This Vanilla Cream Cheese Pound Cake is a tender, buttery loaf with a soft, fine crumb. The cream cheese keeps it moist for days. It uses one bowl of pantry staples and no fussy steps. This is the cream cheese pound cake recipe I come back to.
The cream cheese pulls double duty here. Its fat and gentle tang tenderize the crumb and lock in moisture. Beating it with the butter and sugar also whips in air. That air, plus a little baking powder, gives the loaf its lift.
I have a whole shelf of easy loaf cakes if you bake often. Start with my Lemon Pound Cake or Blueberry Pound Cake. My Peach Cobbler Pound Cake is the one I make all summer.
Vanilla Cream Cheese Pound Cake Ingredients
Here is what goes into this cream cheese pound cake. Eight simple ingredients, nothing unusual.
- Butter: softened, not melted.
- Cream cheese: full-fat, at room temperature.
- Sugar: plain granulated.
- Eggs: large, room temperature.
- Vanilla extract: a full tbsp for deep flavor.
- Flour: all-purpose, spooned and leveled or weighed (9 ounces).
- Salt: balances the sweetness.
- Baking powder: for a little lift.
Full recipe quantities listed in the recipe card at the bottom of the article.
Variations and Substitutions
This plain vanilla loaf takes flavor swaps easily. Here are my favorites.
- Lemon: beat in 1 tbsp lemon zest, like my Lemon Pound Cake.
- Almond: swap half the vanilla for almond extract.
- Glazed: drizzle with a powdered sugar glaze or my Cream Cheese Icing.
- Berry: fold in 1 cup blueberries, like my Blueberry Pound Cake.
- Citrus: try an orange version with my Orange Pound Cake.
Grab These Tools
You only need basic baking gear for this loaf.
- Stand mixer or hand mixer: for creaming the butter and cream cheese.
- 9 x 5-inch loaf pan: the right size for this batter.
- Kitchen scale: to weigh the flour accurately.
- Whisk and bowl: for the dry ingredients.
How to Make Vanilla Cream Cheese Pound Cake: An Easy Guide
The method is simple and forgiving. Just keep everything at room temperature.
Prep the Pan and Oven
Preheat your oven to 325°F. Grease a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan well. A lower oven gives this dense loaf time to bake through without drying out.
Cream the Butter, Cream Cheese and Sugar
Beat the butter, cream cheese and sugar until light and fluffy. This takes about 3 minutes. You are whipping in air, so do not rush it.
Add the Eggs and Vanilla
Add the eggs one at a time. Beat for 1 minute after each one. This keeps the batter smooth and stops it from splitting. Beat in the vanilla last.
Mix in the Dry Ingredients
Whisk the flour, salt and baking powder in a separate bowl. Add it to the butter mixture with the mixer on low. Beat just until combined, then stop.
Bake the Loaf
Scrape the batter into the pan and smooth the top. Bake for 1 1/4 hours. It is done when a toothpick in the center comes out clean.
5 Common Mistakes When Making Cream Cheese Pound Cake
Here are the most frequent mix-ups to avoid when making cream cheese pound cake:
- Using cold ingredients: cold butter, cream cheese and eggs will not cream properly and can split the batter.
- Packing the flour: scooping straight from the bag packs in too much and dries out the loaf. Spoon and level, or weigh it.
- Overmixing the batter: beating hard after the flour goes in builds gluten and makes the crumb tough.
- Underbaking: a dense loaf needs the full time. Test the center with a toothpick before pulling it out.
- Slicing it hot: a warm loaf crumbles when you cut it. Let it cool so the crumb can set.
Make Ahead and Storage
This loaf actually gets better on day two. The cream cheese keeps it soft and moist.
Storing Leftovers
- Room temperature: wrap well and keep for up to 3 days.
- Fridge: store airtight for up to 1 week. Bring slices to room temperature before serving.
Freezing
- Whole loaf: wrap twice and freeze for up to 3 months.
