Cream Cheese Pound Cake

Cream Cheese Pound Cake is a delectable dessert that combines the dense and moist texture of a traditional pound cake with the tangy and rich flavor of cream cheese. The Vanilla Bean Cream Cheese Glaze on top adds an extra layer of creamy goodness to the cake.

This indulgent cake has cream cheese incorporated into the batter, which makes it extra velvety. The crumb is so moist, and has just the right amount of sweetness. This is the best pound cake recipe I’ve ever made.

Whether you enjoy it with glaze, or plain, or served alongside fresh fruit, this Cream Cheese Pound Cake is a timeless classic that will satisfy any sweet tooth. Get ready to impress your friends and family with the luxurious texture, and the irresistible taste of this wonderful cake.

Let’s learn how to make it.

Cream Cheese Pound Cake Recipe

Find the ingredient amounts on the bottom of the page. And here, enjoy some detailed instructions alongside pictures to help you make this recipe a success!

This recipe is easy to make, and definitely beginner friendly. Read the full recipe and notes before starting.

Make sure the ingredients like butter, cream cheese, eggs, buttermilk, are at room temperature.

Cake Batter

To make the cake batter, beat the butter for one minute. Add the cream cheese and beat for 30 seconds. Then, add the sugar and beat for 2 minutes, scraping the bowl halfway.

Add the eggs, one at a time, making sure one egg is incorporated before adding the next one.

Scrape the bowl in between each addition.

Add the final egg along with the vanilla. Mix to combine.

Add half of the dry ingredients to the pan, which consist of flour, baking soda, and salt. I am using cake flour, but give an option to substitute it for all-purpose flour mixed with cornstarch in the recipe card.

Mix on low to combine.

Add the buttermilk in and mix. Finish by adding the remaining flour. Stir to combine, just until all ingredients are incorporated and the batter is smooth.

Baking

Make sure to grease a 10-12 cup bundt cake pan with butter, and sprinkle flour all over to coat it. Tap the pan to shake off the excess flour. This is the best way to prevent your cake from sticking to the pan, specially if your pan has a lot of details and ridges, make sure to get those really well greased and floured.

Pour the batter in the prepared pan. Use a spatula to smooth out the batter.

Bake in the preheated oven for 65 to 80 minutes. It can take more or less depending on your oven. When a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean, the cake should be done baking.

Let the cake cool down completely in the pan before flipping it over to a wire rack or cake plate. The cake can collapse if you remove it too early.

Vanilla Bean Cream Cheese Glaze

To make the glaze, beat the cream cheese with the butter for 30 seconds using a mixer. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla bean seeds.

You can use vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste instead of the seeds.

Mix on low to combine. Add the milk and mix. The glaze should be runny but not super thin.

Drizzle it on top of the cooled cake. Top with fresh berries if desired.

Storage

Store the cake in an air tight container. The glazed cake can be stored in the fridge for up to 4 days. The unglazed cake can be stored on the counter for up to 2 days. Or the cake can be frozen for up to 2 months. You can either freeze individual slices wrapped in plastic, and then placed in an air tight container, or freeze the whole cake.

Thaw it in the fridge overnight, or for a few minutes at room temperature. The cake will thaw faster if it’s split into slices.

Anytime the cake is cold, let it come to room temperature before serving. Or if you are impatient like me, microwave your slice for a few second intervals.

Tips on making this Cream Cheese Pound Cake

• Make sure to grease the pan with butter, and then flour it. If your pan has ridges, ensure each crevice is covered in butter and flour to prevent sticking.
• Bring the ingredients such as butter, cream cheese, buttermilk, and eggs to room temperature before making the cake. If you forgot to take the eggs out of the fridge in advance, simply put them in a bowl of warm water for a few minutes.
• Don’t over bake the cake, or it will become dry. And don’t under bake the cake, or it will be raw and dense. Bake just until done, start checking at 55 minutes. Remove it from the oven when a toothpick inserted in the cake comes out clean.
• If the cake is becoming too browned on top, cover it with foil.
• Let the cake cool down completely in the pan before flipping it over. It can take 90 minutes to two hours to cool down. If you flip the cake before that, it will collapse.

Serving and Variations

This is such a versatile cake, you can spruce it up anyway you want to. Here are some suggestions:

• Serve the cake with a dusting of powdered sugar on top instead of the cream cheese frosting.
• Add a bit of almond taste to the cake by adding 1/2 tsp of almond extract to the batter, and 1/4 tsp of almond extract to the glaze.
• Add about 1 to 2 tablespoons of lemon zest, or orange zest to the batter. You can also flavor the glaze the same way by substituting the milk for citrus juice, and adding zest instead of the vanilla beans.
• Serve the cake with jelly, or jams or any marmalades. You can also serve the cake with a delicious raspberry sauce, or a strawberry sauce, and perhaps a dollop of whipped cream or ice cream.
• Top the cake with a rich chocolate ganache to make it an elegant and tempting dessert.

