First and foremost: Do NOT overbake the cake! Baking the pound cake too long will result in a dry loaf, no matter what recipe you're going to use. Secondly, be careful when measuring your flour. Spoon the flour into your measuring cup and then level with a knife (I have instructions on how to measure flour). Using too much flour results in a dry and crumbly cake. And last but not least: Don't cut back on the butter. Do not use substitutes such as applesauce. You're making a dessert. Live a little