Equipment
* optional
Ingredients
Cake Batter
- 340 g unsalted butter, room temperature
- 600 g granulated sugar
- 6 eggs, room temperature
- 360 g all-purpose flour
- 3 g fine sea salt
- 2 g baking soda
- 240 ml sour cream, full fat
- 15 ml vanilla extract
Pan Preparation
- 15 g melted butter or shortening
- 15 g flour
Vanilla Crackle Glaze
- 240 g powdered sugar, sifted
- 45 ml whole milk
- 5 ml vanilla extract
- 1 g salt
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 529 kcal
- Protein
- 3 g
- Carbohydrates
- 81 g
- Fat
- 22 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
- Sugar
- 60 g
- Sodium
- 171 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 14 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 6 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 59 mg
- Potassium
- 63 mg
- Calcium
- 32 mg
- Iron
- 0.3 mg
- Magnesium
- 8 mg
- Phosphorus
- 53 mg
- Zinc
- 0.3 mg
- Vitamin A
- 185 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 0 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.1 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.6 mg
- Vitamin K
- 2 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.0 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.1 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.04 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.06 mg
- Niacin
- 0.3 mg
- Folate
- 9 mcg
- Water
- 24 g
- Alcohol
- 0 g
Sources: USDA FoodData Central
Method
Adjust oven rack to the lower-middle position and preheat oven to 175°C (350°F).
Thoroughly grease the Bundt pan with melted butter or shortening, using a pastry brush to get into every crevice. Dust with flour, rotating the pan to coat, then tap out all excess vigorously.
In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar on medium-high speed until extremely pale, fluffy, and aerated. This takes time—do not rush.
Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl often. Stir in the vanilla extract.
Sift together flour, salt, and baking soda. Reduce mixer speed to low. Add half the flour mixture, then all of the sour cream, then the remaining flour mixture. Mix only until the flour disappears.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Tap the pan firmly on the counter 3 times to release large air bubbles. Bake for 55 to 65 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the thickest part comes out clean.
Let the cake cool in the pan for exactly 10 minutes. Place a wire rack over the pan, invert, and lift the pan off. Let cool completely.
Whisk powdered sugar, milk, vanilla, and salt until smooth. The glaze should be thick but pourable (like honey). Drizzle over the cooled cake and let set for 15 minutes until crackly.
Chef's Notes
- Room temperature ingredients are non-negotiable here. Cold eggs hitting creamed butter will seize the fat and break the emulsion, leading to a greasy, heavy cake.
- For the 'crackle' glaze effect, the ratio of sugar to liquid must remain high. If you add too much milk, the glaze will be absorbed by the cake rather than sitting on top.
- The sour cream reacts with the baking soda to create lift and tenderness. Do not substitute with regular milk; Greek yogurt is an acceptable alternative.
- Bundt pans vary in heat retention. Dark metal pans bake faster; cast aluminum is standard. If using a dark pan, check for doneness at 50 minutes.
Storage
Refrigerator: 5 days — Can dry out in fridge; bring to room temperature before serving.
Freezer: 3 months — Wrap slices individually in plastic wrap, then foil.
Troubleshooting
Cake stuck to the pan upon flipping
Cause: Improper greasing or cooling time was too long/short
Fix: Piece it back together with glaze as 'glue' and cover with extra icing
Prevention: Grease every crevice thoroughly and time the cooling (10 mins) exactly
Dense or heavy texture
Cause: Butter and sugar weren't creamed long enough, or ingredients were cold
Fix: Cannot be fixed; serve toasted with butter as 'pound cake'
Prevention: Ensure room temp ingredients and cream for full 5-7 minutes
Cultural Context
While the Bundt pan was popularized in the American Midwest in the 1950s (specifically by Nordic Ware in Minnesota), the cake style descends from the European 'Gugelhupf', a brioche-style yeasted cake. This recipe adapts the shape to a dense, chemically-leavened American pound cake tradition.