- Slices: freeze flat, then bag them for easy single servings.
Reheating Cream Cheese Pound Cake
- Thaw: let frozen slices come to room temperature on the counter.
- Warm: heat a slice for 10 seconds, or toast it in butter.
How to Serve This Cream Cheese Pound Cake Recipe
A good pound cake is a blank canvas. I serve it plain with coffee or dress it up for dessert.
Cream Cheese Pound Cake Toppings
- Berries and cream: fresh strawberries and softly whipped cream.
- Glaze: a quick drizzle of my Cream Cheese Icing.
- Toasted: a warm slice griddled in butter until golden.
Dishes to Serve with Pound Cake
- Coffee or tea: a plain slice is perfect with either.
- Ice cream: a scoop of vanilla turns it into dessert.
- More loaf cakes: bake my Strawberry Buttermilk Cake for a crowd.
How to Make the Best Cream Cheese Pound Cake: Final Notes + Secrets
A few small habits make the difference between a good loaf and a great one.
- Room temperature is everything: soft butter, cream cheese and eggs emulsify into a smooth batter that bakes up even.
- Weigh your flour: 2 cups should weigh 9 ounces. Too much flour is the top cause of a dry loaf.
- Cream for the full 3 minutes: that step beats in the air that gives the crumb its soft lift.
- Use a full tbsp of vanilla: it carries the flavor of this plain cake, so do not skimp.
- Cool before slicing: the crumb sets as it cools, so it slices clean instead of crumbling.
FAQs About Cream Cheese Pound Cake
Just skimming through? Here are some quick answers to the commonly-asked questions.
Cream cheese makes a pound cake more tender and moist. Its fat softens the crumb and its gentle tang balances the sweetness. It also helps the loaf stay soft for days, longer than a plain butter pound cake would.
A dry cream cheese pound cake usually means too much flour or too long in the oven. Spoon and level your flour, or weigh it at 9 ounces. Check the center with a toothpick at 1 1/4 hours so you do not overbake.
Yes, room temperature matters a lot here. Soft butter, cream cheese and eggs blend into a smooth, even batter. Cold ingredients refuse to cream and can make the batter split, which leads to a dense, uneven loaf.
You can, but double the recipe first. This batter is sized for one 9 x 5-inch loaf, so a single batch will look thin in a bundt pan. Double it, then watch the bake time and test the center for doneness.
Store cream cheese pound cake wrapped well at room temperature for up to 3 days. Because it contains cream cheese, you can also keep it airtight in the fridge for up to a week. Bring chilled slices back to room temperature before serving.
Yes, this loaf freezes well. Wrap the whole cooled loaf twice and freeze for up to 3 months. You can also freeze single slices flat, then bag them. Thaw at room temperature so the crumb stays soft.
A true pound cake has no leavener, just creamed air. This version adds a little baking powder for a softer, lighter crumb. It gives the loaf a gentle rise while the cream cheese keeps the texture moist and tender.
This vanilla base takes flavor easily. Beat in lemon or orange zest, swap half the vanilla for almond extract, or fold in a cup of berries. You can also finish it with a glaze or my cream cheese icing for extra richness.
Other Cakes You’ll Love
- Lemon Pound Cake
- Blueberry Pound Cake
- Peach Cobbler Pound Cake
- Orange Pound Cake with Orange Icing
- Strawberry Buttermilk Cake
- Easy Cream Cheese Icing
Vanilla Cream Cheese Pound Cake
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter softened
- ½ cup cream cheese room temperature
- 1 ½ cups sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups flour 9 ounces
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 tsp baking powder
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C). Grease a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan.
- In a stand mixer, beat together the butter, cream cheese and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating 1 minute after each. Beat in the vanilla extract.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, salt and baking powder. Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture with the mixer speed on low; beat until just combined.
- Scrape the batter into the prepared loaf pan, smooth out the top, and bake 1 1/4 hours, or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
