If you’re wondering what to serve with your pound cake, you’ve come to the right place.
In this article, I list 33 of the most popular side dishes for pound cake.
In a rush? Here’s the short answer.
The best dishes to serve with pound cake are pineapple curd, no-churn chocolate ice cream, mixed berry compote, and grilled peach halves. You can also make dulce de leche, espresso buttercream, salted caramel nut brittle, or bananas foster. Or you can use the poundcake in a trifle.
Ready? Let’s jump right in.
Pineapple curd
Get tropical with some pineapple curd.
During the summer you can use fresh pineapples, but you can still make it during winter with store-bought pineapple juice.
Psst… if you’re feeling really adventurous add some chili flakes in to get that sweet but spicy contrast.
Why we love this recipe: you can make it as sweet or tangy as you like.
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Pineapple curd
Stick with the classics
Lemon curd
Make it pretty
Raspberry curd
Espresso buttercream
Add a caffeinated kick to your pound cake with this espresso buttercream.
The addition of instant coffee granules brings a hint of bitterness that mixes superbly with the sweetness of your buttercream.
Psst… you can also use decaf coffee to get that bitter flavor minus the caffeine dose.
Why we love this recipe: it tastes like a cup of creamy coffee.
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Espresso buttercream frosting
Make it decadent
Chocolate ganache
Make it fancy
Swiss meringue buttercream
Vanilla poached pears
Poached pears is one of those dishes you’ll always find in fancy restaurants.
But luckily, they’re easy to make at home too.
The key lies in the spice mixture of cinnamon, star anise, and vanilla. It will infuse the pears with a delicious sweetness that feels like a warm hug.
Serve them with a slice of pound cake and mascarpone cream on the side.
Why we love this recipe: these pears will make your kitchen smell amazing.
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Vanilla poached pears
Make it different
Wine poached pears
Fire up the oven
Roasted pears with balsamic and honey
New Orleans bananas foster
This classic New Orleans dish involves cooking bananas in a caramel sauce spiked with rum and banana liquor.
Making this usually requires flambéing – a technique where you light your pan on fire after the alcohol is added.
This burns off the alcohol quickly, leaving only the banana flavor behind.
Why we love this recipe: it shares tips and tricks to flambé safely.
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New Orleans bananas foster
Skip the bananas
Caribbean flambé pineapple
Make another favorite
Cherries jubilee
Ambrosia salad
This is far from the healthiest salad, but it doesn’t hurt to indulge from time to time.
Not only does it feature a tangy, creamy dressing coating the fruits, but it’s also studded with shredded coconut, pecans, and mini marshmallows!
Sounds heavenly, right?
Pro-tip: don’t like the fruits in the ingredients list? Don’t worry – just swap them for your favorites.
Why we love this recipe: it’s a guaranteed crowd-pleaser.
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Ambrosia salad
Ditch the marshmallows
Berry cheesecake salad
Make it dairy-free
Honey lime rainbow fruit salad
Instant pot dulce de leche
Don’t get this luscious treat confused with caramel. Unlike caramel, this sauce is super easy to make and you only need one ingredient – a can of sweet condensed milk.
You can simply boil the can, but this will take about three hours. With an Instant Pot, you only need 35 minutes.
Pro tip: open the can and cover it with foil in the instant pot to prevent any explosions.
Why we love this recipe: there’s zero hands-on cooking involved.
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Instant pot dulce de leche
Make a favorite
Homemade salted caramel
Make a classic
Old-fashioned hot fudge
Mixed berry compote
Been berry picking and have a load to use up? Make a compote to go with your pound cake..
All you need to do is cook the berries in a sugar sauce until they become delightfully tender and release all their juices.
Imagine a warm, sticky sauce with softened berries drizzles over your freshly baked pound cake. Yum!
Why we love this recipe: you can pick your favorite combination of berries (I like raspberries).
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Mixed berry compote
Fire up the oven
Roasted plum compote
Make it fall-inspired
Apple compote
Blueberry lemon trifle
This isn’t technically a side dish, but I want to show you a show-stopping dessert that uses pound cake.
The cake is cut into cubes, then layered with custard, blueberry pie filling, and topped with frosting.
You can make all these elements from scratch, but if you’re in a rush you can easily buy them pre-made (I won’t tell)!
Just make sure to use a large glass bowl to showcase all the beautiful layers.
Why we love this recipe: it’s an impressive-looking centerpiece.
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Blueberry lemon trifle
Change the flavor
Key lime trifle
Make it fun
Grilled s’mores pound cake sandwiches
No-churn chocolate ice cream
The conventional way of making ice cream is labor-intensive and requires an ice cream maker, so this no-churn version is a godsend.
The hardest part about this recipe is waiting for the ice cream to freeze!
And the final results boasts a chocolate flavor so rich it’s almost like eating brownie batter.
Treat yourself to a scoop of this decadent ice cream alongside your pound cake.
Why we love this recipe: it will lasts for up to two weeks in the freezer.
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No-churn chocolate ice cream
Make it traditional
Very chocolate ice cream
Make it dairy-free
Chocolate banana ice cream
Salted caramel nut brittle
This nut brittle is an excellent topping for your pound cake.
The combination of the hard caramel and nuts gives you a delectable crunch that perfectly contrasts your cake’s soft texture.
For best results, make sure you have a candy thermometer. Caramel can be finicky to work with, but this will ensure you won’t end up with burnt sugar.
Why we love this recipe: it’s great for gifting.
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Salted caramel nut brittle
Keep it simple
Candied hazelnuts
Make it healthy
Maple almond butter granola
Grilled peach halves
You can’t go wrong with grilling fruit.
The grill caramelizes the peaches’ natural sugars, giving you an extra sweet bite with an added layer of smokiness.
And this recipe goes even further by adding brown sugar and butter for maximum flavor.
Why we love this recipe: it’s great for a summer cookout.
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Peach halves on the grill
Skip the peaches
Bloomin’ grilled apples
Preheat the oven
Maple roasted peaches
The best side dishes to serve with pound cake
- Pineapple curd
- Espresso buttercream
- Vanilla poached pears
- New Orleans bananas foster
- Ambrosia salad
- Instant pot dulce de leche
- Mixed berry compote
- Blueberry lemon trifle
- No-churn chocolate ice cream
- Salted caramel nut brittle
- Grilled peach halves
What To Serve With Pound Cake
Ingredients
- 1 portion pound cake
Instructions
- Prepare your pound cake according to your favorite recipe.
- In the meantime, choose one of the following sides to serve alongside it.
- Side dishes include: pineapple curd, espresso buttercream, vanilla poached pears, new orleans bananas foster, ambrosia salad, instant pot dulce de leche, mixed berry compote, blueberry lemon trifle, no-churn chocolate ice cream, salted caramel nut brittle, and grilled peach halves.
- Serve immediately and enjoy!
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