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 break. ????

All of these. In one sitting. Challenge accepted.

Want to make the absolute best pound cakes of your life this holiday season? Check out the BwB Masterclass: Perfect Pound Cakes Encore here!

Family, this class is so nice I’m doing it twice. But it won’t be back this year! Don’t miss this incredible event!

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 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!

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!

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If you have lots of questions and still want to make this cake, you can feel free to email me (hello@beginwithbutter.com) or send a DM on Instagram (@beginwithbutter). 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 Tools Used in this Snickerdoodle Pound Cake

Below, you’ll find some tools that I used for this pound cake, as well as all of the pound cakes on my site. They’re what I use in my kitchen for just about everything that I bake. **I get paid a small commission if you purchase directly from some of these links, but they are truly amazing products that you’ll find in my kitchen.**

Picture of snickerdoodle pound cake and glaze.

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

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

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Snickerdoodle Pound Cake

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 9 reviews

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

Units Scale

For the Batter:

  • 384 g flour, plus two additional tablespoons for greasing the bundt pan
  • 1/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 3/4 tsp salt
  • 173 g butter, room temperature, plus two additional tablespoons for greasing the bundt pan
  • 58 g cream cheese, room temperature
  • 500 g sugar
  • 6 eggs
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • 250 g buttermilk

For the Cinnamon Simple Syrup:

  • 87 g water
  • 67 g granulated sugar
  • 1/8 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla
  • 1/8 tsp salt

For the Final Snickerdoodle Glaze:

  • 240 g confectioner’s sugar
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla
  • 1/4 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/8 tsp salt
  • 34 tbsp whole milk (start with 3)
  • 1 tbsp heavy cream
  • Decorating sugar (optional)

Instructions

To Make the Batter with a Stand Mixer:

  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. Combine the flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, and cinnamon in a medium bowl.
  3. Sift the flour mixture into another medium bowl.  Add kosher salt to the flour mix and whisk to combine.
  4. Place the room temperature butter and cream cheese in the bowl of your stand mixer.  Mix on low speed until smooth.  (30 seconds)
  5. Slowly add the granulated sugar and mix on medium speed until the mixture is light and fluffy.  (5-10 minutes)
  6. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing for at least 45 seconds after each addition.  Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed (I usually scrape the bowl after the third and sixth egg).  Don’t skimp on this step because it helps the cake rise!  (7 minutes)
  7. Add vanilla extract and mix until thoroughly combined.  (1 minute)
  8. Add half of the flour mixture and mix on low speed until combined.  (30-45 seconds)
  9. With the mixer on the lowest speed, add all of the buttermilk and mix until just combined.  (~1 minute)
  10. Add the second half of the flour mixture and mix on low speed until almost combined.  Stop mixing just before the mixture is fully together.  (~1 minute)
  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 with the remaining butter and flour and place the batter in the pan.

To Make the Batter with a Hand Mixer:

  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. Combine the flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, and cinnamon in a medium bowl.
  3. Sift the flour mixture into another medium bowl.  Add kosher salt to the flour mix and whisk to combine.
  4. Place the room temperature butter and cream cheese in a large mixing bowl.  Mix on low speed until smooth.  (~1 minute)
  5. Add half of the sugar and mix until the sugar is just incorporated.  (~30 seconds)
  6. Add the second half of the sugar and mix on medium speed until the mixture is light and fluffy.  (7-12 minutes)
  7. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing for at least 1 minute after each addition.  Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed (I usually scrape the bowl after the third and sixth egg).  Don’t skimp on this step because it helps the cake rise!  (7 minutes)
  8. Add vanilla extract and mix until thoroughly combined.  (1 minute)
  9. Add half of the flour mixture and mix on low speed until combined.  (30-45 seconds)
  10. Add all of the buttermilk and mix on lowest speed until just combined.  (~1 minute).
  11. Add the second half of the flour mixture and mix on low speed until almost combined.  Stop mixing just before the mixture is fully together.  (1-2 minutes)
  12. Using a rubber spatula, fully scrape the sides and bottom of the mixing bowl.  Then, mix the batter until it is smooth and consistent.  Make sure to fully scrape the bottom of the bowl!
  13. Grease a 10-12 cup bundt pan with the remaining butter and flour and place the batter in the pan.

