Cream cheese pound cake. Have there ever been four more wonderful words? The cream cheese brings a certain loveliness to the crumb that’s moist rather than grab-a-glass-of-milk-so-I-don’t-choke dry. As if that’s not enough, the cake is drizzled with a glaze that’s perfectly balanced between sweet and tart with the slightest, tantalizingly seductive lilt of lemon. And if you’re into food porn, be certain to watch the video below. (Trust us. You don’t want to miss the video!) What makes this recipe even better is that it makes not just one but two cakes, both of which will keep beautifully, so if you decide to keep both rather than gift one or both, you can selfishly linger over them all week long.–Angie Zoobkoff
WHO CAN RESIST POUND CAKE? ANYONE? WE THOUGHT NOT.
Cream Cheese Pound Cake
Equipment
- Two 9-by-5-inch (23-by-13-cm) loaf pans
Ingredients
For the cream cheese pound cake
- Vegetable oil cooking spray or butter
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons fine sea salt
- 3 sticks (12 oz) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 8 ounces full fat cream cheese, room temperature
- 3 cups granulated sugar
- 6 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the tart lemon glaze (optional, but don't pass it up)
- 2 cups confectioners’ sugar
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
Instructions
Make the pound cake
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Generously coat two 9-by-5-inch metal or ceramic loaf pans with cooking spray or butter.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour and salt.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer on high speed or in a large bowl with a handheld electric mixer on high, beat the butter and cream cheese until smooth, 1 to 3 minutes. Gradually add the sugar, beating until the mixture is pale and fluffy, 4 to 8 minutes. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in the vanilla.
- Turn the mixer to low speed and then add the flour mixture in 2 batches, beating until just combined after each addition, about 1 minute.
- Divide the batter between the 2 prepared pans. Tap the pans on the counter and smooth the tops with an offset spatula. Bake until golden and a cake tester comes out with a few crumbs attached, 65 to 80 minutes. If the tops of the cakes seem to be browning too quickly, tent them with foil. Transfer the pans to a wire rack to cool for about 10 minutes. Then carefully turn the cakes out onto a wire rack to cool completely, about 2 hours. (The pound cakes can be wrapped in plastic and stored at room temperature for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 weeks. Thaw the wrapped cakes at room temperature before unwrapping and slicing.)
Make the glaze
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the confectioners’ sugar and lemon juice until smooth.
- Set a rack over a parchment-lined baking sheet. Pour the lemon glaze, if using, over the pound cakes, letting it drip down the sides. Let rest until the glaze sets, 30 to 60 minutes. Slice. Devour. Repeat.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe Testers’ Reviews
This cake deserves the title of Perfect Pound Cake. It’s simple to make, and the cream cheese seems to give it exactly the right tang and texture. Despite the typical and expected pound cake density on your fork, there is a surprising lightness in the tasting which is hard to describe other than by saying a glass of milk wasn’t required to wash it down as so often is the case with pound cake!
Buttery, moist, and, dare I say, decadent? More than just the usual descriptors for pound cake. This cream cheese pound cake checks off all of those boxes. It has an addictive, rich flavor almost akin to shortbread. I have taste-tested this recipe on friends, and they are already clamoring for my recipe. This will be my new go to pound cake recipe!
The cake had a tight crumb with a sweet crunchy top and sides. I didn’t make the lemon glaze as the cake had just the right amount of sweetness.
With the addition of cream cheese, this may not be a purist’s pound cake, but it makes a great-tasting dessert. Both the flavor (rich and buttery) and the texture (smooth and tightly fine-crumbed) seem to improve over time, becoming more deeply flavored and evenly moist the following day.
A lovely, simple cream cheese pound cake. The lemon glaze really makes it special. Very tasty. I made a half batch so I only made one pound cake. I did end up having to tent the cake as it was browning really quickly.
I think this is a great basic cream cheese pound cake recipe. The texture was nice and dense with a tight but tender crumb.
I’ve never made pound cake before so I was drawn to this recipe given its simplicity and short ingredient list. Also, I think it was interesting that cream cheese was included, which I believe really helped with the overall texture of the cake. The cake came out moist, not too dense, and not overly sweet.
I didn’t think the flavor or consistency of the cream cheese pound cake changed over several days. The consistency of the cake was quite dense but moist and it had a creamy taste. My lemon drizzle topping seemed runnier than in the picture, but perhaps the picture was taken after the drizzle had set more than mine had.
The cream cheese pound cake turned out fluffy and delicious. I will certainly use this recipe again the next time that I want to make a perfect pound cake.
Can this be made in a bundt pan, which I prefer making pound cakes in?
Lori, we haven’t tried making it in a bundt pan, so we can’t guarantee it will turn out the same, however, we have had readers who have successfully been able to do so. If you do it, please let us know how it turns out.
Well, I don’t know what I’ve been eating the last 50 years, but that “other stuff” labeled Pound Cake can pound sand! THIS. Oh my. It’s absolutely decadent. Sublime. Scrumptious. Can you marry a cake? Asking for a friend.
Kristen, thank you for this! Your comment MADE my day. I love it! And I’m delighted that you love this cake as much as we do. Thanks so much for sharing this with us.
This is a wonderful pound cake. I have been using this recipe for over 40 years. It is easily adaptable. Not sure where it originates.
Nancy B, four decades says something! Love that you have such experience with this pound cake. And we completely understand why you’d be so true to it. Thanks so much for taking the time to let us know…