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A classic pound cake recipe transformed into a “quarter” pound cake! Baked in a small baking dish, this buttery, tender, and golden Mini Pound Cake recipe yields the perfect amount for one or two people.
Searching for delightful mini cake recipes? Discover our rich Devil’s Food Cake, exotic Hummingbird Cake, classic Texas Sheet Cake, aromatic Spice Cake, and luxurious Red Velvet Cake. Each one is crafted to perfection in a smaller size, ideal for satisfying your cake cravings.
Why You’ll Love This Small Pound Cake Recipe
- Individually Sized: This small pound cake recipe is perfect for one or two people.
- Simple Ingredients: Made with pantry staples you likely already have.
- Quick and Easy: No complicated steps, just straightforward baking.
- Versatile: Can be served for breakfast, dessert, or a snack.
- Delicious: This mini cake is light and airy, with a rich and flavorful crumb.
What Is A Pound Cake?
The pound cake has a rich history that traces its roots back to England in the early 1700s. Traditionally, it was made with equal parts— a pound each—of butter, sugar, eggs, and flour. The French even have a name for it: “quatre-quarts,” meaning “four-fourths.” This original version was quite dense and dry, designed to serve a large crowd.
Fast forward to the mid-1800s, and the culinary world started craving lighter cakes. That’s when the pound cake began to evolve. Modern versions often include leavening agents like baking powder and altered ratios of the core ingredients, resulting in a cake that’s rich, buttery, and velvety in texture.
Today’s pound cake can be enjoyed in various ways—on its own, adorned with fresh fruit, or even as a base for other desserts like Caramelized Banana Upside-Down Cake.
In this recipe, I’ve aimed to capture the essence of the classic pound cake but in a mini, more manageable form. I call it a “quarter pound cake” because it’s about a quarter of the size of a traditional pound cake. It’s perfect for serving one or two people and can be baked in a small dish or divided between two ramekins. The result? A cake with a light, airy texture and an absolutely delightful flavor.
Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this mini pound cake recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder.
- Butter: Use salted butter. Make sure the butter is soft, not melted. A good way to check to see if your butter is the right consistency is to make an indention in the butter with your finger. If it’s easy to make an indentation and the butter keeps its shape, then it’s the correct temperature.
- Sugar, vanilla, salt, and lemon juice: For excellent flavor.
- Egg: An egg provides structure in cakes and one large egg is all you need.
- Flour: Use all-purpose flour.
- Baking powder: This ingredient helps the cake rise.
- Milk: Milk adds moisture to the cake batter. Use any percentage of cow’s milk or almond milk.
This is just an overview of the ingredients I used and why I used them. For the full recipe please scroll down to the recipe box at the bottom of the post.
Recipe Variations
If you’re looking to add a unique twist to your cake, these variations are worth trying.
- Citrus Pound Cake: Add some zing to your cake by incorporating lemon, lime, or orange zest into the batter.
- Nut-Filled Pound Cake: Fold in some chopped almonds, walnuts, or pecans for added texture and a nutty flavor.
- Chocolate Chip Pound Cake: For chocolate lovers, mix in mini chocolate chips before baking for a chocolatey surprise.
- Spiced Pound Cake: Spice things up by adding a pinch of cinnamon, nutmeg, or even a dash of cardamom to the batter.
How To Make A Mini Pound Cake
These step-by-step photos and instructions help you visualize how to make a small pound cake. See the recipe box below for ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions.
- Heat the oven to 350° F (177° C).
- Lightly butter a 5-inch baking dish or a 4×6-inch baking dish with butter.
Pro Tip: I recommend placing the baking dish on top of a rimmed baking sheet to catch any possible spills when the cake is baking.
- In a small bowl, beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer until well mixed.
- Beat in egg, lemon juice, and vanilla.
- In a separate small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Add to butter/sugar mixture and mix to combine.
- Stir in the milk.
- Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish and bake for 40-45 minutes or until the top is golden.
- Allow the cake to cool for 10 minutes before inverting it over a plate and slicing it into squares.
Expert Tips
- Use Real Butter: For the best flavor and texture, stick to real butter instead of margarine.
- Softened Butter is Key: To check if your butter is at the right consistency, press it with your finger. If it’s easy to make an indentation but the butter still holds its shape, you’re good to go.
