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, brown butter pound cake, and Nutella swirl 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.
Reader Comments and Reviews
Love this pound cake recipe. So good! The first few attempts resulted in a cracked top that wanted to crumble and break when slicing. I had great results after reducing the oven temperature to 300 degrees and starting my cake in a cold oven. Turned out beautiful and delicious!
I was so happy to find this recipe; my old one called for part margarine! I abhor margarine! I have all the ingredients on the counter coming to room temperature. I may add a smidge of Fiori di Sicilia for a hint of citrus. Perfect clear directions and I’m sure it will be great!
Can I use a tube pan instead of a bundt pan?
Hi Jessica, that should work just fine, but your tube pan may hold a different amount of batter, so the bake time could change.
This is a great recipe.! I substituted Greek yogurt for the sour cream, and added lemon zest/juice/extract . It was very moist and had a great texture.
This has been my go to recipe for quite a while. Made about twenty of these and it is my favorite. Got adventurous today and made one with dried blueberries folded in and another with blackberries, both by request. Turned out amazing!!!! Follow the steps exactly and you’ll love it!
Just made this pound cake – was wonderful – have made many of your recipes and have never been disappointed – going to make another one and put in freezer for future use.
Really delicious cake! My husband recently embarked on a one-bake-a-month adventure, and he tried this one out for May. It was incredibly tasty. Absolutely recommend this one.
Hello Team,
I hope to make this recipe for a friend’s birthday in August, and am wanting to check a few things:
In Australia, the most widely available Cake Flour product is Lighthouse brand Cake, Sponge & Steamed Bun Flour. Raising agent is already mixed into this product – can I omit the baking powder listed in the ingredients list?
Also, I am hoping I can fold diced strawberries into the batter after mixing. Would I need to toss the diced strawberries in a little cake flour before addition to stop them from sinking, and would the addition of the strawberries alter the bake time?
Thanks in advance for your advice, Angela.
Hi Angela, if at all possible, we’d try finding a cake flour that does not contain raising agents. They can have different amounts of raising agents that aren’t necessarily a simple omission of the added raising agents. It’s best to use a flour without raising agents and add them in. We haven’t tested it, but strawberries may add too much moisture. We would top the slices with homemade strawberry sauce (and maybe some whipped cream) instead!
Can this pound cake be started in a cold oven rather than a preheated one?
Hi Tammie, We have not tried it but let us know how it turns out if you do!
I actually tried it in a cold oven and found it needed probably 10-20 more minutes to bake, but was suuuper yummy. The cold oven trick helps the edges caramelize more for an amazing flavor!
I loved the pound cake recipes
I made this in two loaf pans this afternoon. I’m just finishing up my second slice and am wondering how to stop myself from cutting a third. Absolutely delicious cake. I baked them for 80 minutes total, which was perfect although both cakes shrunk while cooling; I really don’t think they needed more time in the oven though. Wonderful recipe which will be used again and again.
Love this. Added lemon zest.
OH MY…
I NEVER had success when baking pound cakes. I was convinced my oven was out to get me. Kept hearing about an oven thermometer. No wonder my cakes never turned out right. Turns out my oven was 25-30 degrees off!!! Boom!!! Thermometer plus this recipe equals utter PERFECTION. Can’t find the words to say how incredible my cake turned out. PERFECTION!!!
Hi Anita, we’re so glad this worked out for you! Enjoy!
I made this cake today and I have to tell ya it’s hands down the best I’ve had! I’m not one for leaving comments (first ever)! Followed your ingredients and steps and it was worth it! Bueno appetito!
I would love to try using a mini bundt pan for this recipe and I am wondering if you think it will turn out or should I stick with the regular bundt pan?
Hi Lynette, you can use mini Bundt pans for this batter. We’re unsure of the exact bake time, but you can use the baking time, temperature, and directions from mini vanilla Bundt cakes as a guide.
I love this recipe. I baked it a few times. However, I was successful only once :(.
My cake always turns out to be underbaked despite the fact that the toothpick comes out clean and the thermometer shows 212 F. Could you please tell me how to avoid having an underbaked cake. My heart sinks every time I have a sunken cake
Hi Rose, the key to pound cake is a slow and low bake time, be sure your oven is set to 325 as directed. Use a toothpick to test for doneness. Don’t be alarmed if it takes longer in your oven. If it needs longer, bake longer!
