This tried-and-tested Cream Cheese Pound Cake recipe stars a densely rich and moist pound cake that bakes up in a loaf pan for perfect slicing. A touch of orange zest enhances the flavor, but you can easily swap in your favorite citrus and extracts. Serve it plain, dusted with powdered sugar, or dressed up with whipped cream and berries—no matter how you slice it, this cake is guaranteed to be a favorite!
Table of Contents
If there’s one cake that stands the test of time, it’s a classic pound cake. Traditionally made with a pound each of flour, sugar, butter and eggs, it’s the kind of no-frills dessert that’s been gracing tables for generations. But today, I’m giving it a glow-up with one of my favorite ingredients for adding extra moisture and a slight tang to all kinds of baked goods: cream cheese. The result? A densely rich, buttery and irresistibly moist twist on the classic.
Enter, cream cheese pound cake!
What Makes This Pound Cake Special?
- A generous amount of cream cheese. Many loaf pound cakes with cream cheese use just a small amount. This recipe uses 6 ounces to guarantee the softest, most moist pound cake with a tender crumb you’ve ever tasted.
- Cake flour keeps it light.
- Orange zest enhances the flavor. I add a pinch of fresh orange zest and a splash of vanilla extract to brighten up the flavors, but you could do any combination of citrus and extracts:
- Lime zest and coconut extract
- Lemon zest and almond extract
- Orange zest and rum extract
- Baked in a 9×5 bread loaf pan, it creates a beautifully sliceable cake with a dense yet tender crumb—no bundt pan required!
- It’s incredibly versatile. Serve it plain or dress it up with a dusting of powdered sugar, toppings and glazes (see ideas below!).
- Cake flour: For the best pound cake, I always reach for the cake flour. It has less protein than all-purpose flour, which means a softer, finer crumb and just the right amount of lift for a slightly domed top. I don’t recommend using all-purpose flour for this recipe, as it will make the cake overly dense and heavy.
- Butter: I use unsalted butter so I can control the salt level, but if salted butter is all you have, just omit the added salt in the recipe. The key here? Make sure it’s at room temperature so it creams smoothly with the sugar and cream cheese. A quick way to bring butter to room temp: Cut cold butter into cubes and let it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes.
- Sugar: Regular granulated sugar does double duty here—it sweetens the cake and helps create that beautifully golden crust.
- Eggs: Make sure your eggs are at room temperature so they incorporate easily into the batter. If your eggs are cold, just place them in a bowl of warm (not hot!) water for about 5 minutes, then wipe dry and use as directed.
- Cream cheese: Use full-fat, brick-style cream cheese for this recipe, and be sure to let it soften to room temperature so it blends seamlessly into the batter.
- Baking powder: While traditional pound cake recipes don’t always include a leavening agent, I like to add just a touch—¼ teaspoon—to give the cake a little lift while keeping the crumb dense yet tender.
- Vanilla extract: A splash of vanilla rounds out the flavors. Use pure or homemade vanilla extract for the best tasting cake.
- Orange zest: A pinch of fresh orange zest brightens up the cake and adds a subtle citrusy note that pairs beautifully with the vanilla. If you’re not an orange fan, you can swap in lemon zest or leave it out altogether.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
What if I don’t have cake flour? No problem! You only need two common ingredients—all-purpose flour and cornstarch—to make a homemade cake flour substitute. Measure out 1.5 cups of all-purpose flour, remove 3 tablespoons, and replace them with 3 tablespoons of cornstarch. Sift well before using—this is important!
Making a homemade pound cake is incredibly easy and practically foolproof. I use my trusty ol’ stand mixer to whip up the batter, but an electric mixer works just as well.
- Cream the butter and cream cheese. Beat them together until smooth and fluffy. Take your time here, you want to get all the cream cheese lumps out.
- Add the sugar and continue mixing until the mixture is light, fluffy and pale in color. Don’t rush it; give it a good 3–5 minutes of mixing.
Baker’s Tip: Don’t rush these first two steps! Each one should take about 3-5 minutes. We want to incorporate air into the batter for a light and fluffy texture that will make the pound cake tender and delicious.
- Add the vanilla and orange zest. Beat until combined, scraping down the sides as needed.
- Incorporate the eggs. Add them one at a time, mixing on low speed to avoid overbeating.
- Mix in the dry ingredients. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing on low speed until just combined. Be careful not to overmix—once the flour disappears, stop mixing!
- Bake at 325°F for about 1 hour. Pour the pound cake batter into a parchment paper-lined and greased loaf pan, spreading it evenly. Bake until the cake is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. If the top starts browning too quickly, loosely tent the cake with foil during the last 20 minutes of baking.