- Cream for Texture: Blend the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. This step is crucial for achieving that smooth, velvety texture. Aim for 2-3 minutes of beating, depending on your mixer’s speed.
- Measure Flour Correctly: Avoid scooping flour directly with a measuring cup. Instead, fluff the flour first, spoon it into a dry measuring cup, and level it off with a flat-edged knife.
- Calibrate Oven Temperature: Ensure your oven is at the correct temperature for consistent results. Ovens can often run hotter or cooler than the set temperature, so investing in an oven thermometer is a wise choice.
Serving Suggestions
This Mini Pound Cake is a versatile dessert that pairs well with a variety of accompaniments.
- Fruit Toppings: Elevate your cake by adding a dollop of whipped cream and a spoonful of fresh berry compote or a drizzle of fruit syrup.
- Ice Cream Pairing: A scoop of vanilla ice cream makes for a heavenly combination.
- Coffee or Tea: This cake pairs exceptionally well with a cup of your favorite coffee, hot chocolate, or tea, making it a perfect afternoon delight.
- Dessert Wine: For an adult twist, serve the cake with a glass of dessert wine like Moscato or a late-harvest Riesling.
Frequently Asked Questions
The size of your baking dish can make or break this recipe.
A 5×5-inch dish with a depth of 1 3/4 inches is ideal, as it holds about 1.5 cups and has a 25-square-inch base area.
A 4×6-inch dish with a 24-square-inch area is a good alternative.
You can also use two 10-ounce ramekins or mini loaf pans for this recipe.
If you would like additional information on the cooking and baking dishes I use in our “recipes for one”, please visit our FAQ page.
For examples of the dishes used at One Dish Kitchen, please visit our Store page.
Achieving a moist pound cake is all about the baking time and accurate measurements. Start by checking the cake’s doneness at the 40-minute mark using a toothpick test. A clean toothpick means your cake is done. Also, ensure your oven’s temperature is accurate with an oven thermometer. For precise flour measurement, opt for the spoon and level method.
It’s best to store a pound cake at room temperature with an airtight cover. It will remain fresh for 4-5 days at room temperature.
Yes, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and freeze for up to a month.
Absolutely, you can easily scale this recipe to make a “half-pound cake”. Simply double the ingredient quantities. You have a couple of options for baking dishes: either use two small dishes as specified above, or opt for a single 8.5-inch round dish with a 50-square-inch base area. A 7×7-inch square dish with a 49-square-inch base area will also work well.
Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder or you might like to consider using them in any of these single serving and small batch recipes:
Explore More Mini Cake Recipes
If this Mini Pound Cake has tickled your taste buds, you’re in for a treat with our other mini cake options. From fruity delights to chocolate indulgences, there’s something for everyone:
If you’ve tried this pound cake or any recipe on One Dish Kitchen please let me know how you liked it by rating the recipe and telling me about it in the comment section below.
If you take a picture please tag us on Instagram (@onedishkitchen) we’d love to see it!
Mini Pound Cake
Equipment
- 5-inch baking dish or a 4×6-inch baking dish
Ingredients
- ¼ cup salted butter softened, plus 1 tablespoon more for greasing
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- ½ teaspoon lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¾ cup all purpose flour
- ⅛ teaspoon baking powder
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup low fat milk
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350° F (177° C)
- Lightly butter a 5×5-inch baking dish or a 4×6-inch baking dish with butter. Place the baking dish on top of a baking sheet.
- In a small bowl, beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer until well mixed.
- Beat in egg, lemon juice, and vanilla.
- In a separate small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Add to butter/sugar mixture and mix to combine.
- Stir in the milk.
- Pour batter into prepared baking dish and bake for 40-45 minutes or until top is golden.
- Allow to cool for 10 minutes before inverting over a plate.
- Best if served warm.
Video
Notes
- Use Real Butter: For the best flavor and texture, stick to real butter instead of margarine.
- Softened Butter is Key: To check if your butter is at the right consistency, press it with your finger. If it’s easy to make an indentation but the butter still holds its shape, you’re good to go.
- Cream for Texture: Blend the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. This step is crucial for achieving that smooth, velvety texture. Aim for 2-3 minutes of beating, depending on your mixer’s speed.
