Last updated on April 1st, 2023 at 07:57 am
Meet your new go-to vanilla cake. This vegan pound cake is a simple to make buttery loaf cake with a perfect crumb.
What's more, this cake is made with a little vegan butter but mostly yoghurt. Trust me, you won't taste the difference. It's awesome. Really.
What is Pound Cake?
Pound Cake is a buttery vanilla cake commonly made in loaf form. Historically, pound cake was made with a pound of each of the four ingredients; flour, butter, eggs and sugar.
It's a great all-rounder cake, perfect for afternoon tea, picnics or packed lunches.
The crumb is denser compared to typical cakes, but if made properly, pound cake is moist, buttery and melt-in-your-mouth.
This vegan pound cake is all of the above.
Why We Love This Vegan Pound Cake
I have tested, re-tested and tested again to get this cake just right. It works every time. Besides being a vegan cake everyone will love.
- It's really simple to make with the batter coming together in around 5 minutes
- This cake keeps well wrapped in foil at room temperature for up to 5 days
- Pound cake can be dressed up or down. We eat this pound cake as is, but you can frost it or pimp it with a lemon drizzle
- It is made with easy-to-find ingredients and
- I guarantee it will melt in your mouth and have you going back for more.
- We make it with yoghurt!
Is Pound Cake the Same as Loaf Cake?
Nope. As I mentioned, Pound Cake got its name because of the ratio of ingredients in the original recipe; 1-1-1-1. A loaf cake on the other hand, is any cake cooked in a loaf tin.
Ingredients & Substitutions
All-purpose flour. I use good old AP flour but you can swap it for cake flour for a lighter crumb, but I don't think it needs it. Save your cake flour for a fluffy sponge.
Caster sugar. Raw caster sugar is my baking go-to. It melts beautifully but if you only have regular granulated sugar, that will work fine too. I have tested with both.
Vegan Butter. In Australia I prefer Flora Original Plant Based spread (not a sponsored link) for this recipe. It has a richer more vibrant flavour but you can use any dairy-free butter you like.
Olive oil. Besides adding a little more fat to our cake, olive oil gives a little punch of fruity flavour and colour.
Baking Powder. Traditionally, pound cake doesn't contain any leavening agents but because we aren't using eggs, we'll use some baking powder to give us a little lift.
Coconut yoghurt. Find a nice thick coconut yoghurt or you can swap out the yoghurt for vegan sour cream. I have tried both, they are equally wonderful.
How to Make the Best Vegan Pound Cake
You'll find full instructions and measurements in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Step 1. Beat room temperature butter and sugar together in a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer until it resembles fluffy sand. (You can also do this step in a stand mixer).
Step 2. Add half the yoghurt and keep beating until combined. Go ahead and add the second half and mix it in now.
Step 3. Beat in the olive oil a tablespoon at a time, then add the vanilla. That's your wet ingredients done, you can go ahead and set them aside.
Step 4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.
Add half the dry ingredients to the wet and mix through with a large spoon before adding the second half. Mix until combined, but no more.
Step 5. Spoon the batter into a prepared loaf tin and using a spoon or baking palette knife, smooth it out nice and level.
Bake the cake for around 55-60 minutes and voila, a buttery, melt-in-your-mouth vegan pound cake is all yours.
Note: I can never get the perfect pound cake crack down the centre of my cake - no matter; this cake is too delicious to worry about that.
How to Serve Your Vegan Pound Cake
Pound cake is essentially a sturdy vanilla cake which means you can dress it up or down anyway you like. Try these serving suggestions and then invite me over.
- Whipped coconut cream and fresh berries – very traditional
- A smear of vegan butter with jam or fruit compote
- A drizzle of maple syrup with crushed nuts
- Nice cream! Everything tastes better with ice-cream, yes?
- A dusting of icing sugar / powdered sugar
Best served room temperature. If it gets a bit stale, toast it lightly or just warm up slices in microwave to resurrect it - no judgement here!
Storage
This buttery cake will keep for 4 to 5 days in an airtight container at room temperature (unless it’s super hot where you are).
It freezes well for 3 months. After the cake has cooled completely, wrap it in foil and place it in a freezer bag and into the freezer.
Love cake? You've come to the right place. Try these vegan cake recipes -
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Vegan Pound Cake
Ingredients
Wet Ingredients
- ½ cup / 125g vegan butter room temperature
- 1 cup / 225g caster sugar
- 1 cup vegan yoghurt coconut works best
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups / 300g all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
Instructions
For the Cake
- Line and lightly grease a 21.5cm x 11.4cm x 6.9cm loaf tin and preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F (conventional/standard) / 160°C/320°F (fan).
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar together with a hand mixer until it resembles fluffy sand. (You can also do this step in a stand mixer)
- Add half the yoghurt and keep beating until combined. Add the second half and mix that in as well.
- A tablespoon at a time, beat in the olive oil and finally all the vanilla. Set the mixture aside.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Add half the dry ingredients to the wet and mix through with a large spoon before adding the second half. Mix until combined but no more.
- The batter is super thick, don't worry it's supposed to be.
- Spoon the batter into your prepared loaf tin and using a spoon or baking palette knife, smooth it out nice and level.
- Pop the loaf in the oven and bake for 50-60 minutes or until a skewer comes away from the centre clean.
- Remove the loaf from the oven and allow it to sit for at least 10 minutes before turning it out onto a cooling rack. The longer you leave it, the easier the cake is to handle. The crumb settles and it's just easier to cut.
- Slice and serve at room temperature.
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