Pound Cake Lab · Decision tree
Find your pound cake
Three questions sort all 462 recipes into 8 groups. Each question is about one of the ingredients recipes disagree on most, and splits the recipes in front of it at their own median, so each answer keeps about half of them. Every group ends with its median recipe in grams and the real recipes nearest it.
The questions
Question 1
More leavening than most, or less?
Traditional pound cake uses none; a little baking powder is common insurance.
All 462 recipes: median 1.6% of the flour weight, 6 g per 380 g of flour; middle half 0.4% to 2.8%; 23% use none.
Question 2
More dairy than most, or less?
Sour cream, cream cheese or milk: not in the original, now in most recipes, for a moister cake.
All 462 recipes: median 46% of the flour weight, 175 g per 380 g of flour; middle half 0% to 65%; 32% use none.
Asked within each answer to question 1, split at the median of the recipes that gave it.
Question 3
More sugar than most, or less?
Sugar creamed into the butter is most of the rise in a cake with little or no leavening.
All 462 recipes: median 120% of the flour weight, 455 g per 380 g of flour; middle half 100% to 160%.
Asked within each answer to question 2, split at the median of the recipes that gave it.
The key
Read left to right: pick an answer to question 1, then one of the answers beside it for question 2, and so on to a group. Each cell gives the answer, its bound in grams per 100 g of flour, and how many recipes give it.
| 1. Leavening | 2. Dairy | 3. Sugar | Group |
|---|---|---|---|
| Moreover 1.6%229 | Moreover 33%115 | Moreover 113%56 | A56 |
| Less113% or less59 | B59 | ||
| Little or none33% or less114 | Moreover 100%49 | C49 | |
| Less100% or less65 | D65 | ||
| Less1.6% or less233 | Moreover 56%116 | More160% or more68 | E68 |
| Lessunder 160%48 | F48 | ||
| Little or none56% or less117 | Moreover 113%59 | G59 | |
| Less113% or less58 | H58 |
The 8 groups
Each median recipe is the median of every ingredient over the group's recipes, scaled to 380 g of flour, beside the typical cake of all 462. Bold rows are the ingredients the questions asked about.
Group A · 56 recipes · 12% of all
More leavening, more dairy and more sugar
Leavening over 1.6%, dairy over 33% and sugar over 113% of the flour weight.
| At 380 g flour | Group A | All |
|---|---|---|
| Flour | 380 g | 380 g |
| Butter | 340 gabout 1 1/2 cups | 345 g |
| Sugar | 545 gabout 2 3/4 cups | 455 g |
| Egg | 305 gabout 6 large eggs | 305 g |
| Dairy | 255 gabout 1 cup | 175 g |
| Leavening | 10 g | 6 g |
| Salt | 4 g | 2.5 g |
Bake350°F (175°C) for about 58 minutes, the medians of the 53 recipes here that state a temperature and the 56 that state a time.
Nearest the middle of group A
Closest to the group's median on every ingredient at once.
- Red Velvet Pound Cake · 12tomatoes.comleavening 2.5% · dairy 79% · sugar 160%
- Brown Sugar Pound Cake Recipe · africanbites.comleavening 1.9% · dairy 68% · sugar 144%
- Bourbon Peach Pound Cake · beyondfrosting.comleavening 1.9% · dairy 63% · sugar 158%
- Nutella Pound Cake Petit Fours · sugarhero.comleavening 2.6% · dairy 84% · sugar 129%
- Lemon Pound Cake · countryliving.comleavening 2.1% · dairy 52% · sugar 137%
Group B · 59 recipes · 12% of all
More leavening, more dairy and less sugar
Leavening over 1.6%, dairy over 33% and sugar 113% or less of the flour weight.
| At 380 g flour | Group B | All |
|---|---|---|
| Flour | 380 g | 380 g |
| Butter | 295 gabout 1 1/3 cups | 345 g |
| Sugar | 375 gabout 1 3/4 cups | 455 g |
| Egg | 260 gabout 5 large eggs | 305 g |
| Dairy | 245 gabout 1 cup | 175 g |
| Leavening | 11 g | 6 g |
| Salt | 5 g | 2.5 g |
Bake350°F (175°C) for about 58 minutes, the medians of the 52 recipes here that state a temperature and the 58 that state a time.
Nearest the middle of group B
Closest to the group's median on every ingredient at once.
