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    Home » Recipes » Cakes and Cupcakes

    Published: May 19, 2021 by alexandra · This post may contain affiliate links

    Gluten-Free Sour Cream Pound Cake

    Jump to Recipe

    Vanilla adds a light, simple flavor to this classic gluten-free pound cake recipe. With the addition of sour cream, it makes a moist, tender, and versatile cake. Serve it plain, or top it with whipped cream and fresh fruit for a seasonal twist. It's also great grilled!

    This post is sponsored by Sprouts. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.


    I'm sure most of us love an elaborate dessert - a sprinkle-laden ombré cake or a multi-layered, meringue-topped cupcake - but there's something to be said about the simple recipes. They're the go-tos, the everyday options, the recipes that bring out the real comfort of baking. This sour cream pound cake couldn't be more representative of a classic, down-to-earth recipe. It's a gluten-free spin on a basic vanilla pound cake, with a light, sweet flavor. In the spirit of keeping it simple, this cake is excellent on its own, but you can also do what I did here: grill it with pineapple slices, top it with whipped cream, and turn it into the ultimate summertime treat.

    Overhead view of a slice of grilled pound cake topped with grilled pineapple and whipped cream. this recipe
    Jump to:
    • What is a pound cake anyway?
    • Ingredients needed
    • How to make pound cake from scratch
    • Serving tips
    • How to grill pound cake
    • Recipe FAQ
    • More gluten-free cakes you'll love
    • Recipe Card
    • 💬 Comments and Reviews

    What is a pound cake anyway?

    A pound cake is a dense, buttery, lightly-flavored cake that's typically baked in a loaf or bundt pan. Traditionally, it's made with a pound each of four ingredients - butter, flour, eggs, and sugar - hence the name. Usually, you'll see this classic dessert served plain, dusted with powdered sugar, or topped with a simple icing glaze.

    This variation sticks pretty close to the traditional ratios, but incorporates a few tweaks to keep the cake moist and avoid the texture issues that tend to plague gluten-free recipes. Although it doesn't require any milk or cream cheese - two common ingredients added to pound cakes - it does use sour cream as an added dairy component. This helps the cake stay tender and moist, and adds a subtle dimension to the overall flavor.

    To keep things easy, this cake is baked in a basic loaf pan rather than a bundt. It may look humble, but that's nothing a little whipped cream and fruit garnish can't fix!

    Overhead view of multiple slices of sour cream pound cake stacked on a plate.

    Ingredients needed

    Since this is a fairly simple recipe, there's only a few staple baking ingredients involved. As usual, Sprouts is my go-to grocery store for stocking up. They'll have everything you need to bake this gluten-free pound cake!

    Baking ingredients: Gluten-free all-purpose flour with xanthan gum, corn starch, sugar, salt, baking soda, and vanilla extract.

    • The corn starch is used in combination with all-purpose flour to create a makeshift gluten-free cake flour of sorts, which prevents the crumb from becoming too spongey. Don't skip it!
    • Spring for the real vanilla extract (versus imitation flavoring) for this recipe. Since it's the main flavor component here, the splurge is worth it.

    Dairy and eggs: Unsalted butter, sour cream, and large eggs.

    • Opt for the best butter you can afford; Sprouts carries quite a few great options to choose from! Higher quality butter tends to be more expensive, but it also tends to have slightly more fat, and a better overall flavor. Since (again) this is a very simply-flavored cake, this is the kind of recipe where the quality of your ingredients will have a bigger impact.
    • Make sure you use large eggs . You'll need 5 of them, and using eggs that are bigger or smaller could throw off the ratios in the recipe.

    A final note on ingredients: It's extremely important that your butter, eggs, and sour cream are all at room temperature for this recipe. If they're not, your batter won't come together properly - and nobody wants that!

    Overhead view of ingredients needed to make a sour cream pound cake.

    How to make pound cake from scratch

    This recipe uses the creaming method to create a cake with a tender, tight, buttery crumb. For best results, you'll need a stand mixer, so lug that thing onto your countertop and let's make a sour cream pound cake!

    Step one: Oven and pan prep. Preheat your oven to 350ºF, and grease a standard 9"x5" loaf pan with non-stick baking spray.

    Step two: Combine the dry ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together your gluten-free flour, corn starch, salt, and baking soda.

    Step three: Cream butter, sugar, and eggs. Combine room-temperature butter and granulated sugar in the bowl of your mixer. Using the paddle attachment, cream (beat) them together on medium-high speed until the mixture is light and fluffy.


    Tip: At every step of the mixing process, use your spatula to scrape down the bowl and beater as needed. This will ensure all of the ingredients get incorporated evenly.


    Overhead view of butter and sugar being creamed together in a mixing bowl.

    Next, add the eggs one at a time on medium-low speed, beating each in fully before moving on to the next. Once they're all in there, add the vanilla extract and keep beating on medium speed until everything is evenly combined. Note that the batter tends to curdle at this point, no matter how careful you are while incorporating the eggs. Don't panic! We'll fix that in step four.

