11 Simple Loaf Cake Recipes

This is the fundamental loaf that started it all. The French call pound cake quatre-quarts ("four-fourths") because the original was made with equal parts flour, sugar, eggs, and butter. Jacques Pépin's mother, aunt, and cousin all have their versions. He likes to fold in candied citrus peels to make a French fruit cake; he also loves plain slices dipped in espresso.

The solution to baking for 20 is to stick with easy desserts like this golden loaf cake, which can be made a day in advance. Butter, tangy sour cream, and buttermilk provide moisture and gentle flavor, which is enhanced by just a touch of orange zest, vanilla, and cinnamon. Enjoy it unadorned or dress it up with fruit and whipped cream.

This loaf's beautifully swirled marriage of classic chocolate and vanilla pound cake pairs perfectly with coffee, no matter the time of day. The cake can be wrapped in foil and refrigerated for one week or frozen for up to two months.

For this recipe, blogger Molly Yeh combines toasty matcha green tea with a sweet almond glaze to make a delicious, moist loaf that begs to be sliced.

This classic British loaf cake is incredibly moist because it's made with olive oil instead of butter, which also gives the batter a rich golden color. The addition of poppy seeds makes it a perfect alternative to your morning muffin, while the lemon drizzle dresses up the cake for company.

This pound cake gets a bit of a savory edge from the mellow cheddar cheese mixed into the batter and sprinkled on top. It's excellent with afternoon coffee or tea on its own, but the Brandy Caramel Apples move it clearly into dessert territory (add a scoop of ice cream to take it over the top).

This one-bowl loaf cake is exceptionally easy to make. Since the batter calls for oil instead of butter, there's no need for a creaming step — just quickly beat together the ingredients until smooth, then fold in the blueberries.

This gluten-free loaf was inspired by German cake recipes from a 13th-century cookbook. With its malty, molasses notes, buckwheat honey gives the cake its signature flavor. Serve it with a smear of creamy mascarpone cheese and an extra drizzle of honey.

Our yam loaf is spiced with both fresh and ground ginger, as well as cinnamon and a little freshly ground pepper. A tangy cream cheese glaze provides the perfect complement for this autumn treat.

This pound cake is made especially rich by swirling in the chocolate-hazelnut spread Nutella. Serve it with coffee ice cream for an extra-special treat.

This clever and unique cake has crushed graham crackers folded into the batter. It's wonderful to eat plain, but Kansas City pastry chef Megan Garrelts serves hers with sage-glazed figs and spiced walnut gelato.