- I know it’s tempting, but don’t slice into it just yet! Let the cake cool in the loaf pan for 1 hour before using the parchment paper overhangs to lift it out. This rest time allows the cake to set, ensuring clean, perfect slices. If you cut into it too soon, it’ll likely crumble or break apart.
Delicious Toppings for Your Pound Cake
You’ve just baked the perfect pound cake, now comes the most important decision: What’s going on top? Slice it and try one (or more!) of these delicious topping ideas:
- A dollop of homemade whipped cream topped with fresh berries
- Drizzled with homemade blueberry sauce
- A scoop of no-churn strawberry ice cream drizzled with chocolate sauce
- Sliced bananas with a rich bourbon caramel sauce or homemade butterscotch sauce
- A bright orange glaze (mix ¾ cup powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon melted butter and 1.5 tablespoons orange juice)
- Chopped peaches with whipped cream and a sprinkle of sanding sugar
- A generous spread of Nutella or your favorite nut butter
One of my all-time favorite ways to enjoy this classic dessert, especially during the summer, is sliced and layered with ice cream and toppings for the easiest-ever ice cream cake!
Storage Instructions
To store your cream cheese pound cake, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and keep it in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. If you need it to last longer, pop it in the fridge for a few more days.
For longer storage, freeze it by double-wrapping the cooled cake in plastic wrap and aluminum foil, and it’ll keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. When ready to enjoy, just thaw overnight in the fridge.
Frequently Asked Questions
Cracking is normal, especially for dense cakes like pound cake. Just be sure you’re not overmixing or baking at too high of a temperature.
If your pound cake sinks in the middle, it could be because of underbaking or overmixing the batter. Make sure you’re mixing the ingredients gently to avoid overdeveloping the gluten, and always check for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center of the cake. Additionally, ensure your oven is fully preheated and baking at the correct temperature to prevent uneven cooking.
Yes, you can add up to 1 cup of mix-ins without affecting the texture too much. Try folding in chocolate chips, toasted nuts or fresh blueberries. To prevent sinking, toss mix-ins with a little flour before folding them into the batter.
Ingredients
- Cooking spray
- 12 Tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for greasing pan, at room temp
- 6 oz. cream cheese, at room temp
- 1 1/4 cups sugar
- 1 Tablespoon orange zest
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs
- 1 1/2 cups cake flour
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- Homemade or store-bought whipped cream, for serving
- Sliced strawberries, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F. Grease a 9×5” loaf pan with cooking spray then line it with parchment paper so that it hangs over the two longer sides. Grease the parchment paper.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and cream cheese on high speed until smooth, scraping down the sides as needed, about 2 minutes.
- Add the sugar and beat until combined.
- Add the vanilla and orange zest and beat until combined, scraping down the sides as needed.
- Reduce the mixer speed to low then add the eggs, one at a time, beating between each addition. Do not overmix the batter.
- Add the cake flour, baking powder and salt and beat just until combined.
- Transfer the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake it until it is golden brown and a toothpick inserted comes out clean, about 1 hour.
- Allow the pound cake to cool in the loaf pan for 1 hour before using the parchment paper overhangs to lift the pound cake out of the pan.
- Slice and serve the pound cake then top it with whipped cream and strawberries.
Kelly’s Notes
- Flavor variations:
- Lemon pound cake: Swap orange zest for lemon zest and add ½ teaspoon almond extract.
- Coconut lime pound cake: Use lime zest and coconut extract instead of vanilla.
- Rum and orange pound cake: Add rum extract for a warm, spiced flavor.
- To store: wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and keep it in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. If you need it to last longer, pop it in the fridge for a few more days.
- To freeze: Double-wrap the cooled cake in plastic wrap and aluminum foil, and it’ll keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. When ready to enjoy, just thaw overnight in the fridge.
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Recipe by Kelly Senyei of Just a Taste. Please do not reprint this recipe without my permission. If you'd like to feature this recipe on your site, please rewrite the method of preparation and link to this post as the original source.
Excellent recipe! I used lime zest because that’s what I had on hand. Highly recommend!
I’m so thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Marie!
This is a great pound cake. It is perfect. I love pound cake. Comes out perfect every time.
Yay! I’m so thrilled you’ve been enjoying the recipe, Maria!
I made this over the weekend and it was absolute perfection!
I’m thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Amy!
Love this recipe!! My sister is now making it too. The families rave about it!!
I’m so happy to read this, Donna!
It’s cooling now! Smells so wonderful and the batter was so tasty! LOL
Amazing! Enjoy, Terry!