    Overhead view of eggs being beaten into butter and sugar in a mixing bowl.

    Step four: Alternating adding the liquid and dry ingredients. Turning the mixer back to low speed, add about ⅓ of your dry ingredient mixture. Once that's mostly dispersed into the batter, add half of the sour cream. Continue with this pattern, (a third of the dry ingredients, the second half of the sour cream, and the final third of the dry mixture) until all of the ingredients are evenly combined. At this point, the batter should be thick and oh-so-smooth.

    Pound cake batter in a bowl, ready to be baked.

    Step five: Bake. Transfer the batter to your prepared loaf pan, using a spatula to make sure the batter gets spread to every corner and edge. Add a couple more light, gentle turns of your spatula at the end to smooth out the top surface. Then, pop that loaf in the oven and bake it for about 1 hour and 15 minutes. When done, you should have a well-risen loaf with a perfectly golden crust. A toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean OR with just a few moist crumbs.

    Step six: Cool. Set the loaf pan over a wire cooling rack for about 30 minutes. Then, carefully flip the loaf out of the pan, directly onto the rack, to finish cooling.

    Serving tips

    This beauty of this gluten-free pound cake is in its simplicity - it can easily be dressed up, but that's not a necessity. Serve it at room temperature with a chunky fruit compote and homemade caramel iced coffee for a coffee-shop style breakfast, or top it with whipped cream and fresh fruit for a slightly more elegant dessert. It's also excellent toasted, but if you really want to go a step above and beyond, you can grill it!

    Pound cake being served with pineapple slices and whipped cream on a patio table.

    How to grill pound cake

    Grilling - like toasting - helps caramelize the sugar in this cake to really amplify the flavor. It's easy to do, and you can also grill fruit for a garnish while you're at it. Pineapples, apricots, or peaches would all be great options.

    To grill this pound cake, I like to cut thick slices (about 1" wide) and brush both sides with melted butter. Then, toss them on a grill at medium-low heat for 1-2 minutes a side, or just long enough to get those perfectly-golden grill marks. If you decide to grill fruit with it, just sprinkle the fruit with some raw sugar first to increase the caramelization. You may need an additional 2-4 minutes for the fruit; look for visual cues to gauge when they're done.


    Tip: Place the cake slices on the grill at an angle to make pretty diagonal grill marks!


    Slices of pound cake and pineapple on a grill.

    Recipe FAQ

    How should I store pound cake?

    Once cool, wrap your loaf tightly in plastic wrap and seal it inside a zip-top bag. Store at cool room temperature, or refrigerate it and let it come to room temperature before serving.

    How long does this pound cake stay fresh?

    If stored properly, this cake should keep well for at least 5 days, and up to a week.

    Can I make this without a stand mixer?

    Although I do feel that a stand mixer is the best and most efficient tool for cakes that use the creaming method, you can probably get by with a handheld electric mixer as well. If you go this route, be aware that each step of mixing will most likely take longer, and you may need to scrape down your bowl and beaters more often.

    Can this recipe be doubled?

    Yes! True to the traditional pound cake ratios, you'd use close to a pound each of butter, sugar, flour, and eggs if this recipe is doubled. Just bake it in two separate loaf pans instead of one. I only recommend doubling this recipe if using a stand mixer, since there would likely be too much batter for a hand mixer to work with.

    Overhead view of multiple slices of grilled pound cake served on individual plates, with pineapple and whipped cream. f

    More gluten-free cakes you'll love

    If you're looking for something light and summery - but perhaps more chocolatey than this recipe - try my chocolate financier layer cake. It's a naked cake that uses mascarpone whipped cream as a frosting, with fresh berries and mint for garnish.

    This mini marble cake is a great middle-of-the-road option, swirled with chocolate AND vanilla cake batter. It's topped with a light, tangy blackberry cream cheese frosting.

    For the fruit lovers, this strawberry layer cake is my number one recommendation. Roasting your fruit is the key to making the most incredible made-from-scratch strawberry cake, and the frosting on this tastes just like a milkshake!

    And lastly, another perfect cake for summer - chocolate raspberry ice cream cake! It's a rich, fudgy cake layered with raspberry-swirled vanilla ice cream, chocolate ganache, and whipped cream.


    If you make this vanilla pound cake, I'd love to hear about it! You can rate and review this recipe in the comments section below. Tag me (@brighteyedbaker) in an Instagram photo of the finished product and I'll give you a shoutout in my stories!


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    Gluten-Free Sour Cream Pound Cake

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    ★★★★★

    5 from 7 reviews

    Vanilla adds a light, simple flavor to this classic gluten-free pound cake recipe. With the addition of sour cream, it makes a moist, tender, and versatile cake. Serve it plain, or top it with whipped cream and fresh fruit for a seasonal twist. It's also great grilled!

