Moist pound cake with a sweet buttery glaze puts a delicious spin on an old classic. With crunchy pecans on top and rich molasses flavor, this Brown Sugar Pound Cake recipe is as easy as it is delicious!
I tested this recipe one rainy afternoon when I wanted something comforting, yet special. By the time it cooled, my kitchen smelled like bakery bliss.
This recipe for pound cake was originally published in June 2020. I updated the recipe notes and images in October 2025.
Aimee’s Recipe Notes
I baked this sweet cake in a bundt pan, like my 7 up pound cake recipe. Sprinkle some candied pecan pieces on top and you have one irresistibly tasty pound cake!
🤎Taste & Texture. Dense buttery cake with a rich, moist texture with caramel undertones. You’ll love the subtly sweet flavor of brown sugar.
⌛Ease to Make. Intermediate. It’s actually not hard, but the icing on this cake is cooked, so I upped the difficulty rating. Nothing too tricky here.
🗝️Top Tip: Use full fat sour cream (don’t skimp and use low fat here).
Such a moist and delicious cake! The flavor is out of this world!
– Suzy
Ingredients You’ll Need
Whether you’ve made a zillion pound cakes in your life or your brand new to cake baking, this recipe is straightforward and simple to follow.
Recipe and ingredients at a glance; scroll down for amounts and full recipe in the recipe card.
- Light Brown Sugar– a key ingredient that gives this cake its name! Be sure to pack the sugar into the measuring cup (use my tips on types of sugar).
- Unsalted Butter- pound cake gets its name from using a pound of butter. Today’s recipe doesn’t use quite that much (but close!)
- Eggs- give structure to the cake.
- Sour Cream- my secret ingredients to a moist, tender crumb in pound cake.
How to Make Brown Sugar Pound Cake
Make the cake batter.
- In a mixing bowl, combine butter with sugars, and vanilla extract. Beat until fluffy for several minutes. Add in eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add dry ingredients. Beat on low while slowly adding the sour cream, just until fully combined.
- Fold in chopped pecans and pour batter in prepared pan. Be generous with baking spray and greasing the pans. Bake and cool before adding glaze.
Make the caramel glaze.
- In a small saucepan, over medium low heat, add butter. Stir until melted. Whisk in brown sugar, and cook for about 2-3 minutes. Add milk and bring mixture to a boil, stirring constantly.
- When it begins to bubble and boil, remove from heat. Stir in vanilla, then add the powdered sugar, blending until smooth. Drizzle over the cooled cake and sprinkle with pecans.
Tips and Tricks
- Use light brown sugar in both the batter and the glaze! Dark brown sugar has a higher molasses content and will add extra moisture to the cake.
- Walnuts can be substituted for the pecans in a pinch, or try a mix of the two.
- For extra flavor, toast the nuts!
- Serve warm with a dollop of homemade whipped cream.
- Store this cake covered at room temperature for up to 3 days. Or freeze wrapped in at least two layers of plastic wrap and/or foil for longer storage. Use my guide on how to freeze cake.
More Easy Dessert Recipes
- Maple Brown Sugar Pecans are a delicious sweet candy that is easy to make at home!
- Try out this sweet and smooth Swedish Almond Cake for your next potluck to impress your neighbors!
- Rice Krispie Treats are the best ooey gooey chewy treat! Kid approved and loved!
- This classic Banana Pudding recipe is creamy and easy and packed full of that fresh banana flavor!
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Brown Sugar Pound Cake Recipe
Ingredients
For the cake
- 1 ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- 2 ¼ cup light brown sugar packed
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 Tablespoons vanilla extract
- 5 large eggs
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 cup chopped pecans
For the glaze
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- ½ cup light brown sugar packed
- ¼ cup milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- ½ cup chopped pecans
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a tube pan, or 12 cup bundt pan with baking spray. Set aside.
- In a mixing bowl, combine butter with sugars, and vanilla extract. Beat until fluffy for several minutes.
- Add in eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Add flour, baking powder, and salt to the mixer. Beat on low while slowly adding the sour cream, just until fully combined.
- Fold in chopped pecans and pour batter in prepared pan.
- Bake for 65-75 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in the pan, then invert onto a wire rack or cake plate.
- While the cake cools, make the glaze.
- In a small saucepan, over medium low heat, add butter. Stir until melted. Whisk in brown sugar, and cook for about 2-3 minutes.
- Add milk and bring mixture to a boil, stirring constantly.
- When it begins to bubble and boil, remove from heat. Stir in vanilla, then add the powdered sugar, blending until smooth.
- Pour over the cooled cake and sprinkle with pecans.
Notes
- Use light brown sugar in both the batter and the glaze! Dark brown sugar has a higher molasses content and will add bitterness to the cake.
- Walnuts can be substituted for the pecans in a pinch, or try a mix of the two.
- Greek yogurt and milk both make excellent substitutes for the sour cream in this cake.
- Serve warm with a dollop of homemade whipped cream.
- Store this cake covered at room temperature or freeze wrapped in at least two layers of plastic wrap and/or foil for longer storage.
Nutrition
Easy Cake Recipes
Everyone loves a freshly baked slice of this rich and buttery cake. Add Brown Sugar Pound Cake to your dessert menu this week!
Hi, Aimee. Will the cake still turn out if I leave out the pecans? Thanks, Cheryl.
Yes definitely.
Thank you! That was the right answer. 😉
Yum! I can’t wait to make this for my family! They will love this!
Such a moist and delicious cake! The flavor is out of this world!