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The classic pound cake reimagined as a mini pound cake! Baked in a small dish, this buttery, tender, and golden “quarter pound cake” is just the right size for one or two servings.
Featured Comment
“This is the best pound cake recipe ever! I’ve made it multiple times and it is perfect each time. It will be my go-to from here on out.”
– Jane
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Perfectly Portioned: Just the right size for one or two servings.
- Pantry-Friendly & Easy: Made with simple ingredients and quick steps.
- Versatile: Enjoy as dessert, breakfast, or a snack.
- Buttery & Tender: Light texture with rich, classic pound cake flavor.
I’ve always loved the simplicity and charm of a classic pound cake. Originally made with a pound each of butter, sugar, eggs, and flour, it was meant to feed a crowd—but I wanted to create a version that feels just as special, but made for one or two.
This mini pound cake keeps the heart of the traditional recipe, with a soft, buttery texture and rich flavor, just in a smaller size. I bake it in a little dish or ramekins, and every time, it comes out golden and tender – something I truly look forward to sharing with you.
Looking for more mini cake recipes? Try our mini devil’s food cake, mini hummingbird cake, small Texas sheet cake, mini spice cake, or mini red velvet cake. Each is perfectly sized to satisfy your cake cravings.
Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this mini pound cake recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder.
- Butter: Use softened salted butter. It should hold its shape but leave an indentation when pressed.
- Sugar, Vanilla, Salt, and Lemon Juice: These ingredients add flavor and balance.
- Egg: One large egg gives the cake structure.
- Flour: Use all-purpose flour for a tender crumb.
- Baking Powder: Helps the cake rise.
- Milk: Adds moisture. Use any type of cow’s milk or almond milk.
Recipe Variations
Here are a few easy ways to change up your mini pound cake:
- Citrus: Add lemon, lime, or orange zest to the batter for a fresh flavor.
- Nuts: Fold in chopped almonds, walnuts, or pecans for added texture.
- Chocolate Chips: Stir in mini chocolate chips for a chocolatey touch.
- Spices: Mix in a pinch of cinnamon, nutmeg, or cardamom for warmth.
How To Make A Mini Pound Cake
These 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.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C).
- Lightly butter a 5×5-inch baking dish or a 4×6-inch baking dish. Place it on a rimmed baking sheet to catch any spills.
- In a small bowl, beat the butter and sugar with an electric mixer until combined.
- Add the egg, lemon juice, and vanilla. Beat until smooth.
- In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and mix until just combined.
- Stir in the milk.
- Pour the batter into the prepared dish. Bake for 40–45 minutes, until the top is golden.
- Cool for 10 minutes, then invert onto a plate and slice.
Expert Tips
- Use Real Butter: Avoid margarine for the best flavor and texture.
- Soften Butter Properly: Leave butter on the counter for about 30 minutes to come to room temperature. It should hold its shape but leave an indentation when pressed.
- Cream Thoroughly: Beat butter and sugar for 2–3 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Measure Flour Correctly: Spoon flour into the measuring cup and level with a knife, don’t scoop.
- Check Oven Temp: Use an oven thermometer to make sure your oven is accurate.
Delicious Pairings
This mini pound cake pairs well with a variety of toppings and sides:
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely. Divide the batter between two 10-ounce ramekins and adjust the baking time as needed—start checking around 30 minutes.
Yes, you can double the ingredients to make a larger cake. Use two 5×5-inch baking dishes or one 8.5-inch round dish or 7×7-inch square dish.
Wrap the cake tightly in plastic wrap and store it at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Yes. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
More Mini Cake Recipes To Try
If you enjoyed this Mini Pound Cake, here are a few other small cake recipes you might like:
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:
If you’ve tried this small 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
Watch How To Make This
Equipment
- 5-inch baking dish or a 4×6-inch baking dish
Ingredients
- ¼ cup salted butter – softened, plus 1 tablespoon more for greasing the pan.
- 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
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C).
- Lightly butter a 5×5-inch or 4×6-inch baking dish. Place it on a rimmed baking sheet to catch any spills.
- In a small bowl, beat the butter and sugar with an electric mixer until combined.
- Add the egg, lemon juice, and vanilla. Beat until smooth.
- In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and mix until just combined.
- Stir in the milk.
- Pour the batter into the prepared dish. Bake for 40–45 minutes, until the top is golden.
- Cool for 10 minutes, then invert onto a plate and slice.
Notes
- Use Real Butter: Avoid margarine for the best flavor and texture.
- Soften Butter Properly: Leave butter on the counter for about 30 minutes to come to room temperature. It should hold its shape but leave an indentation when pressed.
- Cream Thoroughly: Beat butter and sugar for 2–3 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Measure Flour Correctly: Spoon flour into the measuring cup and level with a knife—don’t scoop.
- Check Oven Temp: Use an oven thermometer to make sure your oven is accurate.
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 love this cake. I do double the recipe. I used a good lemon extract instead of lemon juice. I bake it in a lined loaf pan.
I’m so happy to know you love this cake recipe. Thank you so much for your feedback.
Made this in two mini loaf tins (~4”) and it worked like a charm—so light and moist, and so easy!
It was very tasty but just too sweet for my taste. If I cut back on sugar to maybe 1/2cup, do I need to alter any other ingredient?
Hi Patti, the recipe was developed with the ingredient amounts listed. I do think you can reduce the amount of sugar slightly but sugar acts in so many ways. It not only sweetens baked goods, it also helps to keep them soft and moist and tender. If you reduce the sugar, it may affect the outcome of the cake.
Made this mini pound cake yesterday. It is definitely a winner!! Pound cake is something that I have missed as an empty nester but this was just enough for me. Think I’ll substitute low-fat sour cream for the milk next time. Sorry, but it was gone before I thought about taking a picture. Thanks, Joanie.
I’m so happy you enjoyed it!
Can FreeLife milk or lactose-free milk be used?
Yes, they should work just fine.
Terrific recipe.
Love it!
I was recently diagnosed with celiac disease and would like to know if I can use a ‘cup for cup’ if gluten flour for All purpose flour! Id like to try so many of your recipes but don’t want to waste my ingredients! Thank you in advance
I use King Arthur brand Gluten-Free Measure For Measure Flour as a substitute in many of our recipes.
Also like!
Horrible….the pan does not look like 4X6….The cake rose , burst all over the oven, then fell flat….It was a sugary disaster.
Cheq, this recipe has hundreds of positive reviews and we’ve even filmed a video using the baking dishes we recommend for this recipe. It appears that the dish you used was not the correct size. We mention in the recipe post many times that the success of this recipe (and many recipes!) depends on the size of the baking dish you use. I use a 5-inch baking dish that measures 5 inches x 5 inches and is 1 ¾ inches deep. This dish holds about 1.5 cups and has a base area of 25 square inches.
A 4×6-inch dish has an area of 24 square inches and will work as well. If your cake “rose and burst all over the oven”, then I am quite sure you did not use the recommended size baking dish.