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Cream Cheese Pound Cake is one delicious way to treat yourself to dessert. This classic pound cake is one to make all year round.

Cream cheese pound cake dusted with powdered sugar and topped with fresh berries.

Pound cake. For some reason, every single time I think of pound cake I think of little old grandmas and Sara Lee. Why?

I have no idea, it’s just a thing. I also didn’t use to make a lot of pound cake.

Not that I have anything against it, it just always seemed kinda mundane to me next to the best chocolate cake, chocolate bundt cake, or pumpkin crunch cake. If your thoughts on pound cake are at all similar to what mine were, allow me to change your mind.

This cream cheese pound cake will open up a brand new world of pound cake consideration and will literally have you secretly escaping to the kitchen to nibble on it.

Bite taken from a slice of cream cheese pound cake on a white plate, set next to berries and a dollop of whipped cream.

WHAT IS POUND CAKE?

If you aren’t that familiar with pound cake, you might be wondering where it gets its name.

Traditionally, pound cake is made with 1 pound each of 4 ingredients:

  • Butter
  • Flour
  • Sugar
  • Eggs

Because there isn’t any baking powder or baking soda in it, pound cake is very dense with a tight crumb. The eggs are what do the work of leavening the cake.

Different variations on pound cakes have emerged over the years to add to the original 4-ingredient classic pound cake recipe. Strawberry pound cake is one example. 

Cream cheese and butter beaten together in a white bowl.

Heck, I even have a 7UP Pound Cake recipe that uses lemon-lime soda! 

And even though it’s not quite a pound cake, whipping cream cake is a very similar style of cake that is impossible to pass up.

This cream cheese pound cake is one of my favorite variations. 

A magical crust develops on the top of this cake that’s so incredible, I seriously wanted to slice the top off (well, actually the bottom once you flip it) and keep it all to myself.

Yes, it is that good.

Sugar mixed with lemon zest in a glass mixing bowl.

HOW TO MAKE CREAM CHEESE POUND CAKE

One of the best things about cream cheese pound cake is that it’s not a fussy cake. 

Ingredients you’ll need

Even though this recipe expands on the original 4 ingredients, it’s still got a short list of ingredients. You’ll need:

  • 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, room temperature
  • 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, room temperature
  • zest of 4 lemons
  • 3 cups sugar
  • 6 large eggs
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
Eggs adding to the batter for cream cheese pound cake, in a white bowl.

My version of this cake is strongly lemony – as you can see, the recipe calls for the zest of four lemons. But feel free to try lime zest or even orange zest. They’d both be fantastic in this cake.

You can also leave the zest out entirely, but I love the flavor it adds!

You definitely want to make sure your cream cheese and butter are at room temperature. If you forget to set them out ahead of time, check out my tips for how to soften cream cheese and how to bring butter and eggs to room temperature.

I also recommend making sure you know how to measure flour correctly so that this cake turns out amazing every time.

Batter for cream cheese pound cake spread in a bundt pan, ready to be baked.

Making my cream cheese pound cake

To start, grease and flour a bundt pan. Don’t skip flouring it – this will help the cake to release from the pan later.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the room-temperature butter and softened cream cheese until smooth.

In a medium bowl, combine the sugar and lemon zest and mix them together with your fingertips until the sugar is moistened and fragrant. I use this trick all of the time – it really helps infuse the oils from the citrus zest throughout the final cake.

Baked cream cheese pound cake in a bundt pan.

Add the sugar mixture gradually to the butter and cream cheese and beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.

Don’t be tempted to cheat and mix it for less time. You definitely want to mix the butter and sugar thoroughly; it’ll help the final cake to not be quite as dense.

Finally, add eggs two at a time, beating well with each addition. Add the flour all at once and mix it in, followed  by the vanilla, and mix thoroughly.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes, but start checking for doneness at 1 hour. The cake is done when a toothpick or thin skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

Sliced cream cheese pound cake on a white platter, dusted with powdered sugar.

