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Cream Cheese Pound Cake with cream cheese vanilla bean glaze on top, and fresh strawberries, and blueberries and blackberries on top of the cake, that's on top of a wooden board.
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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.

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 9x5" 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.