Low-Fat Pound Cake with Sour Cream

slice of low fat pound cake in a plate with a strawberry

3.92 from 12 votes

This has been a family favorite for more than two decades! Accented with almond and vanilla, it's a light pound cake that's delicious served plain or with berries.

Prep Time26

Cook Time1 15

Total Time1 41

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Calories: 311kcal

Author: Mamma C

Equipment

10-inch tube pan with removable bottom

Ingredients

12 tablespoons salted butter (softened, if you don't leave it out ahead of time, use the microwave on defrost for a few seconds at a time to soften it)
1 extra-large egg
6.5 ounces egg whites (clear ones from a carton) (or use 7 large egg whites; see notes)
3 cups sugar
1 ½ cups low-fat sour cream
1 teaspoon baking soda
4 ½ cups all-purpose flour (sifted, or use sifted cake flour for a finer crumb)
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract (or omit almond and use 2 teaspoons vanilla total)
Cooking or baking spray

Instructions

Set out the butter to soften an hour ahead of time, or use the microwave to soften it on the defrost setting for a few seconds at a time.
Make sure there is room for the cake to bake on the center rack of your oven with nothing above it. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Coat a 9- or 10-inch tube pan with cooking or baking spray.
Beat one egg in a liquid measuring cup. Add enough liquid egg whites so the egg mixture equals 1 ⅓ cups.
In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the softened butter with sugar on medium until well blended, about five minutes. Gradually add the egg whites/egg mixture, beating well. (If using 7 egg whites, add them one at a time, beating after each addition.)
In a small bowl, whisk the sour cream and baking soda together.
Measure the flour by lightly spooning it into dry measuring cups and leveling them off with a knife. Keep the flour in a bowl until you are ready to sift. Sift the flour by gradually adding it to a fine-mesh strainer placed over a medium bowl. Combine the sifted flour with salt.
Add some of the flour mixture to the butter/sugar mixture, beat, then add some of the sour cream mixture and beat. Continue alternating the flour and sour cream, beating until the batter is mixed, beginning and ending with the flour. Stop to scrape the bottom of the bowl with a spatula as needed to make sure the flour is incorporated. Stir in the vanilla and almond extracts (or use all vanilla).
Pour the batter into the greased pan and sharply tap the pan on the counter once to remove air bubbles. Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour and 10 minutes on the center rack of your oven. Check for doneness by inserting a toothpick or cake tester into the center. If it comes out clean with a couple of crumbs, it is done just enough for a soft top crust. If you prefer a firmer top crust, bake for up to 15 minutes longer. Don't overbake, or it will turn out dry.
Cool the cake for 10 minutes in the pan on a wire rack. Then remove the cake from the pan by placing a dinner plate over the top and inverting the cake onto the plate. (The cake will be upside down at this point.) Place a wire rack over the cake and invert again, so that the cake is resting right side up on the wire rack. Cool completely before slicing. (The cake tastes best when completely cooled.)
Store leftovers at room temperature in a domed cake stand or sealed container for up to five days. You also can freeze slices in a zip-top freezer bag for up to three months.

Notes

Using store-bought egg whites without additives is a great time saver and prevents being stuck with leftover yolks. Look for them in cartons in the dairy aisle.

Nutrition