- White Chocolate Coconut Pound Cake · bakerbynature.comleavening 2.6% · dairy 63% · sugar 110%
- Coconut Pound Cake · caribbeangreenliving.comleavening 2.8% · dairy 73% · sugar 80%
- Nutella Swirl Pound Cake · sallysbakingaddiction.comleavening 2.8% · dairy 48% · sugar 100%
- Strawberry Pound Cake · africanbites.comleavening 2.8% · dairy 51% · sugar 97%
- Key Lime Pound Cake · delish.comleavening 2.9% · dairy 72% · sugar 104%
Group C · 49 recipes · 10% of all
More leavening, little or no dairy and more sugar
Leavening over 1.6%, dairy 33% or less and sugar over 100% of the flour weight. 29 of the 49 use no dairy.
| At 380 g flour | Group C | All |
|---|---|---|
| Flour | 380 g | 380 g |
| Butter | 380 gabout 1 2/3 cups | 345 g |
| Sugar | 475 gabout 2 1/3 cups | 455 g |
| Egg | 305 gabout 6 large eggs | 305 g |
| Dairy | none | 175 g |
| Leavening | 10 g | 6 g |
| Salt | 2.5 g | 2.5 g |
Bake350°F (175°C) for about 55 minutes, the medians of the 44 recipes here that state a temperature and the 47 that state a time.
Nearest the middle of group C
Closest to the group's median on every ingredient at once.
- 7UP Pound Cake · africanbites.comleavening 1.9% · dairy 0% · sugar 139%
- Vanilla Pound Cake Recipe with Loads of Sprinkles · biggerbolderbaking.comleavening 2% · dairy 26% · sugar 122%
- Honey Pound Cake · baking-sense.comleavening 2% · dairy 0% · sugar 125%
- Marble Pound Cake · baking-sense.comleavening 2% · dairy 25% · sugar 125%
- Perfect Pound Cake Recipe · baking-sense.comleavening 2% · dairy 25% · sugar 125%
Group D · 65 recipes · 14% of all
More leavening, little or no dairy and less sugar
Leavening over 1.6%, dairy 33% or less and sugar 100% or less of the flour weight. 52 of the 65 use no dairy.
| At 380 g flour | Group D | All |
|---|---|---|
| Flour | 380 g | 380 g |
| Butter | 380 gabout 1 2/3 cups | 345 g |
| Sugar | 380 gabout 2 cups | 455 g |
| Egg | 335 gabout 6 1/2 large eggs | 305 g |
| Dairy | none | 175 g |
| Leavening | 14 g | 6 g |
| Salt | none | 2.5 g |
Bake350°F (175°C) for about 45 minutes, the medians of the 53 recipes here that state a temperature and the 59 that state a time.
Nearest the middle of group D
Closest to the group's median on every ingredient at once.
- Pound cake · cucchiaio.itleavening 3.6% · dairy 0% · sugar 100%
- Quatre-quarts citronné pour Halloween · chefsimon.comleavening 3.2% · dairy 0% · sugar 100%
- Quatre-quarts · chefsimon.comleavening 4.1% · dairy 0% · sugar 88%
- Quatre-quarts moelleux facile · cuisine.journaldesfemmes.frleavening 3.7% · dairy 0% · sugar 96%
- Quatre quart vanille/ caramel : la meilleure recette · marmiton.orgleavening 4.4% · dairy 0% · sugar 100%
Group E · 68 recipes · 14% of all
Less leavening, more dairy and more sugar
Leavening 1.6% or less, dairy over 56% and sugar 160% or more of the flour weight. 25 of the 68 use no leavening.
| At 380 g flour | Group E | All |
|---|---|---|
| Flour | 380 g | 380 g |
| Butter | 345 gabout 1 1/2 cups | 345 g |
| Sugar | 620 gabout 3 cups | 455 g |
| Egg | 305 gabout 6 large eggs | 305 g |
| Dairy | 245 gabout 1 cup | 175 g |
| Leavening | 2.5 g | 6 g |
| Salt | 3 g | 2.5 g |
Bake325°F (165°C) for about 70 minutes, the medians of the 64 recipes here that state a temperature and the 68 that state a time.
Nearest the middle of group E
Closest to the group's median on every ingredient at once.
- Classic Pound Cake · foodnetwork.comleavening 0.7% · dairy 71% · sugar 175%
- Baby Pound Cakes · bettycrocker.comleavening 0% · dairy 61% · sugar 160%
- Cream Cheese Pound Cake · countryliving.comleavening 0% · dairy 61% · sugar 160%
- Cream Cheese Pound Cake · twopeasandtheirpod.comleavening 0% · dairy 61% · sugar 160%
- Old-Fashioned Cream Cheese Pound Cake · savorthebest.comleavening 1.3% · dairy 79% · sugar 167%
Group F · 48 recipes · 10% of all
Less leavening, more dairy and less sugar
Leavening 1.6% or less, dairy over 56% and sugar under 160% of the flour weight. 11 of the 48 use no leavening.
| At 380 g flour | Group F | All |
|---|---|---|
| Flour | 380 g | 380 g |
| Butter | 280 gabout 1 1/4 cups | 345 g |
| Sugar | 490 gabout 2 1/2 cups | 455 g |
| Egg | 295 gabout 6 large eggs | 305 g |
| Dairy | 255 gabout 1 cup | 175 g |
| Leavening | 2.5 g | 6 g |
| Salt | 1.5 g | 2.5 g |
Bake325°F (165°C) for about 60 minutes, the medians of the 46 recipes here that state a temperature and the 48 that state a time.