I have a new convection oven. I have been baking my cakes on 325 degrees and they usually burst on top and crumble all off the plate when I flip it, leaving hardly any crust on top. I have a regular and a convection bake cycle, and am trying to see which one is the best cycle to bake on. The cake’s top crust usually separates from the actual rest (meat) of the cake as its cooling causing it to crumble. Thanks
Hi Linda, We test all of our recipes in an electric oven using conventional heat settings. Any chance you are using convection or fan forced settings? We always recommend conventional settings for baking (not convection/fan). 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/fan settings for baking, lower your temperature by 25 degrees F and keep in mind that things may still take less time to bake.
well, I made it – waiting 2 hrs for the cool down! Can’t wait to try it!
Best pound cake I’ve ever made. Will absolutely try almond extract next time just to see, lol. My bake time was over 2 hours but I tented the pan per your instructions and that crust on the too? Maaaaan listen. You never disappoint and I appreciate your recipes so much.
So glad it was a hit, Cara!
This is a Great Cake! Very tasty. Made this one for my son Birthday. He loves Pound Cakes. It’s a keeper!
Yuck! I read, and reread and reread this recipe several times and followed this to a T and the cake came out uncooked and uneatable. I baked it for 90 minutes and the tester came out clean in several places. Still wasn’t done (thanks to cutting into it before serving). I’ve used a few of Sally’s recipes and have been disappointed almost every time. I don’t think I’ll be using her recipes anytime in the near future.
Sorry you had so much trouble with this one, Laura. The bake time can be tricky. Which other recipes were giving you trouble? I’d love to help troubleshoot if I can.
I made this Bundt cake and my Granddaughter said it was amazing. I froze half of it and it was still great. I have read you should not freeze a cake with butter but I have never found this to be true. What is your experience with this? I use many of your recipes and always find your give excellent advice.
Hi Denise, we freeze cakes with butter often and have never had an issues! You can see all our best tips for how to freeze cakes here.
Wow. Wow. Wow. Best pound cake I’ve ever made or had. Moist and tender. No easy feat at almost 7000’ elevation. I used the cake flour substitute you suggested (the higher protein count works better at high altitude) and I cut back the baking powder by a quarter. Thank you for another amazing recipe!
This is the best recipe. I live all the information provided. It came out excellent.
Converting to round pans. To use 8 and/or 10 x3 pans how would you divide the batter and how long to bake
Hi Shelley, 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. It may be best to find a pound cake recipe that is specifically formulated to work as a layer cake. Let us know if you find one you love!
Omg. I made this using my lamb mold. It’s so good! Thanks for this recipe!
Im an experienced baker and the pound cake rose in the pan to the top level of my bundt cake pan, after about 75 mins of baking, I tested it with a tooth pick and it was clean of any cake crumbs. Once I removed the cake from the oven and it sat for about 15 mins it deflated to about 2 inches from its previous level. Has anyone experienced this before? Just curious. It smells wonderful tho.
This happened to me but next time with bake it longer.
Hi Sally,
Happy Easter. I baked your Cream Cheese pound cake & followed it exactly, including timing everything as stated. However, while it was cooling it began shrinking in my 10-12 Nordic Ware Bundt Pan. It’s almost only one-half the depth of the baking pan. Gonna turn it out soon. What did I do wrong?
Hi Shirley! Under-baked cakes will shrink. Did you use a toothpick to test for doneness? Baking times should always be used as guides, because all ovens and pans are different. You want to bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
Turned out perfect. Delicious and easy.
Planning to bake this for Easter and am wondering what if any changes I should make to use a long loaf pan instead of a Bundt pan?
Hi JoElle! You can bake this batter in two loaf pans, or you can halve all the ingredients for one 9×5-inch loaf pan. Bake at 325°F (163°C) for about 60 minutes.
I understand about the 2 loaf pans, however, I’m asking about the LONG loaf pan, typically used with a standard angel food cake recipe to make square slices. Since the baking time/temp is the same whether I use the long loaf pan or standard tube pan, I’m guessing the same will be true for this pound cake, but was looking for confirmation.
We haven’t tested it, JoElle. Let us know how it goes! And keep an eye on it in the oven in case the baking time varies.