Brown Sugar Pound Cake

This decadent brown sugar pound cake just may be the best cake you’ve ever tasted! High praise for a simple bundt cake, you say? Well, after just one bite, I believe you will agree!

Dense, incredibly moist, molasses and caramel flavored pound cake is the perfect thing to bake when the weather starts to chill. It has all of the best qualities of my old fashioned pound cake. Who could resist this baby?!!

Try these pound cake favorites when Spring and warmer weather roll around: lemon pound cake and my strawberry pound cake.

Brown Sugar Pound Cake Video Tutorial

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What Is A Brown Sugar Pound Cake

It’s a classic pound cake, like my Old Fashioned pound cake recipe, but this one has a rich caramel-like flavor and is topped with delicious caramel icing. Also, this is pound cake with toffee bits and pecans added to it. The brown sugar pound cake southern living make is considered to be a staff favorite. Personally, I think this one is hands down far better!

Important Ingredient Notes For Brown Sugar Pound With Caramel Icing 

• Does brown sugar make cake moist? Yes, brown sugar adds moisture and creates softer baked goods. It also absorbs moisture so when used as an ingredient, it keeps baked goods moist longer.
• Brown Sugar: This will add a slight caramel or molasses flavor. You can use either light or dark brown sugar. Both are good choices. If you use dark, the cake will have a more pronounced molasses flavor. Whichever you use, make sure you pack firmly when measuring.
• Can I substitute brown sugar for white sugar? No, not in this recipe. The molasses flavor of the brown sugar imparts is key to the overall flavor of this cake.
• Eggs: I use large eggs. For best results, it’s important for them to be at room temperature. They will mix into the batter more easily and you’ll also get better volume.
• How To Quickly Bring Eggs To Room Temperature: According to Bon Appetite, simply place eggs in a small bowl of warm water (not hot or you can cook them!) for 5-10 minutes.
• Milk Vs. Buttermilk: This is not a brown sugar pound cake with buttermilk. Because it’s already so moist due to the large quantity of brown sugar, it doesn’t need the added moister buttermilk would bring. In fact, it would have more of a gummy texture.
• No Sour Cream? I often make brown sugar pound cake with sour cream to add extra moisture but again, as I said above, this cake has extra moisture from the brown sugar so it’s not needed.
• How To Toast Pecans: Don’t skip this step! It’s easy to do just follow the steps below. Be careful not to overbake or they may burn. If they burn, they are best thrown out!
  1. Spread pecan halves in a single layer on a heavy baking sheet.
  2. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes.
  3. Stir halfway through baking.
  4. Cool completely.
• Baking Nonstick Cooking Spray: This is the only type of cooking spray I use when I make this cake. This cake is dense and heavy and doesn’t release as easily as many cakes do. This type of spray differs from the regular type in that it also contains flour. Spray on a thick coating, right before you pour the batter into the pan.

Tips + Tricks

• Serving: Because this is an all-butter cake, it tastes best served at room temperature.

Storing + Freezing + Make-Ahead 

• How Long Can You Keep This In The Fridge? Pound cakes can be refrigerated for up to a week. Make sure to transfer the leftovers in an airtight container or wrap it with aluminum foil and saran wrap.
• Can You Freeze This? Yes, store it in an airtight container It’ll last up to 6 months in the freezer.
• Make-Ahead Tips: The whole brown sugar caramel pound cake can be made up to a week ahead of time.

Variations, Substitutes, + Additions

• To make a brown sugar pound cake loaf simply switch pans. According to Almanac.com, the 12 cup bundt pan can be substituted for 2- 8x 4 x 2½–inch loaf pans. Perfect for when you want to share this cake with a friend!
• Optional Toppings: Top this brown sugar pound cake with caramel drizzle with more toffee bits for an extra sweet crunch.

Step By Step How To Make Brown Sugar Pound Cake

1. Combine. In the bowl of a stand-up mixer, set on medium speed, beat butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar for 4 minutes or until light and fluffy.
2. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, until the yolks disappear.
3. Dry ingredients. Add the flour, baking powder, and salt to a medium mixing bowl. Whisk until combined.
4. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the flour mixture alternatingly with the milk.
5. Fold in toffee bits and pecans until evenly combined.
6. Pour into prepared pan.
7. Bake in preheated oven until a skewer inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cool in pan set on a wire rack for 15 minutes.
8. Invert pan and place cake on serving plate or cake stand. Allow the cake to cool completely before beginning the glaze.
9. Icing. Bring condensed milk and brown sugar to a boil over medium-high heat, whisking almost constantly. Reduce the heat and simmer for 8 minutes, whisking often.
10. Take off of the heat and stir in butter and vanilla.
11. Assemble. Cool for 5 minutes before drizzling on the cake.
12. Allow glaze to harden before slicing, and enjoy!

