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Oma's Sandkuchen: Best German Pound Cake Recipe

My best pound cake recipe, aka Sandkuchen, is this one. My Oma made it, my Mutti made it, and now I make it! It's my quick cake recipe for emergencies. 

Sandkuchen, literally translated as Sand Cake, is also one of the great holiday baking recipes to have. Why? Because it's such a treat!

Servings:

Makes 10 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter, room temperature
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• ¾ cup cornstarch
• 1¼ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
• 2 teaspoons powdered sugar

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Prepare a 3x10-inch loaf baking pan by greasing and flouring it.
3. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar.
4. Add eggs, beating well after each one. Continue beating until light in color and fluffy. Add vanilla.
5. Mix together cornstarch, flour, and baking powder. Stir into butter mixture. Add lemon rind and stir.
6. Pour batter into greased and floured loaf pan, smoothing top.
7. Bake for 1 hour or until wooden toothpick poked into centre comes out clean.
8. Place pan on wire rack and let cake cool in pan for 10 minutes.
9. Invert pan to remove cake and let cool on wire rack.
10. Put powdered sugar into a sieve and tap over cake to dust.

Notes/Hints:

•  Use just vanilla (omitting the lemon peel), or use almond extract (my favorite). Or, try rum instead (a traditional choice). 
• It is often just sprinkled with icing sugar before serving. 
  
• Use the juice of the lemon you zested to make a lemon icing by mixing a cup of powdered sugar with just enough lemon juice to get a nice pouring consistency. Pour over cake and let sit until it hardens.
• Coat with a chocolate glaze as a treat. 

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09.13.2021 revision update