SERVING SUGGESTIONS

Cream cheese pound cake is tangy, sweet, and yet simple. That means there are lots of ways you can serve it! 

Pound cake is one of those things that’s perfect for toting along to outdoor parties. It doesn’t need refrigeration on its own, it pairs exceptionally well with fruit or fruit sauces, such as raspberry sauce or strawberry sauce, and it travels easily.

Two slices of cream cheese pound cake dusted with powdered sugar on a white plate.

It’s really perfect for summer barbecues and even better if you toss it on the grill for a few minutes and serve with fresh summer fruit like raspberries or grilled pineapple.

If you’ve never tried grilled pound cake, you’ve really got to try it with this recipe. You know how garlic bread gets ten times more awesome when you throw it on the grill? Pound cake does the same darn thing.

But it’s just as good with a dusting of powdered sugar or a dollop of homemade whipped cream as it is with Grand Marnier-soaked strawberries. Any way you serve it, I’m betting it will be hit!

White plate with a slice of cream cheese pound cake next to mixed fresh berries.
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Cream Cheese Pound Cake

By: Jamie
4.54 from 58 votes
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 1 hour 20 minutes
Total: 1 hour 35 minutes
Servings: 12
Treat yourself with this decadent cream cheese pound cake. This fuss-free recipe makes a classic cake that is impossible to resist!

Ingredients 
 

  • 8 ounces cream cheese room temperature
  • 1 ½ cups unsalted butter room temperature
  • zest of 4 lemons
  • 3 cups sugar
  • 6 large eggs
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease and flour a 10 inch bundt pan.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, cream the butter and cream cheese until smooth.
  • In a medium bowl, combine the sugar and lemon zest and mix together with your fingertips until the sugar is moistened and fragrant. Add the sugar mixture gradually to the butter and beat on medium speed until light fluffy, about 3 minutes.
  • Add eggs two at a time, beating well with each addition. Add the flour all at once and mix in. Add vanilla and mix thoroughly.
  • Pour into prepared pan. Bake at 325°F for 1 hour and 20 minutes. Check for doneness at 1 hour. A toothpick inserted into center of cake will come out clean.

Video

Notes

Store cake at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Recipe adapted from allrecipes.

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice, Calories: 610kcal, Carbohydrates: 75g, Protein: 7g, Fat: 32g, Saturated Fat: 19g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 8g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 162mg, Sodium: 95mg, Potassium: 98mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 51g, Vitamin A: 1082IU, Calcium: 43mg, Iron: 2mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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111 Comments

  1. Sandi says:

    Omgoodness Jamie, this recipe is a keeper. TY so much for sharing. Also, I really appreciate the detailed steps, and so easy to make. We enjoyed it immensely.

    1. Jamie says:

      So happy to hear that, Sandi! Thanks so much for sharing. Happy baking!
      Jamie

  2. Niña Formalejo says:

    This looks delicious and simple to make! If I have time, I will try this at home, and the ingredients are already here, so it will be easy for me to find them because they are not difficult to find. I truly enjoy your blog because it can assist folks who desire to bake but are having difficulty finding ingredients and directions. Thank you very much for doing this!

    1. Jamie says:

      I hope you enjoy! Thanks so much for stopping by. Happy baking!
      Jamie

  3. Tom says:

    Thank you Jamie – This cake is out of this world delicious! Easy to follow recipe for a baking novice as myself and the flour measuring tip was most appreciated. I can’t wait to try another one of your recipes!

    1. Jamie says:

      So happy to hear that, Tom! Thank you so much for stopping by and sharing your feedback. Happy baking!
      Jamie

  4. Shilpa says:

    It’s there an eggless version in this? I hate aging eggs in the cake

    1. Jamie says:

      Hi Shilpa – As noted in the post, eggs are vital in this recipe because there is no other leavening (baking powder, baking soda). It’s what gives pound cakes their classic texture. While I do have an eggless chocolate cake recipe (and there are other eggless cake recipes around the internet), this particular recipe does need the eggs in it. Happy baking!
      Jamie