Old-Fashioned Buttermilk Marbled Pound Cake
📜 Collection: UK15 | ✍️ Attribution: Denny White | 📂 Category: Desserts A classic, tender buttermilk pound cake with a rich chocolate marble swirl, flavored with vanilla and almond extracts. This traditional recipe yields a dense, flavorful cake with a beautiful crumb.
| Prep Time | Cook Time | Inactive / Chill Time | Yield / Servings |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25 mins | 1 hour | 15 mins | 1 10-inch tube cake |
🔪 Key Equipment
- 10-inch tube pan
- Large bowl
- Small bowl
- Electric mixer
- Microwave-safe bowl or small saucepan
- Wire rack
Ingredients
| Measurements | Ingredients | Prep / Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1/2 cup | Butter | softened |
| 1/2 cup | Shortening | divided |
| 2 cups | Sugar | granulated |
| 4 large | Eggs | room temperature |
| 3 cups | Flour | all-purpose |
| 1/2 teaspoon | Soda | baking soda |
| 1 cup | Buttermilk | cold |
| 1/8 teaspoon | Salt | fine |
| 2 teaspoons | Vanilla Extract | pure |
| 1 teaspoon | Almond Extract | pure |
For Marble
| Measurements | Ingredients | Prep / Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 ounce | Chocolate | unsweetened, 1 square |
| 1 tablespoon | Shortening | for melting |
Instructions
Step 1: Prep and Chocolate Mixture
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 10-inch tube pan.
- In a small saucepan or microwave-safe bowl, melt the 1 tablespoon shortening and the 1 ounce unsweetened chocolate together until smooth, then set aside to cool.
Step 2: Batter Preparation
- In a large bowl, cream the 1/2 cup butter and 1/2 cup shortening together. Gradually add the 2 cups sugar, beating well with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.
- Add the 4 large eggs one at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition.
- In a small bowl, dissolve the 1/2 teaspoon baking soda in the 1 cup buttermilk. In another bowl, combine the 3 cups flour and 1/8 teaspoon salt.
- Add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture alternately with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with the flour. Mix on low speed until just blended.
- Stir in the 2 teaspoons vanilla extract and 1 teaspoon almond extract.
Step 3: Assembly and Baking
- Remove 2 cups of the plain batter and place it in a separate bowl. Stir the cooled chocolate mixture into this portion until thoroughly blended.
- Spoon one-third of the remaining plain batter into the prepared tube pan, top with half of the chocolate batter, and repeat layers, ending with the plain batter on top.
- Gently swirl a knife through the batters once or twice to create a marble effect until you see a distinct pattern without overmixing.
- Bake for 1 hour, or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean and the top springs back lightly to the touch.
- Let the cake cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes before turning it out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
💡 Make-Ahead & Storage: Store the cooled pound cake tightly wrapped in plastic wrap or kept in a cake keeper at room temperature for up to 4 days.
Original Recipe Scan
