Short answer
A cream cheese pound cake adds a block of cream cheese to the butter, sugar and eggs, giving a dense, rich crumb with a light tang. Soften both fats, cream well, bake at 325°F for 70 to 85 minutes and test with a skewer.
A pound cake recipe with cream cheese combines butter, cream cheese, sugar, eggs and flour into a dense, rich loaf with a faint tang. Soften the butter and cream cheese, cream them with the sugar, add the eggs, fold in the flour and bake at 325°F until a skewer comes out clean.
What is cream cheese pound cake?
Cream cheese pound cake is a pound cake in which part of the butter is replaced or joined by full-fat cream cheese. The cheese adds moisture, a soft tang and a fine, slightly velvety crumb that holds its shape when sliced.
It is a Southern American favorite, usually baked in a tube or bundt pan. It sits close to sour cream pound cake and butter cake on the family tree, and differs from them by its denser texture.
What ingredients do you need?
You need butter, one 8 ounce block of cream cheese, sugar, eggs, flour, salt and vanilla. The recipe fills a 10 inch tube pan or two loaf pans.
- 1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 8 ounces (226 g) full-fat cream cheese, softened
- 2 3/4 cups (550 g) granulated sugar
- 6 large eggs, at room temperature
- 3 cups (375 g) all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
Take the butter and cream cheese out of the refrigerator at least an hour ahead. Both should dent easily under a finger but not look oily.
How do you soften cream cheese for baking?
Leave the foil-wrapped block on the counter for about one hour, or cut it into cubes to soften in 30 minutes. Do not melt it in the microwave, since melted cream cheese will not hold air.
Properly softened cream cheese blends smoothly into the creamed butter. If lumps remain, they bake into small pockets of cheese and the crumb turns uneven.
How do you make cream cheese pound cake?
Cream the butter, cream cheese and sugar for 5 minutes, add the eggs one at a time, fold in the flour and bake at 325°F for 70 to 85 minutes in a tube pan.
- Heat the oven to 325°F. Grease and flour a 10 inch tube pan.
- Beat the butter and cream cheese until smooth, about 2 minutes.
- Add the sugar and beat 5 minutes until fluffy and pale.
- Add the eggs one at a time, beating 30 seconds after each. Mix in the vanilla.
- Stir the flour and salt together. Add to the batter in three parts on low speed, stopping when no dry streaks remain.
- Spoon the batter into the pan and smooth the top.
- Bake 70 to 85 minutes. Cool 15 minutes, then turn out onto a rack.
The batter is thick, so use a spatula to spread it evenly toward the edges.
How long does cream cheese pound cake bake?
Bake a cream cheese pound cake 70 to 85 minutes in a tube pan, or 55 to 65 minutes in two loaf pans. The cake is done when a skewer comes out clean and the center reads about 205°F.
| Pan | Temperature | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 10 inch tube pan | 325°F | 70 to 85 minutes |
| 10 cup bundt pan | 325°F | 65 to 80 minutes |
| Two 9 by 5 inch loaves | 325°F | 55 to 65 minutes |
| 12 muffin cups | 350°F | 22 to 28 minutes |
If the top browns before the center sets, cover loosely with foil for the last 20 minutes. A dense cake needs low, steady heat.
Cream cheese pound cake vs classic pound cake: what is the difference?
Cream cheese pound cake is denser, moister and tangier than classic pound cake, which is lighter, more buttery and drier. The cheese adds fat and moisture while keeping the fine crumb.
Classic pound cake relies on butter, sugar, eggs and flour alone and is firmer when sliced. Cream cheese versions stay soft longer and slice cleanly, which suits trifles and toasting.
What goes wrong with cream cheese pound cake?
Most problems come from temperature and measuring. Cold cream cheese leaves lumps, too much flour makes the cake dry, and an oven that is too hot gives a dark crust with a damp center.
- Lumps of cheese: beat the cream cheese alone first until completely smooth, then add the butter.
- Dry, crumbly slices: weigh the flour or spoon and level it, because a packed cup adds extra flour.
- Sunken center: the cake needed more time, so wait for the skewer to come out clean.
- Greasy surface: the butter was too warm. It should be soft but still cool to the touch.
Because the batter is heavy, avoid opening the oven door before the 60 minute mark.
What flavors go well with cream cheese pound cake?
The mild tang of cream cheese pairs with citrus, almond, berries and warm spices. Add flavor in small amounts so the batter stays balanced.
| Flavor | How to add it |
|---|---|
| Lemon | 2 tablespoons zest and 1 tablespoon juice |
| Almond | 1/2 teaspoon almond flavoring |
| Blueberry | 1 cup berries tossed in 1 tablespoon flour |
| Cinnamon swirl | Layer cinnamon sugar between two layers of batter |
How do you serve and store it?
Serve cream cheese pound cake in thick slices with berries, a glaze or a spoonful of whipped cream. Store the cooled cake wrapped at room temperature for two to three days.
Day-old slices toast well in a skillet with butter. A simple glaze of powdered sugar and milk or lemon juice adds a bright note without hiding the tang of the cheese.
How does this relate to Stock’s Bakery?
Stock’s Bakery in Philadelphia is known for pound cake in hand-cut bars of about 2.5 pounds, vanilla or marble, with vanilla or chocolate frosting, according to a 2016 Philadelphia Inquirer report. A cream cheese pound cake is not on the recorded list.
Recorded items include pound cake bars, butter cake, a decorated double-layer pound cake, cookies, doughnuts, coffee cake and pies. WHYY reported the bakery is cash only. The recipe above is a general home method, not the bakery’s.
See the menu page and the hours and location page for more. This guide is independent and takes no orders.
Common questions
Can I use low-fat cream cheese?
Full-fat block cream cheese works best. Low-fat and whipped tubs hold more water, which loosens the batter and can make the pound cake gummy or sunken. Use plain, full-fat cream cheese sold in bars.
Why is my cream cheese pound cake heavy?
Heaviness usually comes from cold cream cheese that did not blend with the butter, leaving lumps, or from underbaking. Soften both fats fully and bake until the center reads about 205°F.
Can I bake it in a loaf pan instead of a tube pan?
Yes. Divide the batter between two 9 by 5 inch loaf pans and bake about 55 to 65 minutes at 325°F. Start testing with a skewer at 50 minutes, since loaves bake faster than a tube.
Does cream cheese pound cake need to be refrigerated?
Not usually. Wrapped well, it keeps at room temperature for two to three days. In a warm kitchen or with cream cheese frosting, keep it in the refrigerator and bring slices to room temperature.
Can I freeze cream cheese pound cake?
Yes. Wrap the cooled cake or individual slices in plastic and foil and freeze up to two months. Thaw overnight at room temperature in the wrapping so it does not dry out.
Planning a visit? Start with Stocks Bakery: address, opening hours, menu and directions in one place.
This article is general information from an independent guide, not from Stock's Bakery itself. For the store’s current details see hours and location.