special attention.

    This whipped cream isn’t for piping—it’s meant to drape. You want it plush and luxe: soft enough to spoon generously over the shortcake, but with enough backbone to hold up the strawberries. Whip past soft peaks, but stop before stiff ones. Look for elegant swoops, not peaks that stand at attention.

    The most important thing you can do when whipping cream—especially with a machine—is to stay with it. Your eyes are tools here. Don’t walk away, even for a moment. Cream goes from perfect to over-whipped in a heartbeat.

    Here’s how we give that whipped cream a little backbone in this recipe: unflavored gelatin. Just a touch, bloomed and gently warmed, helps form an invisible structure in the cream. It keeps the texture cloud-soft, but strong enough to hold back the juices from the strawberries—so you get a plush, beautiful topping without a soggy sponge beneath it.

    If you’re not quite sure what ‘medium peaks’ actually look like, or you’re nervous about over-whipping, I’ve got you. Head over to this quick whipped cream tutorial for a full video and photo breakdown. You’ll see exactly what to look for—and more importantly, when to stop.

    The whipped cream should feel indulgent but not dense. Light, but not airy. A perfectly held sigh.

    Macerated Strawberries: Simple, Gentle, Intentional

    Macerating strawberries means drawing out their juices with a bit of sugar—creating a syrupy softness without cooking them. While we sometimes add acid (lemon juice or vinegar) for this process, for this specific dessert, we skip the acid altogether. No lemon juice. No vinegar. Why? Because we want the strawberries to retain their bright, clean flavor and their texture and shape.

    This is a celebration of summer fruit, and the goal is minimal manipulation. The sugar softens the berries slightly and coaxes out their natural juices, adding just enough luxury without sacrificing texture.

    Let them sit for about 30 minutes, then drain the syrup. That moment is key. Any longer and the berries will soften too much and start to collapse. For this dessert, they should still have a bit of body—something to bite into between soft sponge and lush cream.

    Tools You’ll Need

    Before you begin, gather a few kitchen essentials. These tools will make your process smoother and your results more consistent:

    • Charlotte Pan – for that gorgeous scalloped shape that turns your shortcake into a centerpiece. The deep crevices catch the light and give the final dessert that extra wow factor. If you don’t have one, a standard loaf or 6-cup Bundt pan works just fine—just be sure the top is level so the whipped cream stays put.
    • Digital Kitchen Scale – ensures consistent, accurate bakes every single time. Measuring by weight instead of volume helps you avoid common mistakes and brings pro-level precision to your home kitchen.
    • Balloon Whisk, Stand Mixer, or Immersion Blender with a Whisk Attachment – helps achieve that perfect whipped cream texture. Whether you’re whisking by hand or using a mixer, the goal is medium peaks that are plush enough to spoon but stable enough to hold strawberries.
    This GE Immersion Blender with a Whisk Attachmentmakes quick work of whipped cream.

    Without further ado, it’s my pleasure to present to you: my Strawberry Shortcake in a Charlotte Pan.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Can I use a different type of pan?

    Yes! If you don’t have a Charlotte pan, a loaf pan or a 6-cup Bundt pan will work beautifully. Just ensure the top is level so the whipped cream doesn’t spill over.

    Can I make the cake ahead of time?

    Absolutely. In fact, this dessert is even better after a few hours in the fridge. You can bake the cake the day before, cool completely, and store at room temperature until ready to assemble.

    How should I store leftovers?

    Store any leftover shortcake covered in the refrigerator. It’s best enjoyed within 2–3 days. The whipped cream and strawberries will settle in beautifully.

    What if I don’t want to use gelatin?

    You can absolutely omit the gelatin. Your whipped cream will still be delicious, but it won’t hold its structure quite as well over time. Without that gentle reinforcement, the strawberry juices are more likely to seep into the cake and soften the crumb.

    Final Crumbs

    So here we are, at the quiet heart of summer.

    This classic summertime cake doesn’t try too hard. It just is—soft, cool, quietly stunning. Like long weekends, friends staying to wash dishes while drinking wine, and children playing loudly in the yard.

    Strawberry shortcake is a dessert to make when the fruit demands it—when the strawberries are so sweet and red they look painted. Let the fruit lead. Let the sugar and cream follow.

    Serve it cold. Let the cream and strawberries sink in a little. Maybe even let it sit overnight. Some things are better when they’ve had time to get cozy together.

    And if someone hums while they slice it? You’ve done it right.

    123...40Page 1 of 40

    COPYRIGHT © 2025 | BEGIN WITH BUTTER™ ALL RIGHTS RESERVED | PRIVACY POLICY