Having my followers name me “The Queen of Pound Cakes” is one of my greatest honors, which is why I only share the best with y’all like my big mama’s Cream Cheese pound cake recipe. Passed down from generation to generation, this moist and buttery cake melts in your mouth. The cream cheese gives it a different flavor profile from a classic pound cake making it so unique. This cake is legit pure nostalgia and deliciousness, all wrapped up in one epic treat.
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Cream cheese pound cake ingredients
- Butter: I like to use a European high fat unsalted butter here. If you only have salted, just leave the salt out in the recipe. Make sure it’s room temp.
- Cream Cheese: Go with full fat. Make sure it is softened too.
- Oil: This gives extra insurance so the cake doesn’t dry out. Grab a neutral one like vegetable or canola so it doesn’t distract from the flavor.
- Granulated Sugar: For sweetness and lift during the creaming period.
- Eggs: These are the stabilizers in our cake. Make sure they are room temp.
- Cake Flour: This is gonna give us a softer more tender crumb versus using all-purpose. If you don’t have any, you can make your own cake flour with all-purpose flour and cornstarch y’all.
- Vanilla: You can also replace the extract with vanilla bean paste for more intensity.
How to make cream cheese pound cake
Mix Butter and Sugar
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Step 1: Add the butter, oil or shortening, and cream cheese to a mixer bowl and beat for 2 minutes on high speed.
Step 2: Add the sugar and beat on high speed for an additional seven minutes until very pale yellow and fluffy. There is no leavening in this cake because we add ample air to this cake by having a very long creaming period.
Finish Mixing and Bake
Step 3: Add the eggs one at a time, mix well after each is added and scrape down the sides as needed.
Step 4: Turn your mixer down to its lowest speed, slowly add the flour into the batter in two increments, and then add the salt. Be careful not to overbeat.
Step 5: Add the vanilla extract, scrape down sides, and mix until just combined and turn off mixer.
Step 6: Pour the cake batter into a prepared bundt pan.
Step 7: Bake for 1 hour and 15 -20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool then sprinkle with powdered sugar on top.
Cream Cheese Pound Cake Recipe
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups unsalted butter room temperature
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil or shortening
- 8 ounces cream cheese room temp, one brick
- 2 3/4 cups granulated sugar
- 6 large eggs room temperature
- 3 cups sifted cake flour
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- powdered sugar for garnish
Instructions
- Start by preheating your oven to 325°F then liberally spray a 12-cup bundt pan with non-stick baking spray or grease with butter or shortening and then flour.
- In your mixer bowl, add butter, oil or shortening, and cream cheese and beat for 2 minutes on high speed. Slowly add in sugar beat on high speed for an additional seven minutes until very pale yellow and fluffy. There is no leavening in this cake because we add ample air to this cake by having a very long creaming period.
- Next, add eggs, one at a time, combining well after each addition and scraping down the sides as needed.
- Turn your mixer down to its lowest speed, and slowly add flour into batter in two increments then add salt. Be careful not to over beat.
- Lastly, add in vanilla extract, scrape down sides and mix until just combined and turn off mixer.
- Pour cake batter into prepared bundt pan, and bake for 1 hour and 15 -20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then invert cake on serving plate for at least an hour or until the cake is cool to the touch.
- Dust with powdered sugar and serve.
Video
Notes
How to store cream cheese pound cake
Once cooled, either tightly wrap in plastic wrap so no air gets in or add to a cake container.How long will it last in the fridge?
I don’t recommend placing this cake in the fridge since it will dry it out. Store at room temp so that texture stays on point. It will last for up to 4-5 days.Can I freeze ?
Wrap the cake in aluminum foil or plastic wrap then put it in a heavy-duty freezer bag. A frozen pound cake will keep for 4-6 months. When ready to consume, thaw overnight in the fridge and serve it up!Nutrition
Recipe Tips
- Don’t skimp on the creaming! This is what makes for the most tender and moist cake ever! Don’t speed it up. Be patient and let those sugar crystals totally melt into that butter making it light and fluffy.
- Room Temp Ingredients: In order to make that batter as smooth and perfectly combined as possible, make sure you pull out the room temp butter and eggs y’all.