While I love a good classic pound cake recipe, this easy Cream Cheese Pound Cake recipe was even better than I could imagine, and I can’t see myself making any other pound cake recipe ever.

If you like this recipe, here are some other recipes you may enjoy:

• Lemon Bundt Cake
• Almond Cake
• Pineapple Upside Down Cake
• Orange Cake
• Coffee Cake
• Peach Cobbler Pound Cake
• Apple Crumb Cake

If you make this recipe, leave a comment below, or tag me on instagram, I love to see your creations.

Cream Cheese Pound Cake

Cream cheese pound cake is a delectable dessert that combines the dense and moist texture of a traditional pound cake with the tangy and rich flavor of cream cheese. The Vanilla Bean Cream Cheese Glaze on top adds an extra layer of creamy goodness to the cake.

5 from 1 vote

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Ingredients

  

Cake Batter

• 3 cups cake flour 357 grams
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter room temperature (339 grams)
• 1 cup grams cream cheese room temperature (226 grams)
• 2 1/2 cups granulated sugar 500 grams
• 6 large eggs
• 1/2 tbsp vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup buttermilk 78 ml

Vanilla Bean Cream Cheese Glaze

• 1/2 cup cream cheese room temperature (113 grams)
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter room temperature (28 grams)
• 1/3 cup powdered sugar 41 grams
• 3 to 4 tbsp milk
• 1 tsp vanilla bean seeds or pure vanilla extract, or vanilla bean paste

To serve

• Fresh berries

Instructions

 

Cake Batter

• Pre-heat the oven to 325ºF. Grease a 12-cup bundt pan with butter, and sprinkle flour all over to coat it. Tap the pan to shake off the excess flour.
• In a bowl, whisk together the cake flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
• Ensure the butter, cream cheese are at 72ºF, which is room temperature.
• With a hand mixer, or in a stand mixer using the paddle attachment, beat the butter for one minute.
• Add the cream cheese and beat for 30 seconds. Scrape the bowl.
• Add the sugar and beat the ingredients together for 2 minutes, scraping the bowl halfway.
• Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing until incorporated before adding the next egg. Scrape the bowl with a silicone spatula in between each egg addition.
• Pour the vanilla in and mix to combine.
• Add half of the flour mixture to the bowl. Mix on low to combine.
• Add the buttermilk and mix until incorporated.
• Finish by adding the remaining flour ingredients.
• Stir the batter just until combined and smooth.
• Pour the batter in the greased and floured pan.
• Bake in the pre-heated oven for about 65 to 80 minutes. Depending on your oven, or on the size of the pan you are using, baking time may vary. For that reason, start checking the cake at around 55 minutes into baking. When the cake is done, a toothpick inserted into it will come out clean. And if you touch the top of the cake it won’t feel jiggly, and it will spring back slowly when you poke it.
• Remove the cake from the oven. Let it cool down for at least 1 and a half hours in the cake pan. Only remove it from the pan when the cake has cooled down, otherwise it will collapse.

Vanilla Bean Cream Cheese Glaze

• Place the cream cheese and butter in a bowl. Use an electric hand mixer, or a stand mixer to beat the cream cheese and butter together for 30 seconds on high speed.
• Add the powdered sugar, vanilla bean seeds, and mix on low to combine.
• Add the milk and mix until the glaze has the perfect consistency. It should be runny, but not too thin.
• Pour the glaze over the cooled cake. Top the cake with strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, or blueberries, if desired.
• Let the glaze set for 10 to 20 minutes, serve the cake.

Storage

• Store the cake in an airtight container.
• The un-glazed cake can stay on the counter at room temperature for up to 2 days.
• The glazed cake must be refrigerated. It can stay in the fridge for up to 4 days. Let it come to room temperature before serving.
• You can also freeze the cake for up to 2 months. It’s best to freeze it without the glaze, but you can also freeze it with the glaze. Make sure to place the cake in an air tight container. If freezing individual slices, wrap them in plastic tightly and then place them in an air tight container.

Notes

Buttermilk: You can substitute the buttermilk for plain milk mixed with 1/2 tsp of vinegar or lemon juice.

Cake flour: You can use all-purpose flour mixed with cornstarch instead of cake flour. Use 2 2/3 cup of all-purpose flour (315 grams) mixed with 6 tablespoons of cornstarch (42 grams).

Loaf pan: Make this cake into two loaf cakes using 9×5″ inch loaf pan.

Vanilla bean seeds: You can substitute the vanilla bean seeds for pure vanilla extract, or vanilla bean paste.

Citrus: You can add citrus zest to the cake batter (about 2 tablespoons), and 1/2 teaspoon to the glaze, as well as substitute the milk in the glaze for citrus juice. That will add a bit more tanginess to the cake, and a delicious citrus flavor, whether it’s orange, lime, or lemon.