Name: Grilled Pound Cake
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Ingredients: 1 pound of pound cake; 3 tablespoons unsalted butter (melted); 2 teaspoons honey; Pinch of fine sea salt

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Grilled pound cake is a simple, surprisingly elegant summer dessert that can be made with store-bought or homemade pound cake. Serve it with fruit, ice cream, whipped cream, or even yogurt for a phenomenal end to any meal.

Two slices of grilled pound cake on a white plate with fresh raspberries and blueberries.

Why grill pound cake?
How to grill pound cake
Serving suggestions
Grilled Pound Cake Recipe

The end of summer is exhausting. I love having Elle home during the summer, and this one has been so much fun, but when you add in back-to-school shopping and still trying to cram in the last fun things of summer…I’m exhausted.

So don’t be surprised when you see I’m only sharing easy recipes this week. I think we all deserve a bit of a break.

I know that pumpkin and apples are just around the corner, but I’m not quite ready yet. So instead, I’m helping you plan for the last of the summer cookouts with a few more warm-weather desserts, starting with this grilled pound cake.

Honey being drizzled over grilled pound cake and grilled pineapple on a white plate.

Why grill pound cake?

I know we all think about pulling out the grill to make things like grilled chicken, grilled shishito peppers, and flank steak tacos, but that same piece of equipment can totally help you make dessert, too.

Seriously, have you ever grilled pound cake before? It’s amazing. AH-mazing.

The sugar in the pound cake gets caramelized into something almost akin to the burnt sugary taste of the top of creme brulee, and I can’t stop thinking about it.

It’s super versatile, too. You can use your favorite store-bought pound cake or a homemade pound cake. You can serve it in about a million different ways.

Oh, and it’s one of the easiest desserts to make but is surprisingly elegant once it’s plated up. For real, you’re gonna impress all of your friends with this one.

Slice of grilled pound cake topped with fresh strawberries, whipped cream, and a drizzle of honey.

How to grill pound cake

Even though you can just toss a slice of pound cake on the grill and call it a day, I like to take it one step further.

Don’t worry, I’m still keeping this grilled pound cake recipe super simple – but I’m also adding a bit of extra flavor.

Ingredients for grilled pound cake arranged on a light-colored countertop.

What you’ll need

Obviously, if you’re making grilled pound cake you are going to need some pound cake.

You will need 1 pound of your favorite pound cake. You can totally use the Sara Lee pound cakes that you find in the freezer section – just let it thaw according to package directions before you get started.

You can also use any of my favorite homemade pound cake recipes, including cream cheese pound cake, 7UP pound cake, or even whipping cream cake. Kentucky butter cake would work well, too.

Slices of pound cake next to a knife on a cutting board.

Before grilling the pound cake, we’re going to brush the slices with a mixture of melted butter, honey, and sea salt, so make sure you have those on hand as well.

If you don’t have an outdoor grill, that’s ok! You can totally use a grill pan on your stove to make this grilled pound cake. And that means you can make it any time of year, rain or shine.

Making this recipe

Preheat your grill or grill pan over medium heat. If you are already grilling dinner, just keep the grill going while you eat until it’s time for dessert.

Slices of pound cake being brushed with a honey and butter mixture.

Slice the pound cake into thick slices. I like mine to be anywhere from ¾-inch to 1-inch thick.

Stir together the melted butter, honey, and a pinch of sea salt. Brush this mixture over both sides of the slices of cake, then place the cake slices on the grill.

Depending on the size of your grill or grill pan, you may need to work in batches. Let the cake slices cook for 3-5 minutes on each side, or until they are toasted with deeply golden grill marks on each side.

Set the cake slices on a platter and get ready to serve them!

Three slices of pound cake being grilled in a grill pan.

Serving suggestions

So exactly how should you serve grilled pound cake?

Honestly, any way you’d like. Your options are endless.

The slices of grilled pound cake are incredible when paired with grilled fruit, such as grilled peaches or grilled pineapple. Or fresh berries are wonderful as well!

A scoop of ice cream, such as no-churn ice cream, is always a good idea, as is homemade whipped cream.

Two slices of grilled pound cake on a white plate. A second plate is visible in the background, holding a slice of grilled pound cake topped with vanilla ice cream.

You could even go for something a little lighter and try some sweetened greek yogurt with it!

And then there are the sauce options. Try drizzling the pound cake with your favorite dessert sauce, such as:

If you’re having a crowd over, you could even set out several toppings options buffet style and let your guests enjoy creating their own special grilled pound cake dessert. It’s like a grown-up version of an ice cream sundae bar!