This Nutella swirl pound cake is a rich, plush loaf cake swirled generously with Nutella and baked until beautifully golden. It’s sturdy, tall, and sliceable, with a classic pound cake crumb and defined Nutella swirls throughout.
Originally published in 2013, this recipe has been a longtime favorite, but after more than a decade of baking (and a lot of loaf cakes later), I knew it was time for a thoughtful refresh.
The heart of the recipe remains the same: a classic butter-based pound cake with a thick, luxurious batter and ribbons of Nutella throughout. But with a little more flour, slightly more sugar, and an adjusted leavening level, the updated version bakes up taller, sturdier, and more evenly structured… while still staying moist and tender.
If you love rich loaf cakes with that unmistakable pound cake crumb, this one delivers.
By the way, let’s always appreciate a dessert that smiles back at us! 🙂
Why You’ll Love This Updated Nutella Swirl Pound Cake
- More structure & height: Extra flour and a touch more sugar give the cake better support and a fuller loaf shape.
- Classic golden crust: Baked low and slow, this pound cake develops a deep golden exterior without drying out. You do NOT want to rush pound cake, something you may know if you’ve tried this cream cheese pound cake!
- Thick, swirlable batter: The batter is intentionally thick, which helps suspend the Nutella so it doesn’t sink.
- Even Nutella distribution: Layering the batter and Nutella creates defined swirls instead of streaks that disappear into the crumb.
This is still very much a pound cake, not a quick bread: rich, dense (in the best way), and meant to be sliced.
Key Ingredients You Need & Why
- Baking Powder: This updated recipe uses more baking powder than the original version I published in 2012. Additional baking powder makes a noticeable difference in lift and structure, helping the loaf bake up taller and more evenly without losing its classic pound cake crumb.
- Butter: Use room temperature unsalted butter. Proper creaming is key for structure and lift. If you need a refresher, here is how to cream butter and sugar.
- Sugar: Sweetens, enhances tenderness, and helps the cake brown evenly.
- Eggs: 4 eggs provide richness and stability. Make sure they are room temperature.
- Sour Cream: Adds moisture and softness without thinning the batter.
- Nutella: Measure by volume, not eyeballing. Why? This ensures the swirls stay balanced and don’t overwhelm the cake.
- Cinnamon: A subtle background note that deepens the chocolate-hazelnut flavor without tasting like spice cake.
How to Make and Assemble Nutella Pound Cake
You’ll bake this cake at 325°F (163°C). This lower temperature helps the thick batter bake evenly without over-browning. Line a 9×5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang for easy removal, and grease well. The pictured loaf pan is from Wilton and I can’t seem to find it on sale anymore, but here is another loaf pan that I own and use often.
You’ll whisk the dry ingredients together, and then turn your attention to the wet ingredients.
Beat the butter until smooth, then add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy, a full 4–5 minutes, scraping down the bowl as needed. This step is essential for proper lift and structure. Beat in the sour cream and vanilla, then add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. (This is exactly how we add eggs to cheesecake batter.) Avoid over-mixing from this point on.
Beat in the dry ingredients, and then finish folding by hand to incorporate anything at the bottom of the bowl. The batter will be very thick, which helps keep the Nutella swirls in place. You’ll have around 800g of batter:
Spoon about 1/3 of the batter into the prepared pan and spread into an even layer. A small offset spatula or even a spoon is helpful for this step. Then, dollop half of the Nutella over the batter and gently spread it with the back of a spoon, keeping it away from the edges of the pan:
Add another 1/3 of the batter, followed by the remaining Nutella:
Finish with the remaining batter on top.
Using a knife or skewer, very gently swirl the layers together. Because the batter is thick, the swirl will be subtle. Do your best without overworking it:
The cake is done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs (not wet batter). This takes at least 65 minutes to around 75 minutes, or a few minutes longer. The key is to tent the cake with aluminum foil after 30 minutes to prevent the top from burning before the center can cook.
Cool the cake in the pan for 1 hour, then lift it out using the parchment overhang and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Slice with a sharp knife and serve plain, dusted with powdered sugar, dolloped with fresh whipped cream, or with a cup of coffee or espresso.
