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: 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.
Another perfect recipe – just wonderful!
this is SO NOT POUND CAKE!! make this if you want a light, airy cake – but do not expect a pound cake! yes, POUND CAKE IS (supposed to be) DENSE! flavor and texture good with this recipe if you want a light airy cake, but again, THIS IS NOT A POUND CAKE!
This looks great! Can it be halved?
Hi Jeanette, you should be able to halve all the ingredients for a 6 cup Bundt pan. Would love to hear how it goes!
Hi Sally. This is almost identical to my mom’s recipe – it’s always amazing! Can this be in mini bundt pans? I know you have a separate recipe for that but I wanted to use this recipe specifically, but made into minis. Thoughts? Thank you!!
Hi Lauren! Definitely. However, this is A LOT of batter and would yield a significant amount minis, depending how much batter your mini Bundt pans hold. The bake time would be shorter, though we can’t be positive of the exact time. Let us know what you try!
I am reporting back! I made about 42 mini bundt cakes and they were delicious. I baked them for about 18-20 minutes. This recipe is different than the one I used but very similar. Thanks for all your wonderful recipes and the quick reply!
I have made the orange pound cake and it came out superb.. everyone loved it..thanks Sally.. u r d best baker..
Hi Sally I followed the recipe exactly and my cake came out a little under baked. When toothpicks inserted came out completely clear is when I removed the cake from the oven. I let it cool about three hours before cutting a slice. Baking time was 75 minutes. I’m new to cake baking so the clean toothpick was my guide. Appreciate any suggestions. For being a little under baked it was still very tasty and I will try again.
After reading other comments and reviewing the original recipe I believe I over-creamed while mixing.
Perfect! My first pound cake and it is just perfect, like on your picture!
Thank you so much for all the good advices, your are a real Chef!
Excellent texture and overall solid recipe. I prefer 3 cups of sugar. Also worked fine with sifted all-purpose flour.
A perfect recipe as always! It’s deliciously rich, but not overly much, with a delicious cream cheese flavor that needs nothing added. I used Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 gluten free flour, and followed your instructions to turn that into cake flour; I believe I sifted it 3x. I made two half sized bundts using Nordic Ware’s 6 cup bundt pan (baked for 50 minutes, with foil tenting for about the last 10-15) – now I have one to take to my girls lunch today and one for my family!
My first time making pound cake. I followed the directions and ingredients as you described. I’m so impressed with the results. I even had to take half the cake to my mom’s so I could get her praise hahahaha. Thanks so much!
Hi Sally, do you think this recipe would work well in a giant cupcake mold? Also could it easily be coloured before baking to make a rainbow effect ?
I love all of your cupcake recipes, especially the red velvet, but this will be my first time making a larger cake – planning a unicorn giant cupcake for my friends daughter’s 5th birthday and desperately want it to turn out delicious and sturdy enough to hold upto frosting and fondant decoration!
Alternatively would you recommend another recipe for this?
Thank you!!!
Hi Aime-Marie, We have never tested this cake batter in a giant cupcake mold so I’m unsure of the final outcome or of the bake time needed. You can easily color this (or any vanilla/white cake batter). For a cake that is sturdy enough for fondant and not quite as dense as this recipe, you can also try using our Best Vanilla Cake batter.
Thank you so much for the recommendation – the best vanilla cake turned out fantastic in the giant cupcake mold, and coloured beautifully 🙂 Perfect birthday cake and very happy
I really liked this turned out well! I found the sugar content required too much so I lowered that and still quite sweet. (Halved the recipe in general as I did not have bit enough bundt pan)
Thanks for the recipe!
I really liked this turned out well! I found the sugar content required too much so I lowered that and still quite sweet. (Halved the recipe in general as I did not have bit enough bundt pan)
Thanks for the recipe!
I’m not usually a big fan of cake (unless it’s cheesecake!) but this was one of the best things I’ve ever put in my mouth! Dense, yet tender and moist with a nice tang from the cream cheese! I topped it with a little whipped cream and it was perfect! Thank you for such a great recipe!
First time making this and in a new Bundt tin, I reckon it came out almost perfect! Only thing is there are some wavy streaks that appear unbaked but after reading some of your comments maybe I over creamed the batter in the beginning at very high speed (near maximum on kitchenaid). And to share: Probably 20 mins in, the centre did slowly rise above the Bundt tin, about 2 inches, but still keeping the shape. And after taking it out of the oven (I baked it for 100 mins at 163C, toothpick came out clean) it slowly deflate and look like the one in your picture. Took the cake out from the tin after 10 mins and left it to cool on a rack. Whether the streaky bits are actually uncooked or due to over creaming of the batter, we didn’t care. It’s super moist and love the taste too after adding 1 tsp almond extract. Thank you for this!
Can I bake this in a rectangular pan to use for decorating? If so what time do you suggest? I also will be frosting (baby shower) do you have a frosting good for this pound cake?
