This cake-mix pound cake combines a boxed yellow or vanilla cake mix with sour cream, pudding mix, eggs, and oil for a rich, close crumb that is easy to slice. Bake it in a Bundt or tube pan, let it cool fully, then serve it plain or with a simple glaze and fresh fruit.
Ingredients
- 1 box (15.25 oz / 432 g) yellow or vanilla cake mix
- 1 packet (3.4 oz / 96 g) instant vanilla pudding mix
- 4 large eggs (about 200 g without shells), brought to room temperature
- 1 cup (240 g) full-fat sour cream
- ½ cup (120 ml) neutral oil, such as canola or vegetable oil
- ½ cup (120 ml) water or whole milk
- 2 teaspoons (10 ml) vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon (1.5 g) fine salt
- 1 tablespoon (14 g) softened butter and 1 tablespoon (8 g) flour, for preparing the pan, or nonstick baking spray
- Optional glaze: 1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar and 1½ tablespoons (22 ml) milk, plus a little more milk if needed
Instructions
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Prepare the pan and oven. Set a rack in the center of the oven and heat it to 325°F (163°C). Grease a 10- to 12-cup (2.4- to 2.8-liter) Bundt or tube pan thoroughly, getting into every groove. Dust it lightly with flour and tap out the excess, or coat it evenly with baking spray that contains flour. A properly prepared pan helps the cake release cleanly.
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Bring the ingredients together. If the eggs and sour cream are cold, let them sit out while you prepare the pan; room-temperature ingredients blend more evenly. Add the cake mix, instant pudding mix, eggs, sour cream, oil, water or milk, vanilla, and salt to a large mixing bowl. Scrape the bowl once before mixing so dry mix does not remain tucked along the bottom edge.
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Mix just until smooth. Use a hand mixer on low for about 30 seconds, then beat on medium for about 2 minutes, stopping to scrape the sides and bottom once. The batter should look thick and mostly smooth. Avoid beating it for several extra minutes: excessive mixing can make the finished cake tougher, and a few small lumps are less troublesome than overmixing.
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Fill the pan. Spoon the batter evenly into the prepared pan. Smooth the top with a spatula and gently tap the pan once or twice on a folded kitchen towel to release large trapped air pockets. Do not fill the pan more than about two-thirds to three-quarters full. If your pan is smaller than the recommended size and there is extra batter, bake the extra in a greased muffin tin rather than overfilling the Bundt pan.
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Bake until set. Bake for about 60 minutes, checking at 55 minutes because pan materials and ovens vary. The cake is ready when it is golden, has begun to pull slightly from the sides, and a wooden pick inserted near the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs, not wet batter. Check the center with a food thermometer: the USDA FSIS safe minimum for egg dishes is 160°F (71°C); this cake should be fully baked and typically measures about 205–210°F (96–99°C) in the center. If the top is browning too quickly before the center is done, loosely cover it with foil.
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Cool before turning out. Place the pan on a wire rack and leave the cake in it for 15 minutes. Run a thin, flexible spatula carefully around the outer edge and center tube if needed, then invert the pan onto the rack. Lift the pan away gently. Let the cake cool for about 45 minutes more before glazing or slicing; turning it out too early can cause a warm, delicate cake to break.
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Glaze, if you like. Whisk the powdered sugar with 1½ tablespoons (22 ml) milk until smooth. Add more milk a teaspoon (5 ml) at a time for a thinner drizzle, or a little extra powdered sugar for a thicker one. Spoon the glaze over the cooled cake and allow it to set for 10 to 15 minutes before cutting. The listed total time counts the baking and one hour of cooling, but not optional glaze-setting time.
Tips
- Check the cake-mix box size. This recipe is written for a standard 15.25-ounce (432 g) box. Some mixes are sold in smaller packages; using one can change the batter’s proportions and produce a shorter or less tender cake. If the available box is smaller, use a matching recipe or weigh out the missing mix from another box rather than guessing at extra liquid.
- Use instant, not cook-and-serve, pudding. Instant pudding mix adds flavor and helps give the crumb a soft, close texture. Cook-and-serve pudding has different ingredients and needs a different preparation, so it is not a reliable one-for-one replacement. If you do not have pudding mix, you can omit it, but expect a slightly less plush cake.
- Measure flour only for the pan dusting. The cake mix already contains flour and leavening, so do not add extra flour to the batter. For a chocolate cake, dust the buttered pan with cocoa powder instead of flour to avoid pale marks on the outside.
