Martha Stewart's Perfect Pound Cake Hinges On One Simple Change

The beauty of pound cake lies in its simplicity. Not only is its flavor subtle and sweet, but its ingredients are few: The original recipe calls for just a pound of butter, sugar, eggs, and flour — hence the name "pound" cake. Though this recipe is easy to remember and whip up on the spot, there are plenty of new, slightly more complex variations out there today to change things up a bit. Martha Stewart's version, which adds baking powder and sour cream, turns the traditionally dense loaf into one that's slightly more fluffy and moist.

The classic pound cake recipe doesn't include any sort of leavening agent like baking powder or baking soda. These ingredients are typically responsible for helping baked goods rise, giving them an optimal texture, and creating crumbs. In a traditional pound cake, however, the butter and sugar are creamed together, and this allows air to be mixed into the batter and get trapped as air bubbles. This process is called physical leavening, and it creates the cake's structure and helps it rise in the oven.

Stewart's recipe similarly requires you to cream together the butter and sugar, but it also requires the addition of baking powder and salt to the wet batter. While you'd typically add dry ingredients to the flour, this technique allows for better incorporation throughout the entire loaf. The last ingredient added to the mixture is sour cream, and its fattiness gives the pound cake an extra moist and rich texture, making this twist an unforgettable one.

Beyond altering the original recipe with Martha Stewart's easy but impactful change, there are also many creative ways to elevate humble pound cake to give it a bit more pizazz. One of the most classic combos to add on top of a slice of pound cake is strawberries and whipped cream. Make some homemade honey whipped cream for an even more personal touch. And if you're looking to impress guests with a fancy-looking dessert with minimal effort, try making a trifle with those three ingredients by layering them in short glasses. Not only will they look beautiful, but your guests will be wowed by their delicious simplicity.

Another one of our favorite ways to elevate the simple sweet is by layering pound cake with your favorite ice cream for an easy yet luxurious dessert. This hack is a great way to use up some leftover ice cream and create a homemade version of ice cream cake. Pair it with strawberry and vanilla ice cream to replicate the familiar topping, or add a bit of additional sweetness with a scoop of chocolate.