Cream Cheese Pound Cake
Our rich, buttery Cream Cheese Pound Cake has a velvety texture, a perfectly golden crust, and just the right amount of sweetness. The addition of cream cheese makes every slice incredibly moist and tender, while adding a subtle tang that beautifully balances the buttery flavor.
Whether you’re serving it for holidays, birthdays, brunch, or simply with your afternoon coffee, this classic pound cake is always a crowd-pleaser. It’s delicious on its own, but it’s even better topped with fresh strawberries, whipped cream, or a dusting of powdered sugar.
If you love sweet treats that can be breakfast, brunch, or a snack, be sure to try our Oreo loaf cake, gooey butter coffee cake, and honey bun cake.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Rich, buttery flavor with a soft, moist crumb.
- Cream cheese creates an incredibly tender texture.
- Perfect for holidays, celebrations, and everyday desserts.
- Easy to make with simple pantry ingredients.
- Delicious plain or dressed up with fruit and whipped cream.
- Freezes beautifully for later.
Key Ingredients
We’ve made this list to help you save time on your next trip to the grocery store. You can find the full amounts needed in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Butter: The heart of a great pound cake. It gives the cake its rich flavor, tender crumb, and classic buttery taste.
- Cream Cheese: Makes the cake extra moist and adds a subtle tang that balances the sweetness while creating a velvety texture.
- Vanilla & Lemon Extracts: Vanilla adds warm, classic flavor, while the lemon extract brightens the cake with a fresh citrus note.
Variations
- Chocolate Chip Pound Cake: Add chocolate chips.
- Coffee Cake Pound Cake: Add a cinnamon swirl.
- Maple Pound Cake: Replace lemon extract with maple extract.
- Butter Pecan Pound Cake: Add chopped pecans to the batter and frost with cream cheese frosting and candied pecans.
- Key Lime Pound Cake: Replace lemon extract with key lime extract and top with a simple lime glaze.
How to Make Cream Cheese Pound Cake
This is a quick overview of the steps needed to make this recipe. You can find the full instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Beat the butter, cream cheese, and sugar until fluffy.
- Beat in the eggs one at a time. Then, mix in the vanilla and lemon extracts.
- Whisk the dry ingredients in a separate bowl.
- Gradually mix the wet ingredients into the dry until just combined.
- Pour the batter into a prepared bundt pan and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool the cake in the pan for a few minutes. Then, turn it out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Dust with powdered sugar and enjoy!
Expert Tips
- Make sure the butter, cream cheese, and eggs are at room temperature.
- Beat the butter and sugar well to create a light, fluffy batter.
- Add the eggs one at a time for a smooth, stable mixture.
- Measure the flour carefully to avoid a dry cake.
- Let the cake cool before removing it from the pan to prevent sticking.
Cream Cheese Pound Cake FAQs
Do you have questions about this recipe? Here are the answers to the most commonly asked questions.
Cream cheese adds extra fat and moisture to the batter, creating a rich, tender crumb. It also gives the cake a subtle tang that balances the sweetness and enhances the buttery flavor.
Yes! Cream cheese pound cake is an excellent make-ahead dessert. Many people find that it tastes even better the next day after the flavors have had time to develop.
The cake can be stored tightly covered at room temperature for up to 4 days. For longer storage, refrigerate it for up to a week. Bring slices to room temperature before serving for the best texture.
Absolutely. Let the cake cool completely, then wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, followed by aluminum foil, or place it in an airtight freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 3 months and thaw at room temperature before serving.
Overbaking or adding too much flour is the most common cause. Measure flour using the spoon-and-level method and begin checking for doneness near the end of the baking time.
Pound cake naturally has a rich texture, but overmixing the batter or using cold ingredients can make it heavier than intended. Mix only until combined once the flour is added.
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📖Recipe
Want to make this recipe? Print the recipe card below, or pin this recipe, so you can find it later.
Cream Cheese Pound Cake
Equipment
- 10-inch fluted tube pan (Bundt pan)
- large mixing bowl
- hand mixer or stand mixer
- Measuring cups
- Measuring spoons
- Rubber spatula
- cooling rack
- Toothpick or cake tester
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups unsalted butter softened
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- 3 cups granulated sugar
- 6 large eggs room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon lemon extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease and flour a 10-inch fluted tube (Bundt) pan.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter, cream cheese, and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 5 to 7 minutes.
- Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Mix in the vanilla extract and lemon extract until fully incorporated.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, mixing on low speed just until combined. Avoid overmixing.
- Pour the batter evenly into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula.
- Bake for 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes.
- Carefully invert the cake onto a wire rack and cool completely before serving.
- If desired, dust with confectioners’ sugar and serve with fresh strawberries and whipped cream.
Disclaimer
Any nutritional data I provide is an approximation and actual dietary information can vary based on ingredients and proportion sizes.