Thank you
Hi Merry Jo! You can make this into a 12×17 inch sheet cake like we do with these petit fours recipe (we fear it will overflow and be much too dense in a 9×13 inch pan). The whipped buttercream frosting from this recipe would be delicious on top!
This was my first time baking a pound cake and it came out absolutely amazing! I did not have cake flour so I used all purpose flour. Because it’s a heavier flour I added 1/4 cup almond milk and 1/4 cup vegetable oil. I also added 1/2 cup of sugar, I was loose with the vanilla extract and I used salted butter. I didn’t have a bundt pan so I used my large glass pan. The cake was so light and fluffy!!! I’m baking it again for my students and I’m going to let them use it to build their own strawberry shortcake. This recipe is definitely a keeper! I was careful to follow the creaming and baking instructions because I read the other reviews. The cake baked perfectly in 80 mins at 325 degrees. Thank you!!!
Could you use chocolate chips in this pound cake? If so, which one’s would you recommend and how could I keep them from floating to the bottom (top)?
Hi Lainie, Yes, you can definitely add chocolate chips to this pound cake batter. We recommend 1 and 1/2 cups. Some bakers like to (very) lightly coat the chocolate chips in flour before adding to the batter to help from sinking. Enjoy!
My cake came out looking great. Tasted it and i wasn’t
impressed. I think I’ll try adding another 1/2 cup of sugar, 1/2 tsp instead of 1/8 tsp salt, and 1 tsp lemon extract. Thank you for posting your recipe!
I have been making the classic Southern Living Cream Cheese Poundcake for many years and thought it was the gold standard. I have to say, this recipe is hands-down my go-to Poundcake recipe now. I have also modified the recipe and used the 5-flavor combination of extracts/emulsions for a variation. I have also used many different flavorings/emulsions by themselves, such as Lemon, Orange, Rum, Key Lime . Adding cream cheese in pound cakes is a game-changer, in my opinion. I have a couple of questions: 1) Could you use your Vanilla Sugar as part of the sugar requirement, and if yes, would you reduce the amount of vanilla extract? 2) Could you add cocoa to make this a Chocolate Cream Cheese Poundcake, and if yes, how much and what other adjustments would you suggest? Sally, just wanted you to know that you are one of my top trusted bakers. I know when I try one of your recipes, it is going to be top-notch. Thanks so much!!
Hi Beverly! Vanilla sugar would be fantastic in this recipe, there’s no need to reduce the vanilla extract (though you could slightly reduce it if you prefer). It would take more recipe testing to create a chocolate version of this reicpe, so feel free to search for a quality recipe elsewhere – always look for good reviews!.
Today I made this delicious recipe with a rum glaze turned out just how I expected… Thank you…
This pound cake is superb! I followed the directions to the letter. It slid right out of the Bundt pan and the texture and taste were perfect.
Thanks for a great recipe.
Hello. The sugar content in the recipe was adequate however, adding an extra cup of sugar will add more flavor to the recipe. I tested this, by using the amount given in the recipe, then I had people taste the batter with the normal amount and one with an extra cup. The results came back with the one with the extra sugar was more desirable.
Hello. I was wondering if I could use brown butter for the cream cheese pound cake recipe? If so, would it be the same amount?
Hi Kim, we haven’t tested this recipe with solidified brown butter, but you can certainly try! It will have remarkable flavor.
I followed the recipe exactly. Very easy for a beginner. Super moist and delicious. I’m serving it tomorrow with fresh strawberries, but was great by itself.
This is the first time after years of making my pound cake that it came out absolutely perfect! Thank you much this recipe is the business!
I followed this recipe to a tee, and it came out a bit undercooked. That was my oven’s fault. The poke test came out clean. So I honestly thought it was done.
The taste is amazing. I will definitely make it again. I might increase the amount of sour cream to half a cup, though, as it was just a touch dry. Again, that could have been due to the measurement as I used a measuring cup and not my scale, and not the fault of the recipe.
Overall, great recipe. If I perfect the technique, it will definitely be a regular favorite to make.
I had never made a pound cake before. It was my mother-in-love’s 74th birthday and she refuses to eat anything from a box. The cake was perfect. I added the almond extract. She literally cut slivers for tasting and kept the other 3 quarters of the cake for herself. I followed the recipe exactly as typed. I was tempted to add another egg because my family teaches to always use a an odd number in baking.
I am making the cake again. I’m waiting for the cold ingredients to get to room temperature.
So anxious to eat it again.
I should have doubled the recipe and made 2…I think I will
I followed the receipt to a tea. Cooked for 80 minutes and also covered top with tin foil half way. After 80 minutes took toothpick and went around top of whole cake. Showed it was done and the top of cake was not brown it was white and let cool when I cut cake it looked like your picture on the left and it tasted like it was missing something. Before I put cake in oven I double checked all ingredients
This is the 1st time I make a pound cake. It was delicious. Cake is moist and we absolutely love it. Will do again for sure.