- Measure Flour Correctly: Avoid scooping flour directly with a measuring cup. Instead, fluff the flour first, spoon it into a dry measuring cup, and level it off with a flat-edged knife.
- Calibrate Oven Temperature: Ensure your oven is at the correct temperature for consistent results. Ovens can often run hotter or cooler than the set temperature, so investing in an oven thermometer is a wise choice.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
I made this and it is a very delicious poundcake. Husband loves it! I was just wondering, how would you make this into a chocolate pound cake. Might seem like a silly question to you but I have never done poundcake. Do you just add some Hershey’s Cocoa? Can’t wait to hear from you!
Karen
Hi Karen,
I’m so glad you and your husband love the pound cake! I haven’t experimented with making this particular recipe into a chocolate version, but it’s a really good idea! If you’d like to experiment, I would suggest adding in maybe a tablespoon or two of cocoa powder and reducing the amount of flour you use by whatever the amount of cocoa powder you add. We do have a few chocolate cake recipes that you might like to try instead – The batter for these 2 chocolate cupcakes can be poured into a small baking dish and baked as a cake instead of cupcakes. Bake at the same temperature and for the same amount of time as called for in the recipe – https://onedishkitchen.com/chocolate-cupcake-recipe/. Also, 2 Ingredient Chocolate Cake – https://onedishkitchen.com/two-ingredient-chocolate-cake-recipe-for-one/ and Flourless Chocolate Cake – https://onedishkitchen.com/flourless-chocolate-cake-for-one/.
Joanie
Thank you so much for your thoughts and your timely answer! I will try the suggestions for the chocolate in the pound cake. That’s what I was thinking! I always have those ingredients! I did think about those two chocolate cupcakes. Thank you for telling me I can bake those in the small 5 inch dish that I make the poundcake in and bake for the same time as the cupcakes. I don’t always have cream for a sudden craving but I will definitely try that! I love your one dish kitchen site! I will be trying quite a few of your other desserts soon! It allows us to have different goodies through the week without having to eat all of a big dessert that I have made, with no variety!
Karen,
The 5-inch baking dish might be too large for the cupcake batter. It would probably be better to use a smaller baking dish or one or two ramekins.
Have a wonderful Sunday,
Joanie
I have a springform pan that is 4 1/2 inches across and one that is 4 inches across I might try!
I love pound cake and I will be trying this tomorrow. One question, does my egg need to be room temp?
Hi Karrie,
No, it does not need to be at room temperature.
Enjoy!
Joanie
Do you have a recipe for a small bundt cake
I just made this. I wanted a small, fast pound cake for a quick dessert. This is delicious!! Crusty top, soft buttery cake. Absolutely delicious!!
I’m so happy you enjoyed the cake, thank you so much for taking the time to let me know!
Delicious
Just tried this, it was wonderful, I followed your directions fully! Feel like i couldn’t make changes because the basic is so perfect! I used a small spring pan with a bundt shape, 6″, again perfect. Thank you!
Fabulous recipe!!! I didn’t have lemon juice, so substituted fresh orange juice instead. I also zested half of a small orange and added it with the milk. I also used almond milk. Used the cake for strawberry shortcake. My husband couldn’t stop raving about how good it was. It might not make it to the second serving! Thank you
I’m so happy you and your husband enjoyed the cake. What a great idea to use orange juice – I’m going to have to do that the next time I make it. Thank you for taking the time to let me know you both enjoyed the recipe.
Joanie
They were perfect! I put the batter in two small Bundt pans. They ended up being pretty big! I probably could have done three. We had strawberries and cream over the top and it was delicious even though I cut the sugar to 1/2 cup. This is definitely a keeper!
Sounds wonderful! I’m so glad you enjoyed the cake.
Hi Joanie, the picture shows two pound cakes. Can this be split between two ramekins?
Yes, Julie. The dishes shown are 2 8-ounce ramekins and a 5-inch baking dish. Either will work perfectly.
Joanie
Question…When you say “low fat” milk is that 2%? Would buttermilk work?My Mom made the BEST Pound Cake. I need to dig out her recipes. It was called 100 Year Old Pound Cake and had the crunchiest crust! My Dad and I both miss it!
Hi Amy,
I haven’t tested this recipe with buttermilk so I don’t know how it would turn out if you used it. Skim milk, 2%, and whole milk work well and so will almond milk.
Joanie