***See the full instructions below

More Pound Cake Recipes You’ll Love

• Banana Pound Cake
• Orange Pound Cake
• Coconut Pound Cake
• Lemon Cream Cheese Pound Cake
• Blueberry Pound Cake
• Eggnog Pound Cake
• Million Dollar Pound Cake
• Peach Cobbler Pound Cake

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Brown Sugar Pound Cake

Brown sugar pound cake may be the best cake you've ever tasted! Dense, moist, and molasses-and-caramel-flavored - perfect to bake in chilly weather.

Prep Time20 minutes mins

Cook Time1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Total Time1 hour hr 35 minutes mins

Servings: 12 slices

Author: Kathleen

Ingredients

Cake:

• ▢ 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter softened
• ▢ 2 cups brown sugar firmly packed
• ▢ 1 cup granulated sugar
• ▢ 5 large eggs, room temperature
• ▢ 3 cups all-purpose flour
• ▢ 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon salt
• ▢ 1 cup whole milk
• ▢ 1 (8-ounce) package toffee bits
• ▢ 1 cup toasted pecans, chopped

Caramel Icing:

• ▢ 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
• ▢ 1 cup brown sugar firmly packed
• ▢ 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

• Prep. Preheat oven to 325°F. Spray a 12-cup bundt pan with nonstick baking spray.
• Combine. In the bowl of a stand-up mixer, set on medium speed, beat butter (1 1/2 cups), brown sugar (2 cups), and granulated sugar (1 cup) for 4 minutes or until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, until the yolks disappear.
• Dry ingredients. Add the flour (3 cups), baking powder (1 teaspoon), and salt (1/2 teaspoon) to a medium mixing bowl. Whisk until combined. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the flour mixture alternatingly with the milk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture mixing just until combined after each addition.
• Fold in toffee bits (8 ounces) and pecans (1 cup) until evenly combined. Pour into prepared pan.
• Bake in preheated oven until a skewer inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, about 1 hour and 15 minutes to 1 hour and 25 minutes. Check during the baking time for excess browning and cover with foil if necessary. Let cool in pan set on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Invert pan and place cake on serving plate or cake stand. Allow the cake to cool completely before beginning the glaze.
• Icing. Bring condensed milk (14 ounces) and brown sugar (1 cup) to a boil over medium-high heat, whisking almost constantly. Reduce the heat and simmer for 8 minutes, whisking often. Take off of the heat and stir in butter (2 tablespoons) and vanilla (1/2 teaspoon).
• Assemble. Cool for 5 minutes before drizzling on the cake. Allow glaze to harden before slicing, and enjoy!

Fans Also Made:

• 
  Blueberry Coffee Cake
• 
  Louisiana Crunch Cake -A Southern Dream
• 
  Sock it to Me Cake
• 
  Sour Cream Coffee Cake

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Notes

1. Does brown sugar make cake moist? Yes, brown sugar adds moisture and creates softer baked goods. It also absorbs moisture so when used as an ingredient, it keeps baked goods moist longer.
2. Brown Sugar: This will add a slight caramel or molasses flavor. You can use either light or dark brown sugar. Both are good choices. If you use dark, the cake will have a more pronounced molasses flavor. Whichever you use, make sure you pack firmly when measuring.
3. Can I substitute brown sugar for white sugar? No, not in this recipe. The molasses flavor of the brown sugar imparts is key to the overall flavor of this cake.
4. Eggs: I use large eggs. For best results, it's important for them to be at room temperature. They will mix into the batter more easily and you’ll also get better volume.
5. How To Quickly Bring Eggs To Room Temperature: According to Bon Appetite, simply place eggs in a small bowl of warm water (not hot or you can cook them!) for 5-10 minutes.
6. Milk Vs. Buttermilk: This is not a brown sugar pound cake with buttermilk. Because it's already so moist due to the large quantity of brown sugar, it doesn't need the added moister buttermilk would bring. In fact, it would have more of a gummy texture.
7. No Sour Cream? I often make brown sugar pound cake with sour cream to add extra moisture but again, as I said above, this cake has extra moisture from the brown sugar so it's not needed.
8. How To Toast Pecans: Don’t skip this step! It's easy to do just follow the steps below. Be careful not to overbake or they may burn. If they burn, they are best thrown out!
   1. Spread pecan halves in a single layer on a heavy baking sheet.
   2. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes.
   3. Stir halfway through baking.
   4. Cool completely.
9. Baking Nonstick Cooking Spray: This is the only type of cooking spray I use when I make this cake. This cake is dense and heavy and doesn't release as easily as many cakes do. This type of spray differs from the regular type in that it also contains flour. Spray on a thick coating, right before you pour the batter into the pan.

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 919kcal | Carbohydrates: 127g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 43g | Saturated Fat: 23g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 176mg | Sodium: 223mg | Potassium: 370mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 102g | Vitamin A: 1223IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 213mg | Iron: 3mg

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Source: Phyllis Hoffman Depiano

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