Nutella works best here because of its texture and fat content. I don’t recommend plain nut butters because they won’t swirl or bake the same way. One reader used Biscoff, but my team and I have not tested that. Jam works nicely, but since it’s very wet, I recommend mixing it with around 1/2 of the plain cake batter and using that to swirl in, similar to this raspberry swirl pound cake. You could also use chocolate ganache. Use the same ganache used as a topping on this marble loaf cake (step 8 in that recipe). Let it thicken for 20 minutes then use in place of the Nutella in the pound cake recipe below.
I don’t recommend it; it’s very heavy and won’t swirl properly. It will also weigh down the cake.
This is the kind of loaf cake that feels just as right for a casual afternoon treat as it does for sharing with friends. Rich and moist but never heavy, simple yet special… everything a great pound cake should be!
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Description
A rich, buttery pound cake swirled generously with Nutella and baked low and slow until beautifully golden. Thick batter creates a tall, sliceable loaf with a classic pound cake crumb. Avoid over-mixing the batter.
- Preheat the oven to 325°F (163°C). Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan with nonstick spray then line the sides with parchment paper to help prevent the sides of the pound cake from burning. Lightly grease the parchment.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.
- Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy, about 1 minute. Add the sugar and beat together for 4-5 full minutes until light and fluffy. Stop and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a silicone spatula a couple times as needed. Add the sour cream and vanilla, and beat until combined. With the mixer running on medium speed, add the eggs one at a time and beat after each addition.
- Pour in the dry ingredients and beat on low just until combined. Do not over-mix. Using a silicone spatula, fold the batter together a few times to ensure there are no pockets of flour or butter at the bottom of the bowl.
- You’ll have about 3–3.5 cups of cake batter (around 800g). Spoon and spread about 1/3 of the cake batter into the prepared loaf pan. A small offset spatula is helpful here. Spoon half of the Nutella on top and gently spread it with the back of a spoon, avoiding the edges of the pan. Gently spread another 1/3 of the batter on top, followed by the remaining Nutella. Finish with the remaining batter. Using a knife or skewer, very gently swirl the layers together. The batter is thick, so do your best and avoid over-swirling.
- Bake for 65–75 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs and no wet batter. Bake time is a guideline; all ovens vary, so begin checking around 1 hour. If the cake is browning too quickly on top, loosely tent with aluminum foil. (I usually tent the loaf after about 30 minutes.)
- Cool the cake in the pan set on a cooling rack for 1 hour, then remove the cake from the pan and place it directly on the rack to cool completely. Slice and serve.
- Cover leftovers tightly and store at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Notes
- Freezing Instructions: The cake freezes well for up to 3 months. Wrap the cooled cake in a layer of plastic wrap, followed by a layer of aluminum foil. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then bring to room temperature or serve cold. See How to Freeze Cakes for more information.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): 9×5-inch Loaf Pan | Glass Mixing Bowl | Whisk | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Small Offset Spatula | Cooling Rack
- Room-Temperature Ingredients: All refrigerated items should be at room temperature so the batter mixes together easily and evenly. Read more about room-temperature ingredients in baking.
- Sour Cream: Full-fat sour cream works best in this recipe, but full-fat buttermilk or full-fat plain yogurt (Greek or regular) can be used as a substitute. Avoid low-fat or nonfat options, as they can produce a drier, less tender pound cake.
- Nutella: If your Nutella is extra thick and solid, it’s helpful to warm it in the microwave for 10 seconds before using.
- Substitutions for Nutella: Nutella works best here because of its texture and fat content. I don’t recommend plain nut butters because they won’t swirl or bake the same way. One reader used Biscoff, but my team and I have not tested that. Jam works nicely, but since it’s very wet, I recommend mixing it with around 1/2 of the plain cake batter and using that to swirl in, similar to this raspberry swirl pound cake. You could also use chocolate ganache. Use the same ganache used as a topping on this marble loaf cake (step 8 in that recipe). Let it thicken for 20 minutes then use in place of the Nutella in the pound cake recipe below.
- Updated in 2026: The recipe above is new and improved. If you prefer to make the original version, expect a denser, flatter loaf. To make that older version, skip the sour cream, reduce the flour to 1 and 1/2 cups (188g), reduce the baking powder to 3/4 teaspoon, reduce the sugar to 1 cup (200g). The bake time is around 1 hour, same oven temperature.
- Adapted from Food & Wine.
