This recipe produces a perfect cream cheese pound cake. After persistent recipe testing with many failures, I found the best ratio of ingredients to produce a moist, dense, and flavorful pound cake. Using 9 simple ingredients, this cream cheese pound cake recipe will be your new favorite. To prevent a ruined cake, follow the baking time and temperature closely.
Until recently, I had never made really good plain pound cake. I have delicious lemon pound cake, raspberry swirl pound cake, and brown butter pound cake in my back pocket, but regular pound cake has always been a disappointment. It was so hard for me to tackle this recipe because pound cake can easily turn out dry, rock solid, and/or lacking flavor.
But then I began adding cream cheese and sour cream to the cake batter. And my long history of pound cake disappointments began fading away.
Here’s Why You’ll Love This Pound Cake Recipe
Today I’m teaching you how to make my favorite cream cheese pound cake in a Bundt pan. I’m confident this is the best pound cake and I’m showing you exactly why:
- Very buttery & very moist
- Not dry
- 1 bowl recipe
- Only 9 basic ingredients
- Dense, but not heavy as a brick
- Soft & smooth crumb
- A little tang from cream cheese
- Sweet & vanilla flavored
You can easily halve this recipe for a loaf pan or try my mini pound cakes recipe.
Ingredients You Need & Why
Here are the ingredients for cream cheese pound cake and why each is used.
- Butter: Butter is the base of pound cake. You need 3 sticks of room temperature butter.
- Cream Cheese: Cream cheese is the difference between dry pound cake and moist pound cake. End of story. If you’ve experienced dry pound cake before, cream cheese will solve all those problems. I swear by it and you will too! Full-fat brick-style cream cheese (not the spreadable kind in a tub) is imperative here, just like for classic cheesecake and cream cheese frosting.
- Sugar: This is a very large cake, so a lot of sugar is required to sweeten the cake and properly cream all the butter and cream cheese. 2 and 1/2 cups seems like a lot, but remember this cake is heavy and yields many servings.
- Sour Cream: Sour cream is an unconventional ingredient in pound cake, but it adds so much moisture. We are avoiding dry pound cake as much as we can!
- Vanilla Extract & Salt: Both are used for flavor. See recipe notes for more flavors.
- Eggs: Eggs are the workhorse of pound cake—the main ingredient carrying all the weight. You can’t make pound cake without eggs.
- Cake Flour: Cake flour is lighter than all-purpose flour and produces the best pound cake in my opinion. Since it’s so light, the attention remains on the butter. All-purpose flour is simply too heavy for this pound cake recipe; the cake will be heavy as a brick. If needed, use this homemade cake flour substitute.
- Baking Powder: Baking powder is another unconventional ingredient in pound cake. I don’t use much for this amount of batter, but the small amount lightly lifts the crumb so the cake isn’t overly heavy and squat.
Each ingredient is important and has a very specific job!
Pound Cake Disasters: Don’t Do This
And now it’s time to discuss what can go very wrong with pound cake. I’m sharing my mistakes so you don’t waste time or ingredients. The picture below shows 2 pound cake disasters I experienced before landing on the perfect pound cake recipe and method.
- Mistake #1 – Left Picture: This is seriously under-cooked pound cake baked at 350°F (177°C). This temperature is TOO HOT for pound cake, which is mostly butter and eggs, to cook evenly. As you can see below, the exterior will brown before the center is cooked. I was so upset cutting into this cake. It looked perfect on the outside.
- Mistake #2 – Right Picture: This is seriously over-cooked pound cake. Learning from mistake #1, I cooked the pound cake at 325°F (163°C). I was so nervous to under-bake the pound cake, so I over-baked it. The cake wouldn’t release from the pan, even though it had been generously greased.
These cakes were just awful!
Here’s How You Make The Most PERFECT Pound Cake
Now that you know what can go wrong, let’s talk about how to make the most perfect cream cheese pound cake. The *TRICK* is a lot of mixing before you add the eggs.
- Mix, mix, mix: Beat the butter until creamy. Add the cream cheese, then beat the two until smooth. Get all the cream cheese lumps out. Beat in the sugar, then add the sour cream and vanilla. So far there’s been a lot of mixing and that’s ok!