- Make over mix boos!: Once you add your flour to this cake, slow down that mixer and stop as soon as the flour as incorporated. If you keep on going, the gluten will overactive and create a dense cake.
- Grease it Up!: Even non-stick baking pans need a little extra love y’all. This homemade cake release is a Godsend but you can totally use a spray or go old school with shortening then flour in the pan like my big mama did.
Recipe Variations
- Lemon It Up: Turn this into a lemon pound cake by adding the zest of one juicy lemon to the batter and drizzling a lemon glaze over the top of the baked cake. Citrus goals boo!
- Berry Textures: Fold some fresh or frozen berries like blueberries or raspberries into the batter before baking. That’s so good y’all!
- Chocolate Vibes: Add some cocoa powder or melted chocolate to the batter for a chocolate twist.
- Spice it Up Boos: Toss some warm spices into the batter like some ground cinnamon or nutmeg. It makes that batter super cozy.
- Fall Twist: For all you pumpkin spice boos, mix in some pureed pumpkin or sweet potato and a pinch of pumpkin pie spice to give this cream cheese pound cake recipe the ultimate fall vibes.
Recipe help
Naw boos, it doesn’t. Don’t be put off by the idea of cream cheese in your cake. It gives such a smooth texture and slight tang that really makes this cake irresistible y’all.
Honestly boos, I recommend cake flour for a finer more tender crumb. It can be used but just know that the texture won’t be exactly the same.
Most old school pound cakes don’t have leavenings so you gotta rely on your creaming period. That means you cannot skimp on your butter and sugar mixing time because this is a period that incorporates more air into your cake boos.
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Can you add pudding mix to this recipe? If so would you recommend vanilla or cheesecake flavor? And can it be the whole package?
Yes I actually do this a ton. Vanilla works really well.
I made this for our rotating “Cruise Crew” dinner. IT WAS/IS A TREMENDOUS HIT! I felt “sort of” bad because it outshined the host dessert. Had some slices leftover and took them to work. Had some co-workers come into my operating room and complained that they did not get a slice. In fact, it initiated a pound cake bake off. I accepted the challenge and will be making this pound cake as my entry. Looking forward to making your lemon pound cake for our family Christmas dinner dessert. Think I may add amaretto, amaretto icing & shaved almonds next time so as to have a variety of pound cakes. A keeper recipe for sure.
Thanks!
Wow!! That’s fantastic!! So happy everyone loved it and too funny that they chased you down for it! Thank you for making it and sharing with everyone!!
Can you use just plain all purpose flour?
I would suggest turning your all purpose flour into cake flour with this recipe if you have some cornstarch to make sure the cake stays light: https://grandbaby-cakes.com/how-to-make-cake-flour/
If we don’t have a Bundt cake what pan size would you suggest? REALLY wanting to make this today, it looks so delicious!
This recipe makes 10 cups of batter, so a 10×2 round cake pan will work or you can do two loaf pans.
I made this for Thanksgiving and it was a huge hit. I followed the recipe including beating it on high for the specified time. It turned out beautiful and delicious. I had a request to make one for my daughter and her husband so they could enjoy the entire cake without sharing. I have finally found a recipe for a moist pound cake full of flavor.
I made this recipe last night for Thanksgiving and just had my first slice. So moist, and delicious! Thank you!!
Wonderful I’m so so glad you enjoyed it!!!
I just made this and it is delicious. I had been craving my grandmother’s pound cake and this satisfied that craving, from the smell to the taste. Thank you and Happy Thanksgiving.
Ohh thank you! Happy Thanksgiving!
I only have bundt pans that are 10 cups -are any of your bundt cakes 10 cups?
I do! My 7 up pound cake is 10 cups and so is my buttered rum eggnog cake. https://grandbaby-cakes.com/7-up-pound-cake/
You can also take the left over batter and make cupcakes and still make with a 10 cup and not fill all the way.
Thank you for this cream cheese pound cake recipe!. The texture is perfect and it is delicious!
Thank you so much!
thank you for sharing your family’s recipe!! Could olive oil be substituted for the vegetable oil?
Have a blessed Thanksgiving!!
I suggest not doing this since olive oil is a much more highly flavored oil than vegetable or canola oil. It will alter the flavor of your cake.