To Bake the Cake:

  1. 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.
  2. 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. After allowing the cake to rest for ten minutes, invert it onto a cooling rack and carefully remove the bundt pan.
  4. Using a pastry brush, gently brush the cinnamon simple syrup over the entire cake.
  5. Allow the cake to cool completely.  (3-5 hours)

To Make the Snickerdoodle Glaze:

  1. Combine the confectioner’s sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, salt, and whole milk (3 tbsp)  in a medium bowl.  (see note about glaze, below.)
  2. Stir with a spoon until nearly combined, then add 1 tbsp of heavy cream.  Stir until smooth.  The glaze will be thick but should be pourable.
  3. Final glaze should have the consistency of thick honey, and you should just be able to pour it.  Add whole milk, one teaspoon at a time, if the original glaze is too thick to pour.
  4. Using a spouted measuring cup, spoon, or squeeze bottle, drizzle final glaze over the cake.  For this cake, I used a spouted measuring cup.
  5. If necessary, use a spoon to help the glaze fall over the sides of the cake.
  6. 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.

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 and just keep stirring!  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 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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    29 COMMENTS

    1. I made this tonight. Let me tell you… if you are on the fence about making this, get off the fence NOW! This cake is amazing! It’s so good. Moist, cinnamon-y… perfection. So darn good that my 10 year old is sighing with every bite. I am so happy I made this. Thank you!

    2. I am a huge lover of all things snickerdoodle and this pound cake was everything I want a snickerdoodle recipe to be. I can’t get over how tender and fluffy the cake was.






    3. You had me at pound cake, lol! This tastes JUST LIKE A SNICKERDOODLE. I love how your recipe even uses cream of tartar. It’s the real deal. Not gonna lie, my family and I ate it in two days. The cinnamon is sooo warming, I love it. I don’t have any of the decorating sugar but I am going to make this again for the holidays and try to go online and find some. Thank you!






    4. Pound is my favorite type of cake but surprisingly I’ve never tried a flavored one until now. The cinnamon was just right and I adored the tang from the cream of tartar. Thank you for a wonderful new addition to my arsenal!






    5. I’m a huge fanatic of snickerdoodle everything, so when I saw this pound cake version it was a no brainer! OMG, it is heavenly…moist with the perfect amount of cinnamon and sweetness….just so good!






    6. I love snickerdoodles so I knew I HAD to make this cake. It did not disappoint! Perfectly moist and sweet with the right amount of cinnamon. Will make this again for the holiday season.






    7. I made this for a potluck at my community center and everyone went crazy for it! I literally blinked and it was gone! The spices and the cinnamon syrup with the glaze on top – sheer perfection. You have the best recipes!






    8. I love trying different pound cake flavors so this one caught my eye. Perfect snickerdoodle flavor and the texture is just like my Grandma used to make! I’m trying the apple spice next!






    9. If I do not own the scales and would like to make this, does anyone have suggestions on ingredients list for cups instead of grams? I know I can google but wanted to see if any of you wonderful bakers could help me out!

    10. The cake sounds absolutely delicious.
      What changes would you recommend for high altitude—6,450 feet?.What is the capacity of the Bundt pan you use.

    11. I am a very new baker, in the ingredients, I assume vanilla means vanilla extract. Does cinnamon mean ground cinnamon or cinnamon extract?

      • What a sweet idea! You can absolutely do mini bundts with this recipe! If using mini bundts, spray generously with baking spray, then use a pastry brush to distribute the spray evenly over the bundt pan. Fill each one about halfway, then bake for 25-30 minutes (check at the 25 minute mark). Then, allow them to cool and do the simple syrup and glaze! What a sweet gift giver you are!

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