- 1 egg at a time: Add the eggs 1 at a time, making sure each is incorporated before adding the next. When the eggs are room temperature, the mixer only needs a few turns and won’t over-mix them. Over-mixed batter = heavy-as-a-brick cake.
- Add dry ingredients: Add the dry ingredients right into the same mixing bowl.
- Pour into pan: Pour the batter into a generously greased 10-12 cup Bundt pan. This is totally not sponsored, but I absolutely adore Nordic Ware Bundt pans. Make sure you use one that holds 10-12 cups of batter. This one is also gorgeous! 🙂
- Bake: Bake the cream cheese pound cake at 325°F (163°C). Halfway through baking, loosely tent the cake with aluminum foil to prevent over-browning.
- Cool, then invert: Let the pound cool for about 2 hours in the pan, then invert onto a serving plate and cool completely before serving.
Serve with whipped cream, fresh berries, raspberry sauce, strawberry sauce, blueberry sauce, and/or homemade lemon curd. The topping from my pecan pie cheesecake would also be fantastic spooned over each slice. There’s a simplistic beauty about pound cake—it doesn’t need glaze, frosting, bells, or whistles.
4 Final Success Tips
Enough from me! Let me leave you with 4 tips before you get started.
- Follow the recipe. Use the ingredients and measurements listed.
- Bake low and slow. Pound cake is a large heavy cake and requires a cooler oven. Don’t be alarmed if your cake takes longer than 90 minutes.
- Bring all ingredients to room temperature before beginning. Room temperature ingredients promise a uniformly textured cake. Cold ingredients do not emulsify together and the pound cake won’t bake properly.
- Make sure each egg is mixed in before adding the next.
Cream Cheese Pound Cake
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour, 20 minutes
- Total Time: 4 hours
- Yield: serves 12-14
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
This recipe produces a perfect cream cheese pound cake. After persistent recipe testing with many failures, I found the best ratio of ingredients to produce a moist, dense, and flavorful pound cake. Using 9 simple ingredients, this cream cheese pound cake recipe will be your new favorite. To prevent a ruined cake, follow the baking time and temperature closely. Learn from my mistake!
Ingredients
- 1 and 1/2 cups (340g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 8 ounce (226g) full-fat brick cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 2 and 1/2 cups (500g) granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup (80g) sour cream, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 6 large eggs, at room temperature
- 3 cups (354g) cake flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- optional for serving: homemade whipped cream & fresh berries
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F (163°C). Not 350°F. Generously grease a 10-12 cup Bundt pan with butter or nonstick spray.
- Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, beat the butter on high speed until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Add the cream cheese and beat on high speed until completely smooth and combined, about 1 minute. Add the sugar and beat on high speed until combined, about 1 minute, then add the sour cream and vanilla and beat on high speed until combined and creamy. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl with a silicone spatula.
- On low speed, beat the eggs in 1 at a time allowing each to fully mix in before adding the next. Careful not to overmix after the eggs have been added. Once the 6th egg is combined, stop the mixer and add the cake flour, baking powder, and salt. Beat on medium speed *just* until combined. Do not overmix. Using a silicone spatula or sturdy whisk, give the batter a final turn to make sure there are no lumps at the bottom of the bowl. The batter will be a little thick and very creamy.
- Pour/spoon batter evenly into prepared pan. Bang the pan on the counter once or twice to bring up any air bubbles. Bake for 75-95 minutes. Loosely tent the baking cake with aluminum foil halfway through bake time to ensure the surface does not over-brown. The key to pound cake is a slow and low bake time. Use a toothpick to test for doneness. Once it comes out completely clean, the pound cake is done. This is a large heavy cake so don’t be alarmed if it takes longer in your oven. If it needs longer, bake longer.
- Remove cake from the oven and allow to cool for 2 hours inside the pan. Then invert the slightly cooled pound cake onto a wire rack or serving dish. Allow to cool completely.
- Slice and serve with optional toppings like homemade whipped cream & fresh berries.
- Cover leftover cake tightly and store at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Notes
- Freezing Instructions:Â Wrap baked and cooled pound cake in 1-2 layers of plastic wrap, then a layer of aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Allow to thaw in the plastic wrap & foil overnight in the refrigerator, then bring to room temperature before slicing and serving.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): 10-12 Cup Bundt Pan | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Silicone Spatula | Whisk | Cooling Rack
- Loaf Pan: Pour the batter into two greased 9×5-inch loaf pans. Bake each at 325°F (163°C) for about 60 minutes. Or halve all of the ingredients to make one loaf.