    • Author: alexandra
    • Prep Time: 20 minutes
    • Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
    • Total Time: 1 hour 35 minutes
    • Yield: one 9"x5" loaf cake 1x
    • Category: cake
    • Method: baking
    • Cuisine: American
    • Diet: Gluten Free

    Ingredients

    Scale

    Pound Cake:

    • 1 ¾ cups, spoon and level (7 ⅜ ounces) gluten-free all-purpose flour with xanthan gum
    • ¼ cup (1 ⅛ ounces) corn starch 
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
    • 14 tablespoons (7 ounces) unsalted butter, room temperature
    • 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (7 ⅞ ounces) granulated sugar
    • 5 large eggs, room temperature
    • ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons (5 ⅜ ounces) sour cream, room temperature
    • 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract

    Grilling & Serving:

    • melted butter 
    • fresh pineapple slices*
    • raw or demerara sugar
    • whipped cream or vanilla ice cream

    Instructions

    To bake the cake:

    1. Oven and pan prep: Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9”x 5” loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray. 
    2. Combine the dry ingredients: In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the gluten-free flour, corn starch, salt, and baking soda.
    3. Cream butter, sugar, and eggs**: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time on medium-low speed, mixing each in until incorporated, and scraping down the bowl and beater as needed. Once all of the eggs have been added, add the vanilla extract, increase speed to medium, and beat just until fully and evenly combined.***
    4. Alternate adding the liquid and dry ingredients: With the mixer on low speed, carefully add about ⅓ of the flour mixture, followed by half of the sour cream, mixing each in until partially incorporated before moving on to the next addition. Continue in this way, adding another ⅓ of the flour mixture, the remaining sour cream, and finally the remaining flour mixture. Keep beating at low speed just until all ingredients are evenly incorporated; the batter should be thick and smooth.
    5. Bake: Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf pan, using a spatula to spread it evenly into the pan and smooth out the top surface. Bake in the preheated oven for 70-75 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean. 
    6. Cool: Cool bread in pan over a wire rack for about 30 minutes, and then transfer the loaf directly to the rack to finish cooling.

    Grilling and Serving: 

    1. Grill: Heat grill at medium-low heat. Cut loaf into 1” thick slices and brush each side with melted butter. Sprinkle pineapple slices with raw or demerara sugar. Grill cake for 1-2 minutes per side, and pineapple slices for 2-3 minutes per side, uncovered. Serve warm, with whipped cream or ice cream.

     

    Equipment

    Image of 9"x5" loaf pan

    9"x5" loaf pan

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    Image of paddle attachment for stand mixer

    paddle attachment for stand mixer

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    stand mixer

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    Notes

    *Apricots or peaches would also be great options for grilling here!

    **Use your spatula to scrape down the bowl and beater as needed during this step, so that all of the ingredients are fully and evenly incorporated. 

    ***If the batter starts to appear curdled while adding the eggs, don't think you messed up. This tends to happen, and it should smooth back out in step four. 

    Storage and shelf life: To store, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and place in a zip-top bag at cool room temperature. Keeps for 5-7 days. 

    Nutrition facts are for a single slice, without any toppings or garnishes.

    Keywords: pound cake, sour cream pound cake, gluten free pound cake, vanilla pound cake, grilled pound cake, summer desserts

    Have you made this recipe?

    Tag @brighteyedbaker on Instagram and hashtag it #brighteyedbaker

    Digiprove sealCopyright protected by Digiprove © 2021

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    1. marie says

      May 28, 2021 at 1:45 am

      This sounds fantastic and I love that it is gluten-free! Perfect with a cup of joe

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    2. Amanda Wren-Grimwood says

      May 28, 2021 at 12:40 am

      Such a great gluten free recipe and love the idea of grilling the cake and serving warm with cream!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    3. kushigalu says

      May 27, 2021 at 11:18 pm

      Never tried gluten free version of pound cake before. Looks amazingly delicious. I will be baking this soon.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    4. Cathleen says

      May 27, 2021 at 7:50 pm

      Pound cake might be one of my favourite desserts ever. And with a grilled pineapple?? I think you just elevated this pound cake to the next level!! Definitely giving this a go this long weekend :)

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    5. Jo says

      May 27, 2021 at 7:01 pm

      I love this cake! So addicting!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    6. Alex says

      May 27, 2021 at 1:26 pm

      I've been looking for a simple, go-to pound cake recipe, and this is it! So happy to have a gluten-free pound cake in my repertoire now!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • alexandra says

        May 27, 2021 at 1:29 pm

        So happy to hear you like it!

        Reply
    7. Sandra says

      May 24, 2021 at 12:34 pm

      Personally, I like it best served chilled. It's very nice that way!

      ★★★★★

      Reply

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    Hey There! Thanks for stopping by! Here's what you can expect to find on Bright-Eyed Baker: lots of baked goods and other sweets made from scratch (many of which are gluten-free), plus the occasional savory recipe or mixed drink. My goal is to show you that from-scratch baking - gluten-free or not! - doesn't have to be intimidating. Learn more about me.

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