The Best Pound Cake Recipe

Set your oven to 180°C/350°F (165°C fan) and arrange the shelf so the loaf pan will sit in the middle.

Grease an 8.5 x 4 inch (21.5 x 11.4 x 6.9 cm) loaf pan with unsalted butter, then dust with flour and knock out the excess flour to prevent sticking.

In a medium bowl, lightly whisk together milk, eggs, and vanilla extract. Set this mixture aside for use later.

In a large bowl or stand mixer, add cake flour, caster sugar, baking powder, and salt. Beat on low speed (Speed 1) for 30 seconds to mix.

Add the softened butter and half of the egg mixture to the dry ingredients. Beat on Speed 1 until incorporated, about 30-40 seconds, forming a thick batter. Then increase to Speed 7 and beat for 1 minute to aerate the batter.

Scrape down the bowl, then add half of the remaining egg mixture (which is a quarter of the original total). Beat on Speed 7 for 20 seconds to fully incorporate.

Scrape bowl sides again, add the last remaining egg mixture, and beat another 20 seconds at Speed 7 until smooth and combined.

Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top evenly.

Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes until the top starts to split slightly.

Quickly open the oven door and make a light cut with a sharp knife along the split (about 6 inches/15 cm) to help it open nicely during baking. Close the door promptly to avoid heat loss and collapse of the cake.

Continue baking for another 20-25 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. If the cake is browning too much, place a loose sheet of foil over the top for the remainder of the bake time.

Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn it out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Slice thickly and serve with whipped cream and fruit, butter, honey, fruit compote, mascarpone, or thick yogurt with crushed nuts such as pistachios for a delightful finish.