- Cake Flour: For the best results, I strongly recommend cake flour. You can find it in the baking aisle and I have many more recipes using it. If you cannot get your hands on cake flour, you can make a DIY cake flour substitute.
- Almond Extract or Other Flavors: Along with the vanilla extract, mix in a little almond extract. This is optional, but it adds the most exceptional flavor! I usually use around 1 teaspoon of almond extract. Alternatively, use 1 teaspoon of lemon extract, orange extract, coconut extract, or any of your favorite flavors.
Do I have to let it cool for the full 2 hours in the pan? Or can I flip it early and let it cool outside the pan?
Hi Lena, that’s what we recommend, yes, but if you’ve had luck flipping it earlier, feel free to do so!
Every so often I bake a few cakes, breads cookies etc and make up assorted plates/trays for friends and family and I have to say your pound cake was a big hit. It’s a recipe I will be using from now on thank you so very much
This was so good, I made a loaf and it took about 90 min. I added 1/4tsp of almond extract and used a glass loaf pan, wondered why it took so long to bake? but it was so good w/ strawberries and cream. thank u
Hi Tracy, glass pans can take longer to cook, which may be why yours took closer to 90 minutes. But don’t be alarmed by the longer bake time! We find it can take anywhere from 75-95 minutes because of the low and slow bake time — plus, every oven is a bit different. Glad you enjoyed the pound cake!
I baked this pound cake today. I followed the recipe exactly, but mine was dry. It looked beautiful, but wasn’t moist. Any ideas about what I did wrong?
Hi there! There are many factors that go into the moistness of a cake. Make sure you’re spoon and leveling your flour, using proper room temperature ingredients, and be extra careful not to bake this large cake too long. Here’s more tips for preventing a dry or dense cake!
Made this pound cake for the 4th of July. It was amazing everyone loved it. Used vanilla and almond flavoring, and the crumb was amazing. Served with fresh blueberries and strawberries from our garden topped with powered sugar and homemade whipped topping.
I know you have other recipes for bundt cake flavors, but can this recipe be adjusted say for chocolate, blueberry, or coffee cake? It was just so perfect not being so dense like some other pound cakes can be.
Hi BrieAnn! We’re so glad you enjoyed this pound cake. We actually don’t have a chocolate bundt cake recipe, but many readers enjoy adding chocolate chips (we recommend 1 and 1/2 cups) — you could do the same amount of blueberries for a blueberry version. We haven’t tried a coffee cake version, but let us know if you do any experimenting!
Awesome receipe !! I read all comments and followed all tips !! Thanks Sally.
Do I still bake the cake at 325 if I’m using my convention bake setting?
Hi Maria! All of the recipes on this site are written for conventional settings. Convection ovens are fantastic for cooking and roasting. If you have the choice, we recommend conventional settings when baking cakes, breads, etc. The flow of air from convection heat can cause baked goods to rise and bake unevenly and it also pulls moisture out of the oven. If you do use convection settings for baking, lower your temperature by 25 degrees F and keep in mind that things may still take less time to bake.
Worried about this one. I used two loaf pans and tested it at 55 minutes. It was done, and I am concerned perhaps too done. Will know tomorrow when we cut and serve! I did bake at 325, but wish I had heeded Sally’s advice to check it periodically. I think I would have pulled it out at least 5 minutes earlier. Hoping it will turn out ok. I was able to get it out of the pans in one piece (barely).
Can i use nonfat greek yogurt in place of the sour cream, or do i need the fat?
Hi Jola, full fat is best!
I’m going to bake this cake for the 4th.can I use my convection oven? If so, what temperature?
Thank you. I’ve made this cake on several occasions and it’s the most requested cake for birthdays!
Can I substitute just egg whites for the whole eggs in this recipe?
Hi Carolyn, we don’t recommend it — the whole eggs are used for richness and structure.
Can you substitute granulated sugar with granulated no calorie sweetener? It says on the bag that it measures cup for cup just like sugar.
