This gluten-free pound cake is so rich and buttery, you’d never guess it’s gluten-free. The secret? A bit of cream cheese in the batter, plus a few other non-traditional ingredients that work especially well in gluten-free baking. This recipe rivals classic bakery-style pound cake—it’s golden on the outside, tender on the inside, and just sweet enough. It delivers dessert every time. And if you’ve never made a pound cake before, don’t worry—I walk you through it step by step.

I baked this gluten-free pound cake in a standard 9x5 loaf pan—perfect for smaller gatherings and much easier to unmold than a traditional bundt cake pan. The loaf shape also makes slicing and storing simple and practical.
As with all gluten-free baking (which behaves a bit differently!), a few purposeful tweaks make all the difference. From carefully chosen ingredients to mixing technique, this recipe includes subtle but essential steps that help create a classic golden crust and tender crumb. No one will guess it’s gluten-free.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Moist and buttery – Classic pound cake texture with a tender, velvety crumb—the only thing missing is the wheat flour.
- Simple ingredients – Made with pantry staples and a few strategic upgrades for gluten-free success, because GF baking is not the same.
- Loaf pan friendly – Bakes beautifully in a 9x5 pan for easy slicing and serving.
- Perfect for any season – Serve plain, with berries, whipped cream, or ice cream.
Here's terrific gluten-free bakery recipe made in a loaf pan, gluten-free pumpkin bread. It's good year round!
What You Need to Make Gluten-Free Pound Cake
- Flour – I bake with King Arthur Measure for Measure gluten-free flour blend, which gives a light, tender crumb and consistent results. If you're using a different 1:1 gluten-free blend, like Bob’s Red Mill, keep in mind that some blends may produce a slightly different texture due to varying starch and flour ratios. For best results, use a blend that includes xanthan gum—or add 1 teaspoon if your blend doesn’t contain it.
- Butter – High-quality unsalted butter makes a difference in flavor. Don’t skimp.
- Eggs – Large eggs provide essential structure, moisture, and richness to the cake.
- Sugar – I use superfine cane sugar, which blends more easily for a finer crumb, but you can use regular granulated sugar. I’ll be testing a reduced-sugar version soon using a monk fruit/allulose blend.
- Cornstarch – Just a small amount helps lower the protein content of the flour blend, making the final texture more like cake flour—tender and soft.
- Milk Powder – Not traditional, but it’s a game-changer in gluten-free baking. It promotes browning and improves texture and flavor. I use whole milk powder.
- Extracts – I love a mix of vanilla extract and almond extract for extra dimension. Use all vanilla if you prefer.
- Cream Cheese – Full-fat cream cheese adds richness and structure. I tested this recipe with yogurt too, but found the cream cheese produced a more consistent crumb and better flavor. I skipped sour cream due to the wide variance in texture and additives across brands.
- Baking Powder – Essential for rise and lift, especially in gluten-free cakes.
Please see the recipe card for measurements and salt.
Chef’s Tip: Superfine Sugar
Superfine sugar dissolves more easily than regular sugar, making it ideal for smooth, fine-crumbed cakes like pound cake. Organic superfine sugar doesn’t exist at most stores—and there’s a reason. Nearly all commercially produced superfine sugar in the U.S. comes from GMO sugar beets, but organic is cane sugar. That’s why I make my own. Just pulse organic cane sugar in a food processor or high-speed blender for a few seconds until the grains are visibly finer, but not powdered. It’s quick and easy—and helps your pound cake achieve a smooth, delicate crumb without compromising on quality. You'll love baking with superfine sugar.
Substitutions and Variations
- Lemon Pound Cake Variation: Add the zest of 1 large lemon and ½ to ¾ teaspoon lemon extract to the batter for a bright citrus twist. Keep the 1 teaspoon almond extract (and skip the vanilla)—it complements the lemon beautifully without overpowering it. For extra lemon flavor, finish with a simple glaze made from powdered sugar and fresh lemon juice.
- Dairy-free pound cake? – I have not tested it. Classic pound cake relies on real butter and cream cheese for its structure, moisture, and flavor. Plant-based alternatives would produce a very different result. Other kinds of cakes? Yes, but not true pound cake.
Chef’s Tip – Choose the Right Loaf Pan
For the best results, use a light-colored metal 9x5-inch loaf pan with straight, sharp corners. Avoid pans with rounded corners, which can distort the classic shape of a pound cake and affect how evenly it bakes. Also, a true 9x5 pan holds 1¼ pounds of batter—not 1 pound. Many modern 9x5-inch pans run small, which can lead to overflow. Newer pans with corrugated sides are fine if you line the pan with parchment, which neutralizes any texture impact.
How to Bake Gluten-free Pound Cake
Before you begin, the butter, eggs, and cream cheese MUST be at room temperature. I let mine sit out a few hours unwrapped. If they are not, the crucial creaming step will not work properly. Note - you can use either a hand mixer or a stand mixer. It's easier with a stand mixer but a hand version works fine.
- Use the butter wrappers to grease the loaf pan well.
- Cut a piece of parchment the width of the pan with overhang and smooth against the pan sides.
- Add butter and sugar to a large mixing bowl and "cream" the butter with a mixer until light a fluffy, 3 minutes. Start at low speed and work up to high.
- After the initial creaming, beat in 1 egg at a time completely on high, 4 minutes total. Scrape down the bowl occasionally.
- After eggs are incorporated, beat in cream cheese and extracts, beat 4 minutes on high.
