Classic Cream Cheese Pound Cake is best served with sweetened whipped cream and fresh berries.
What is pound cake anyways? I mean… how did it get its name? Pound cake is traditionally a cake that is made from a pound of each of its main ingredients: butter, flour, sugar and eggs. This recipe isn’t quite on the mark for that, but it’s close. It calls for three sticks of butter and one box of cream cheese. Three cups of sugar, three cups of cake flour and 6 eggs round out the main ingredients.
Regardless of the specifics on the ingredients, a pound cake is made in a tube pan or a loaf pan. And it turns out to be one heavy, dense cake!
What is a tube pan?
A tube pan is the pan that is traditionally used for baking pound cakes. It has tall, straight sides and a removable bottom. I like the removable bottom feature of this pan because it makes it so easy to remove the cake without worry about it sticking to the bottom and causing a mess. Alternately, you can use a loaf pan or two to bake your pound cake.
A good pound cake will be a little crackly looking on top after baking.
The texture of this cream cheese pound cake is quite dense. If you’re looking for a light and fluffy sort of cake, a pound cake is not the one you want to bake. Pound cake is best served with a generous spoonful of whipped cream and lots of fresh berries. Some people serve it with fudge or chocolate sauce. And others prefer to serve pound cake with a scoop of ice cream.
How to make fresh whipped cream:
It’s easy to make fresh whipped cream! Combine 1 cup heavy whipping cream, 2 tablespoons powdered sugar and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla in a large bowl. Use an electric mixer to whip the cream until thick and creamy in texture. You should be able to spoon it onto your cake, and the cream will hold its shape instead of drizzling over the sides. Don’t over-beat or you’ll end up with a texture that isn’t so great.
Traditional pound cake is made with butter only. The addition of cream cheese makes this pound cake have a richer, tangier flavor. Cream cheese pound cake is the way to go when baking your next pound cake!
More recipes utilizing cream cheese:
- Cream Cheese Lemon Bars with Kit Kat Crust
- Pumpkin- Cream Cheese Swirl Bread
- Cream Cheese Frosting
- Cream Cheese Snickerdoodles
- Apple- Topped Cream Cheese Coffee Cake
- Crab and Cream Cheese Stuffed Snow Peas
- Soft Lemon Cream Cheese Cookies
- Crab and Cream Cheese Wontons
Cream Cheese Pound Cake
Ingredients
- 1½ cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 3 cups granulated white sugar
- 8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 6 large eggs
- 3 cups sifted cake flour (sift, then measure)
- whipped cream and berries, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F. Grease the bottom only of 10-inch round tube cake pan.
- In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to combine the butter, cream cheese and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and salt. Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat after each addition. Gradually add the flour, ½ cup at a time.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and tap the pan on the counter a few times to get rid of any air bubbles. Bake 1½hours or until done. Toothpick inserted should come out clean.
- Serve slices topped with whipped cream and berries, if desired.
Notes
- *Be sure to grease the bottom only of the pan- this will ensure that you have a smooth, even cake.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I made this pound cake with cake flour and using Red Mill Gluten Free 1-1 flour. Both were outstanding! The compliments that I got. Usually, gluten free baked goods are dry, but not with this cake, it’s moist and delicious. You can’t even tell its gluten free.