Hi Lisa! We’d love to help but we are not trained in baking with sugar substitutes. For best taste and texture (and so you don’t waste your time trying to adapt this recipe since it may not work properly), it may be more useful to find a recipe that is specifically formulated for sugar substitutes. Thank you!
OMG I made this for a get together rave reviews. Sent the rest to work with my husband they said it’s the best they ever had!! Thank you
Hi , I want to start by saying I love all of your recipes:)
Can I cut the sugar in half ? Would it ruin the texture ?
Thanks
Hi Mayada, we don’t recommend cutting the sugar in half for this recipe. Beyond taste, sugar is also an important ingredient that contributes to the texture and structure of baked goods, so reducing it to half would change the final outcome of the pound cake.
This cake is beyond amazing it’s my go to pound cake. I was wondering could you add strawberries or peaches to it ?
Can I make using walnuts and cinnamon?
Hi Melva, Sure can! You can add cinnamon to suit your taste, and around 1 and 1/2 cups of nuts. Enjoy!
I tried your recipe, did not have cream cheese and sour cream available, I substituted 1 & 1/3 cups cottage cheese 4% fat….Cake was excellent, moist and flavorful…Also, I baked it in Angel Food cake pan …Same baking time and temperature 325 degrees oven .
Hello can I add chocolate to this recipe I love this cake so much I would love to try it with chocolate.
Hi Regina, we actually don’t have a chocolate pound cake recipe we love! Let us know if you ever find one you enjoy.
AMAZING. This is the softest, moistest, most delicious, dense-yet-delicate pound cake I have ever tasted. I increased the salt to 1/2 tsp and might try 3/4 tsp next time . I also beat the eggs lightly in a wo-cup measuring cup and poured them in slowly while mixing; I read that tip in a few other pound cake recipes and it worked well.
Hi can I cook this in layers and if so for how long?
Hi Carolyn! This recipe works best in a Bundt pan or in two 9×5 loaf pans. It’s a dense cake, so we fear it would be too heavy for a layered cake. We’d recommend something lighter, like this Vanilla Cake.
My sour cream is out of date. Could I use mayonnaise or ricotta cheese instead?
Hi Kelly! Plain yogurt would be the best substitute if you have that on hand.
Thank you so much for replying so fast! My sour cream was 3 days past the best by date. It tasted fine so I used it. Your recipe for pound cake is awesome! Time consuming, but worth it.
Simply amazing! Thanks for sharing this delicious cake recipe.
Best pound cake recipe! Its moist, and delicious! I’ve made pound cake many, many times but always thought it was too dense. Not so with this recipe. Next time I’ll try almond flavoring, I used the vanilla the recipe called for and a splash of lemon extract! Day two and the cake is almost gone!
I made this after someone gave us a delicious cream cheese pound cake from a little bakery. We wanted more, but driving 6 hours for a pound cake wasn’t happening. I make this exactly like the recipe said. It was absolutely delicious! I should have added a whole tsp of almond extract, mine was just a tiny bit too light on the almond. My only complaint is that the edges were just a tiny bit crispy- so when I popped them out of the pan the edges broke off and it wasn’t “pretty”- but nobody complained! Could be because I used 3 disposable aluminum pans instead of good pans. Thanks for an awesome recipe!
Hi Sally,
Could I also make this in two 6″ round pans, the same as the two loaf pans?
Thanks in advance:)
Hi Krista, we haven’t tried pound cake in other cake pans, but you can certainly give it a try. Let us know if you do! This cake pan sizes and conversions guide should be helpful — the recipe as written will be too much batter for just 2 6 inch pans.
Can i reduce sugar? Will it affects the texture? Thanks
LOVE this recipe! Do you have a Pound Cake recipe using whipping cream? Thanks . . .
Hi Phyllis, we’re so glad you love this pound cake! We don’t have a tried and true recipe for a pound cake using whipping cream, but please let us know if you find one you love.
Thanks – I did find one I tried – had a few gluey streaks (which I never typically have) … LOVE using Whipping Cream.https://divascancook.com/southern-whipped-cream-cheese-pound-cake-recipe/
My cake loving husband said this was the best cake he’d ever eaten in his life. Right?!
I didn’t glaze, ice or top it with anything. It’s great enough to stand on its own.
This cake never fails. It is such a nice moist cake that will keep moist for days.