This cream cheese pound cake bakes into a dense, buttery cake with a tender crumb and a fine, even texture. It needs only seven simple ingredients and a single bundt pan.
Cream cheese adds richness and a gentle tang, while a little lemon extract brightens the flavor without making the cake taste sour. Slice it plain with coffee, or serve it with berries and whipped cream.
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Why This Cream Cheese Pound Cake Recipe Works
Beating the butter and cream cheese together first builds a smooth base that holds air, which gives the cake a fine crumb and a soft bite.
Six eggs and a full three cups of sugar create a sturdy structure and a golden crust once the cake has baked and cooled.
A bundt pan bakes the cake evenly, so the center cooks through while the outside turns a deep golden color.
Ingredients for Cream Cheese Pound Cake
- For the batter: three sticks unsalted butter, eight ounces cream cheese, three cups granulated sugar, six large eggs, three cups all purpose flour, and half a teaspoon fine salt
- For the flavor: one tablespoon vanilla extract and one teaspoon lemon extract, which is optional
Butter and cream cheese. Both must be softened to room temperature or the batter will turn lumpy. Unsalted butter lets you control the salt.
Eggs. Use large eggs at room temperature and add them one at a time so each is fully mixed in before the next goes in.
Sugar. Granulated sugar is beaten with the fats until the mixture looks pale and light. This step adds air and tenderness to the crumb.
Flour. Spoon the flour into the cup and level it off. Packing it in makes the cake dense and dry.
Vanilla and lemon extract. Vanilla gives rounded sweetness and lemon extract adds a faint brightness. Leave the lemon out if you prefer a plain cake.
How to Make Cream Cheese Pound Cake
1. Prepare the pan Heat the oven to 325 degrees F and set a rack in the center. Grease a twelve cup bundt pan well with butter, dust it with flour, and tap out the extra.
2. Cream the butter and cream cheese Beat the softened butter and cream cheese in a large bowl until smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides once or twice.
3. Add the sugar Gradually beat in the sugar and keep mixing until the mixture looks pale, light, and fluffy.
4. Beat in the eggs Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each so it is fully absorbed before the next goes in.
5. Add the flavor Stir in the vanilla and lemon extract until evenly combined. Do not taste the batter because it contains raw egg and flour.
6. Fold in the flour Add the flour and salt gradually on low speed and mix just until combined. Overmixing builds gluten and makes the cake tough.
7. Bake and cool Pour the batter into the pan, smooth the top, and bake for seventy to eighty minutes, until a toothpick in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for fifteen minutes, then invert onto a rack to cool completely.
How to Serve Cream Cheese Pound Cake
Slice the cake once it has cooled completely and serve it on its own, dusted with powdered sugar, or alongside fruit. It pairs well with a rich chocolate mousse, passion fruit ice cream, a caramel coffee frappe, and fresh peach lemonade. A drizzle of glaze or a spoonful of whipped cream also works well.
How to Store and Reheat Cream Cheese Pound Cake
Keep the cooled cake covered at room temperature for up to two days, then move it to the refrigerator for up to five days because of the cream cheese. Wrap whole or sliced pieces tightly and freeze for up to three months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, and do not leave cut cake out for more than two hours.
Tips and Variations for Cream Cheese Pound Cake
Soften everything. Cold butter or cream cheese leaves lumps in the batter that never smooth out. Set both on the counter until they give under gentle pressure.
Prepare the pan well. Grease every ridge of the bundt pan, then dust with flour. Missed spots are where cakes stick and tear.
Keep the oven closed. Opening the door early can make the cake sink. Wait until the last twenty minutes to check with a toothpick.
Cool before inverting. A short rest lets the crumb firm up so the cake releases cleanly. Turning it out too soon can crack the crust.
Cover if it browns fast. If the top darkens early, rest a loose sheet of foil over the pan until the cake finishes baking.
Do not taste the batter. The batter contains raw egg and raw flour, so keep spoons out of your mouth until the cake is fully baked.
Flag the allergens. This cake contains milk, wheat, and eggs. Check the extract labels if you serve guests with sensitivities.
Check trusted guidance. For safe handling of leftovers and baked goods, read the University of Wisconsin Extension leftovers guidance before storing.
Frequently Asked Questions About Cream Cheese Pound Cake
Why is my cream cheese pound cake dense?
Overmixing after the flour goes in is the most common cause. Mix only until no dry streaks remain, and use room temperature ingredients.
Can I make this cream cheese pound cake in loaf pans?
Yes, divide the batter between two loaf pans and start checking for doneness earlier. Loaf pans bake faster than a bundt pan.
How do I know when cream cheese pound cake is done?
A toothpick pushed into the center should come out clean or with a few dry crumbs. The top will be deep golden and spring back lightly.
Can I leave out the lemon extract?
Yes, the cake works fine with vanilla alone. The lemon adds a faint brightness but is optional.
Can I freeze the cake?
Wrap it tightly once cooled and freeze for up to three months. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator before slicing.
Cream Cheese Pound Cake
Equipment
- Twelve cup bundt pan
- Stand mixer or hand mixer
- Wire rack
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened, plus 1/2 cup more (three sticks in all)
- 8 oz cream cheese softened
- 3 cup granulated sugar
- 6 large eggs room temperature
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp lemon extract optional
- 3 cup all purpose flour spooned and leveled
- ½ tsp fine salt
Instructions
Cooking
- Prep. Heat the oven to 325 degrees F. Grease and flour a twelve cup bundt pan.
- Cream. Beat the butter and cream cheese until smooth, then beat in the sugar until light.
- Mix. Add the eggs one at a time, then the extracts. Mix in the flour and salt until just combined. Do not taste the batter.
- Bake. Pour into the pan and bake seventy to eighty minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool. Rest in the pan for fifteen minutes, invert onto a rack, and cool completely before slicing.
