Cream Cheese Pound Cake
Cream cheese gives pound cake a super-moist, pleasantly dense texture that's simply irresistible.
Serves12 to 16
Prep20 minutes
Cook1 hour 10 minutes to 1 hour 20 minutes
Homemade pound cake is one of my all-time favorite desserts. It’s simple yet decadent, tastes delicious with whipped cream and berries, and looks party-ready straight out of the pan. My secret to the very best one? Cream cheese! Cream cheese gives pound cake a super-moist, pleasantly dense texture that’s simply irresistible. Here’s how to do it.
What Does Cream Cheese Pound Cake Taste Like?
Cream cheese pound cake tastes like traditional pound cake with a slightly tangy flavor. But its addition has less to do with taste and more to do with texture. The cream cheese helps keep the pound cake moist and dense (in a good way), similar to how yogurt or sour cream often add moisture to baked goods. Even if you over-bake this cake slightly, the cream cheese will help keep it moist and prevent it from drying out.
Why Does My Cream Cheese Pound Cake Fall?
There are a few reasons why your pound cake might fall, but the most common reason is that the cake has been exposed to cool air before it was fully baked. This could happen if you open the oven door too many times during baking, or if you remove the cake from the oven before it’s fully baked. If this happens, pop the cake back in the oven and bake until a toothpick comes out clean. The cake won’t rise again, but it will taste delicious nonetheless.
3 Tips for Making Perfect Cream Cheese Pound Cake
Before you head into the kitchen to bake this pound cake, keep these tips in mind.
- Bring your ingredients to room temperature before baking. One hour before you plan to start baking, place your eggs, sour cream, cream cheese, and butter on the counter so they come to room temperature. This will help the batter come together easily without any lumps.
- Tap the Bundt pan on the counter to remove any air bubbles trapped inside the batter before baking. Because this batter is so thick, it’s hard to fill the Bundt pan without creating large air pockets. To get rid of them, tap your filled Bundt pan on the counter several times to help bring the bubbles to the surface.
- Let the cake cool for 30 minutes before removing it from the pan. This will help make sure the cake comes out of the pan easily without any sticking.
Cream Cheese Pound Cake Recipe
Cream cheese gives pound cake a super-moist, pleasantly dense texture that's simply irresistible.
Prep time 20 minutes
Cook time 1 hour 10 minutes to 1 hour 20 minutes
Serves 12 to 16
Nutritional Info
Ingredients
- 3 sticks
plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, divided
- 8 ounces
cream cheese
- 4
large eggs
- 1/2 cup
sour cream
- 3 cups
plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, divided
- 1 teaspoon
baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon
kosher salt
- 2 2/3 cups
granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon
vanilla extract
Instructions
Place 3 sticks of the unsalted butter and 8 ounces cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer (or large bowl if using an electric hand mixer). Place 4 large eggs and 1/2 cup sour cream on the counter. Let everything sit at room temperature until the butter and cream cheese are softened, about 1 hour.
About 30 minutes before the butter is ready, arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 325ºF. Place the remaining 1 tablespoon unsalted butter in a small microwave-safe bowl and microwave until melted, 20 to 30 seconds. Add 1 tablespoon of the all-purpose flour and mix to form a smooth paste. Brush the paste on the inside of a 12-cup Bundt cake pan (see Recipe Notes), making sure to thoroughly coat the tube and all the crevices.
Place the remaining 3 cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt in a large bowl and whisk to combine.
Add 2 2/3 cups granulated sugar to the bowl of butter and cream cheese. Beat on medium speed with the paddle attachment until fluffy and combined, 3 to 4 minutes. Turn the mixer off and add the eggs, sour cream, and 1 tablespoon vanilla extract. Beat on medium speed until thoroughly combined and very light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce the mixer speed to low, slowly add the flour mixture, and mix until just combined, 1 to 2 minutes.
Transfer the batter into the Bundt pan and smooth out the top. Pick up the pan and gently tap on the work surface a few times to remove any air bubbles.
Bake until the top is golden-brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 70 to 75 minutes. Place the Bundt pan on a wire rack and let cool 30 minutes. Flip the cake out onto the rack and let cool completely, at least 2 hours, before slicing and serving.
Recipe Notes
Use the right bundt pan: The recipe calls for a 12-cup Bundt pan, which is the larger size. If in doubt, measure the amount of water it takes to fill the pan.
Storage: The cake can be tightly wrapped in plastic wrap and kept at room temperature for up to 4 days.