Cream Cheese Pound Cake

Buttery, tangy pound cake is a delicious dessert cake any time of the year! Easy to make and always a favorite to eat.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Diet Vegetarian

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 1 30

Cooling Time (estimate) 1 30

Total Time 3 20

Servings slices

Calories 443kcal

Author Toni Dash

Equipment

Bundt Pan

Ingredients

1 ½ cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter room temperature
8 ounces cream cheese room temperature
2 ½ cups granulated sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3 cups cake flour see NOTES for gluten-free option
6 large eggs room temperature

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Spray a 10-cup Bundt cake pan with non-stick baking spray.
In a large bowl, using a hand electric mixer or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream together the butter and cream cheese for 5 minutes on medium speed.
1 ½ cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, 8 ounces cream cheese
Slowly add the sugar and continue to mix for another 5 minutes. Mix in the vanilla extract. (The batter will look like a really airy and fluffy pancake batter)
2 ½ cups granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Combine the flour and eggs with the mixture, alternating adding each and mixing between each addition; stopping when just combined. Don’t overmix on this last step.
3 cups cake flour, 6 large eggs
Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 1 hour and 30 minutes, or until a toothpick or cake tester inserted into the middle comes out clean.
Remove the pan from the oven and place on a wire rack. Allow the cake to cool in the pan for about 10 to 15 minutes.
Then gently run a thin knife or offset rubber spatula around the edges of the cake to loosen it from the sides of the pan.
Place a cooling rack on top of the cake pan. Hold the sides of the pan and the rack together, and carefully invert the pan to release the cake onto the rack. Gently tap the pan if needed to encourage the cake to release. Let the pound cake cool completely to room temperature. This can take anywhere from 1 to 2 hours.
Serve with a dusting of powdered sugar, a side of whipped topping or vanilla ice cream and berries.

Notes

Variations

Substituting gluten-free flour. Gluten-free cake flour can be difficult to find. If making the cake gluten-free use your preferred gluten-free measure-for-measure flour blend and sift the flour before adding it to the recipe. This will make it lighter and airier.

Pro Tips

Start with room temperature ingredients.

To bring ingredients to room temperature, take them out of the refrigerator and let them sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before you start baking.
For butter, you can cut it into smaller pieces to help it soften more quickly.
Eggs can be brought to room temperature quickly by placing them in a bowl of warm water for a few minutes.

Don't peek when the cake is baking. It’s tempting to peak on the cake during cooking, resist the urge. The cake needs to bake undisturbed or there will be a risk of the cake falling/sinking in the middle.

Don't shortcut the mixing time. The extra mixing is crucial in this recipe to incorporate air into the batter. There are no leavening agents to make the cake rise and the cake batter needs air to make this happen. The complete 10 minutes of mixing is needed.

Using a stand mixer is recommended. There is a lot of mixing with this recipe, a stand mixer is recommended for best results.

How to Store

Once the cake is completely cooled wrap the pound cake tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Place the wrapped pound cake in an airtight container. Store for 5-7 days (best enjoyed on the earlier end of that timeframe).

Slicing: If you're not planning to consume the entire cake at once, you can slice it before wrapping and storing. This way, you can easily take out individual slices as needed without having to thaw the entire cake. This is the same if freezing the cake too.

Serve at room temperature. The pound cake will have the best flavor served at room temperature. Remove it from the refrigerator about 30 minutes before serving. This allows it to come to a more enjoyable texture and flavor.

How to Freeze

Wrap the cooled cake in plastic wrap and then aluminum foil. Place it in a freezer-safe container in the freezer for 2-3 months. When ready to enjoy, allow the cake to thaw in the refrigerator.

Nutrition