Nearest the middle of group F
Closest to the group's median on every ingredient at once.
- Pumpkin Pound Cake · kirbiecravings.comleavening 0.4% · dairy 62% · sugar 134%
- Honey Pound Cake · kirbiecravings.comleavening 0.4% · dairy 67% · sugar 117%
- Golden Pound Cake · bettycrocker.comleavening 1.2% · dairy 67% · sugar 147%
- Coconut Orange Pound Cake · tasteandtellblog.comleavening 1.2% · dairy 65% · sugar 133%
- Peach Pound Cake · 12tomatoes.comleavening 0.4% · dairy 61% · sugar 133%
Group G · 59 recipes · 12% of all
Less leavening, little or no dairy and more sugar
Leavening 1.6% or less, dairy 56% or less and sugar over 113% of the flour weight. 36 of the 59 use no leavening. 26 of the 59 use no dairy.
| At 380 g flour | Group G | All |
|---|---|---|
| Flour | 380 g | 380 g |
| Butter | 345 gabout 1 1/2 cups | 345 g |
| Sugar | 605 gabout 3 cups | 455 g |
| Egg | 280 gabout 5 1/2 large eggs | 305 g |
| Dairy | 55 gabout 1/4 cup | 175 g |
| Leavening | none | 6 g |
| Salt | 3 g | 2.5 g |
Bake325°F (165°C) for about 70 minutes, the medians of the 54 recipes here that state a temperature and the 59 that state a time.
Nearest the middle of group G
Closest to the group's median on every ingredient at once.
- 7-Up Pound Cake · 12tomatoes.comleavening 0% · dairy 16% · sugar 160%
- Lemon Lime Pound Cake · thepioneerwoman.comleavening 0% · dairy 0% · sugar 160%
- Apple Cider Pound Cake · tasteofhome.comleavening 0.6% · dairy 0% · sugar 160%
- Apricot Brandy Pound Cake · bettycrocker.comleavening 0.6% · dairy 31% · sugar 160%
- Lemon Pound Cake Is the Perfect Dessert to Make This Weekend · thepioneerwoman.comleavening 0% · dairy 0% · sugar 160%
Group H · 58 recipes · 12% of all
Less leavening, little or no dairy and less sugar
Leavening 1.6% or less, dairy 56% or less and sugar 113% or less of the flour weight. 37 of the 58 use no leavening. 41 of the 58 use no dairy.
| At 380 g flour | Group H | All |
|---|---|---|
| Flour | 380 g | 380 g |
| Butter | 380 gabout 1 2/3 cups | 345 g |
| Sugar | 380 gabout 2 cups | 455 g |
| Egg | 325 gabout 6 1/2 large eggs | 305 g |
| Dairy | none | 175 g |
| Leavening | none | 6 g |
| Salt | 1 g | 2.5 g |
Bake350°F (175°C) for about 51 minutes, the medians of the 45 recipes here that state a temperature and the 54 that state a time.
Nearest the middle of group H
Closest to the group's median on every ingredient at once.
- Quatre quarts aux pommes · ptitchef.comleavening 0% · dairy 0% · sugar 100%
- Gaufres quatre-quart · ptitchef.comleavening 0% · dairy 0% · sugar 100%
- Quatre-quarts · cuisineaz.comleavening 0% · dairy 0% · sugar 100%
- Quatre-quarts express : la recette facile · cuisine.journaldesfemmes.frleavening 0% · dairy 0% · sugar 100%
- Quatre-quarts aux abricots : la meilleure recette · marmiton.orgleavening 0% · dairy 0% · sugar 100%
How the questions are chosen
Each ingredient is ranked by how much recipes disagree on it: the width of the middle half of recipes (25th to 75th percentile) divided by the median, less 4% for each place it sits down this lab's list of ingredients, so the ones that define the dish win near ties. For pound cake the order is leavening (1.50), dairy (1.40), sugar (0.50), egg (0.37) and butter (0.28), and the first 3 are asked. Salt is never asked about: recipes differ on it mostly by brand and taste.
Every split is at the median of the recipes in front of it, rounded to the percentage shown. Recipes exactly at the median go to whichever side leaves the two halves more even. No answer may keep fewer than 5 recipes; a group that could not be split further says so.
The recipes listed under each group are the 5 nearest its median on every ingredient at once, each scaled by how much recipes vary on it. Every recipe page links to the original for the method.