- Let the pan cool before washing. A hot Bundt pan can warp if plunged into cold water. Once the cake is out, let the pan cool until comfortable to handle, then soak it in warm water to loosen any stuck crumbs. For stubborn grooves, use a soft brush rather than scraping the coating with a knife.
Serving Suggestions
Serve slices at room temperature so the sour cream and vanilla flavors come through and the crumb feels tender. The cake is satisfying without topping, but a spoonful of lightly sweetened whipped cream and fresh berries makes it a simple dessert. Strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, and sliced peaches all work well; choose fruit that is ripe but not so juicy that it makes the slice soggy.
For coffee or tea, cut thinner slices and serve the cake plain, with a dusting of powdered sugar. For a more dessert-like plate, add a small scoop of vanilla ice cream or a warm fruit compote. If serving the whole cake at a gathering, glaze it shortly before setting it out and cut with a long, sharp knife, wiping the blade between slices for neater portions.
Variations
Lemon: Use a lemon cake mix and lemon pudding mix, or keep the vanilla base and add 1 tablespoon (15 ml) finely grated lemon zest. For a sharper finish, replace the milk in the glaze with lemon juice, adding it gradually because it is more tart and thinner than milk.
Chocolate: Start with chocolate cake mix and chocolate instant pudding. A handful of mini chocolate chips (about ½ cup / 85 g) can be folded in at the end; toss them with a teaspoon of cake mix first to help distribute them. The cake may need a few extra minutes, so rely on the pick and thermometer rather than color alone.
Almond or spice: Replace half the vanilla extract with almond extract for a stronger almond note, or use a spice cake mix with vanilla pudding for a warmly spiced version. Almond extract is potent, so avoid adding a full extra teaspoon unless you want that flavor to dominate.
Nut-free topping: Leave off the glaze and finish with powdered sugar, or use a simple citrus glaze. If adding chopped nuts, sprinkle them over the batter only if you are sure everyone being served can eat them, and press them in lightly so they do not fall off after the cake is turned out.
Storage and Reheating
Once the cake is completely cool, store it in an airtight container or wrap it well. It can stay at room temperature for up to 2 days in a cool kitchen; refrigerate it within 2 hours if the room is warm or if it has a perishable topping. In the refrigerator, keep it covered and use it within 3 to 4 days. Refrigeration can firm the crumb, so bring slices to room temperature for about 20 to 30 minutes before serving.
For longer storage, freeze the unglazed cake or individual slices, tightly wrapped and placed in a freezer-safe container, for up to 2 months for best quality. Thaw wrapped slices at room temperature for about 1 to 2 hours, or thaw the whole cake overnight in the refrigerator and then bring it to room temperature. Add glaze after thawing so it stays smooth rather than turning damp or sticky.
This cake is usually best at room temperature, so reheating is optional. To take the chill off a single slice, microwave it for 8 to 12 seconds and check before adding more time; longer heating can dry the edges. Do not warm the entire cake in its storage container unless it is labeled microwave-safe.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make this pound cake without pudding mix?
Yes. Leave it out and keep the other quantities the same. The cake should still bake, but the crumb may be a little less soft and the flavor less rich. Do not replace the pudding mix with extra flour, since that can make the batter heavy and dry.
Can I use butter instead of oil?
You can substitute ½ cup (113 g) melted butter for the oil. Let the butter cool until just warm before mixing it in. The cake will have a more buttery flavor and may feel a little firmer, especially after chilling, because butter firms as it cools.
Why did my cake stick to the Bundt pan?
The most common causes are missed spots in the pan’s grooves, an under-greased pan, or turning the cake out while it is too hot. Grease and flour the entire pan carefully, including the center tube, and wait the full 15 minutes after baking before inverting it. If the cake resists, tap the pan gently rather than pulling hard on the cake.
How can I tell when the cake is done if I do not have a thermometer?
Look for a golden top that springs back lightly when touched, edges that are just beginning to pull from the pan, and a wooden pick that comes out without wet batter. A few moist crumbs are fine. Oven timing is only a guide, so begin checking at 55 minutes and avoid opening the oven repeatedly before then.
Can I bake it in a loaf pan?
Yes, but this recipe makes more batter than one standard loaf pan can hold. Divide it between two greased 8½-by-4½-inch (22-by-11-cm) loaf pans and fill each no more than about two-thirds full. Begin checking after roughly 40 minutes; exact baking time depends on the pan and oven, so use the doneness cues rather than relying on the Bundt-pan timing.
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Safety notes: safe minimum internal temperatures from USDA FSIS; raw and undercooked fish guidance from the U.S. FDA. Food safety notes
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