- Pound cake batter in a bowl, light and airy, ready for dry ingredients.
7. Sift dry ingredients through a fine sieve, then fold flour mixture into batter by hand, gently but throughly.
8. Finished cake batter ready for loaf pan.
9. Smooth pound cake batter into the prepared loaf pan. A small offset spatula helps. Rest batter for 20 minutes before baking to hydrate.
10. Bake at 325°F for 75-80 minutes until golden and temperature reaches 205°F - 210°F. Cool for 10 minutes, remove from pan with parchment overhang. Cool 1 hour before slicing on wire rack.
Chef's note: You may notice fine holes in the sliced pound cake—this is completely normal in gluten-free baking, especially when using added starch and milk powder to mimic the structure of traditional cake flour. These air pockets are a sign that the leavening and mixing created good lift and tenderness. The result is a soft, cohesive crumb that’s rich but not gummy.
Serving Suggestions
This gluten-free pound cake is delicious all on its own, but it also makes a beautiful base for simple summer desserts. Serve it in 1-inch thick slices. It’s perfect served at room temperature. Try it with:
- Lightly sweetened whipped cream and fresh berries.
- A scoop of vanilla ice cream or lemon sorbet.
- Sliced seasonal stone fruit like peaches, nectarines, or plums.
- A drizzle of this fresh strawberry coulis or lemon curd.
- A dusting of powdered sugar.
For the lemon glaze, please see the recipe card notes.
For an easy, one-pan cake in summer, try this gluten-free cherry cake.
Freezing Pound Cake
Gluten-free pound cake freezes well—perfect for make-ahead desserts or saving leftovers. Cut the cooled cake into individual slices, then wrap each slice tightly in plastic wrap. Place the wrapped slices in an airtight container or freezer bag. Freeze for up to 2 months. To serve, thaw at room temperature (unwrap while still frozen to avoid condensation).
Recipe FAQs
Room temperature butter, eggs, and cream cheese whip together smoothly, creating better structure, lightness, and even baking. Cold ingredients will not emulsify properly. Don't even try. It's not worth it. Get your ingredients to room temperature for best results.
Resting the batter for 15–20 minutes allows gluten-free flour to hydrate, improving texture and crumb. It’s a simple step that makes a big difference.
The top should be golden with a classic center crack. A tester should come out clean, and the internal temp should reach 205–210°F.
I tested both, and while yogurt worked, the cake had a looser crumb and little more tang. Cream cheese produced better structure and flavor. The flavor was still great. If you choose this way, use 2 tablespoons full fat Greek yogurt. The batter will at some point look curdled but it smooths out just fine. Either way, be sure all ingredients are at room temperature for best results.
The original, classic recipe for pound cake is a pound of butter, a pound of sugar, a pound of flour, and a pound of eggs, baked in a bundt pan or tube pan (like for angel food cake). That is where I started from for this gluten-free pound cake. Gluten-free baking requires more than simple substitutions. This recipe uses strategic changes—like cream cheese for richness and moisture—to replicate the dense, buttery texture of traditional pound cake.
More Gluten-Free Baking Recipes
Looking for more gluten-free bakery treats that don’t compromise on texture or flavor? These recipes are trusted, and perfect for any occasion.
⭐️Did You Make This Recipe?
If you make this gluten-free pound cake, please add your comment. I appreciate your feedback and enjoy hearing from you. If you loved it, please give it a 5-star rating! They really help other readers.
📖 Recipe
Gluten-Free Pound Cake
Equipment
- Light metal standard 9"x5" baking loaf pan not an 8" loaf pan, different volume
Ingredients
Wet Ingredients
- 8 ounces unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1 cup sugar
- 4 large eggs at room temperature
- 3 ounces full fat cream cheese at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon almond extract or use all vanilla extract
Dry Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups gluten-free flour blend **King Arthur Measure 4 Measure, 7 ounces
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons whole dry milk powder
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
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Instructions
Pre-heat the oven and ready the pan
- Preheat the oven to 325°F (conventional). Grease a 9x5-inch light metal loaf pan with the butter wrappers. Cut a piece of parchment paper to fit the width of the pan, press it smooth along the buttered sides, and let the ends hang over for easy removal.
Sift dry ingredients
- Sift the dry ingredient together in a medium bowl: gluten-free flour, cornstarch, baking powder, milk powder, and salt.
Creaming
- Cream the butter and sugar in a large bowl using a hand or stand mixer. Start on low speed, then increase to high. Beat for 3 minutes until light, fluffy, and pale yellow. Add the eggs one at a time, beating for 1 minute after each. Scrape the bowl as needed. Add the cream cheese, vanilla, and almond extract. Beat for 3 more minutes. (Total creaming time: about 11 minutes.)
Add dry ingredients
- Gently fold in the dry ingredients by hand until fully incorporated. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Let the batter rest in the pan for 20 minutes to hydrate.
Bake
- Bake for 75-80 minutes, but check early as ovens vary. Pound cake should be a light golden brown, firm to the touch, with the classic crack in the center that may still look a little moist. Cake is done when it reaches between 205°F - 210°F. Remove from the oven and cool for 10 minutes. Using parchment wings, lift the cake from the pan and cool completely on a wire rack for at least 1 hour before slicing.
porsche guy says
I could not believe this was gluten-free. Fantastic flavor and texture. Came out great (well my wife made it). And thanks for the GF baking tips, got the whole milk powder.