Cream Cheese Pound Cake – Live Well Bake Often

Made with just eight simple ingredients, this cream cheese pound cake recipe comes together quickly. It’s perfect topped with whipped cream and fresh fruit! Did you know that pound cake got its name because it used to be made with a pound of each ingredient — butter, sugar, flour, and eggs? Most pound cake recipes today use different proportions of those ingredients as well as cream cheese or sour cream to produce a cake that’s slightly lighter than a traditional pound cake. The recipe I’m sharing with you today uses both butter and cream cheese, which results in an ultra moist pound cake. The entire recipe takes about 20 minutes to prepare, and then the cake is ready to go into the oven!  This simple pound cake is a delicious treat year-round and can be garnished with seasonal toppings like fruit syrups, lemon curd, fresh fruit, and more. It’s perfect for holidays and family gatherings too!   Ingredients for This Recipe  Don’t let this cake’s pretty appearance intimidate you, it’s secretly such a simple pound cake recipe to make. The ingredients you’ll need for this recipe are basic, but I want to briefly go over them so you feel 100% confident when making it.  How to Make Cream Cheese Pound Cake Making pound cake from scratch is simple! First, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. In another bowl, beat together the butter, cream cheese, and sugar until light and fluffy. This process will take a good 4 to 5 minutes. It’s very important that you cream together the butter, cream cheese, and sugar for several minutes as this incorporates air into the batter and helps the cake rise in the oven. Since there’s not much baking powder in this cake, this step is crucial.  Add the eggs, one at a time, to the cream cheese mixture. Scrape down the sides of the bowl between additions, if needed, then mix in the vanilla extract. Mix the dry ingredients into the wet, taking care to stir until the batter is just combined. Over mixing the batter can result in a gummy cake, so be gentle.  Next, turn the batter into a greased 12 cup Bundt pan. This cream cheese pound cake needs to bake at a slightly lower temperature (325ºF) for roughly 90 minutes. If the top of the cake starts to brown too much, loosely tent the pan with foil to prevent it from burning. You’ll know the pound cake is finished when a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.  Let the cake cool in the pan for 30 minutes before inverting it onto a wire rack. Don’t try flipping the cake sooner, otherwise it could fall apart.  Different Toppings to Try  Homemade pound cake can be enjoyed so many ways! It’s neutral enough in flavor that it can be topped with any number of fruits, sauces, and toppings. Here are a few pound cake topping ideas to get you started:  Storage and Freezing Instructions  Cream cheese pound cake can be made a day before you plan on serving it. However, it will last up to five days in an airtight container at room temperature.  To freeze the cake, wrap it in plastic wrap, then seal inside a freezer bag or freezer-safe container for up to three months. To thaw the cake, place it on your counter overnight.  Baking Tips  Made with eight simple ingredients, this cream cheese pound cake recipe comes together quickly. Perfect with whipped cream and fresh fruit! Keyword cream cheese pound cake, pound cake Cook Time 1 hour 35 minutes Total Time 2 hours 25 minutesPreheat the oven to 325°F (163°C). Spray a 10-inch (12 cup) bundt pan well with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the cake flour, baking powder, and salt until well combined. Set aside.In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large mixing bowl using a handheld mixer, beat the butter, cream cheese, and granulated sugar together on medium speed for 4 to 5 minutes or until light and fluffy.Mix in the eggs, one at a time, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed, then mix in the pure vanilla extract.Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix together until just combined.Scoop the batter into the prepared bundt pan and spread it around into one even layer. Firmly tap the pan on the counter several times to remove any large air bubbles.Bake for 1 hour 25 minutes to 1 hour 35 minutes (I recommend baking it closer to the higher end to ensure that it’s fully baked) or until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean. If needed, tent with foil to prevent excess browning on top of the cake.Remove from the oven and allow the cake to cool in the pan on a wire rack for 30 minutes. Then, carefully invert the cake onto the wire rack, remove it from the pan, and allow it to cool completely before slicing into it.Storage instructions: Store the cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to five days.  Freezing instructions: To freeze the cake, wrap it in plastic wrap, then seal inside a freezer bag or freezer-safe container for up to three months. To thaw, place on your counter overnight.  Cake Flour: If you don’t have any on hand, you can use my homemade cake flour substitute.  Cream Cheese: Be sure to use a block/brick of cream cheese. Avoid using cream cheese spread in a tub in this recipe. Eggs: These should be at room temperature before being mixed in. If you forget to set them out ahead of time, place them in a bowl of warm water for 5 to 10 minutes. Did you try this recipe?Mention @livewellbakeoften or tag #livewellbakeoften!