CREAM CHEESE POUND CAKE by Sarah Phillips © 2008 Sarah Phillips baking911.com
Makes one, 12-cup Tube or Bundt Cake or two 9 x 2-inch pans; about 9 cups batter
Food styling and photo by Kelly CA © Sarah Phillips baking911.com
Food styling and photo by Kelly CA © Sarah Phillips baking911.com
This dense-textured, rich yellow loaf cake, originating in England, was made with one pound each of flour, butter, sugar and eggs, plus a flavoring like vanilla or lemon. A myriad of variations has evolved throughout the centuries. Cream cheese gives this cake extra richness and helps make it especially moist and yummy. But, whether you serve it plain or fancy, a Pound cake is so versatile. It can be served as a simple, unadorned dessert with a bowl of fresh fruit. Another way is my favorite: serving pound cake lightly toasted with a scoop of ice cream on the side. You can also brush with jam and top with orange peel or drizzle chocolate glaze and decorate with fondant flowers before serving. Plus, for decorating, a Pound cake makes a perfect cake to cover with Fondant, because it is sturdy. I heavily adapted the base recipe from Nick Malgieri, changing the way the cream cheese is mixed, plus I created a chocolate and numerous other flavor variations for you to enjoy, as well.
CAKE RECIPE HELP
Cyndi: This one is my NEW FAVORITE! The one that is the staple in my house now!
INGREDIENTS
2 cups unbleached or bleached all-purpose flour; spoon into measuring cup and level to rim
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 sticks (1/2 pound) unsalted butter; can be cold from the refrigerator
One 8-ounce package cream cheese; I prefer Philadelphia Brand
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
6 large eggs; can be cold from the refrigerator
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Position an oven rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
Grease and flour a 12-cup tube or Bundt pan.
SARAH SAYS: If using a light colored pan, spray the pan with nonstick oil and dust with Wondra, Instatized Flour or all-purpose flour. Tap out excess flour.
If using a NordicWare pan or a dark pan, I like to grease the pan with Baker's Grease or shortening before dusting with flour.
2. In a medium size bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
NOTE: Or, optionally, after measuring, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt.
3. Cream the butter and sugar:
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, on medium speed, beat the butter until softened.
Add the sugar at the side of the bowl.
Beat the mixture until light and fluffy on medium speed for about 2 minutes. 
4. Add in the cream cheese and beat on medium until light and fluffy, taking about 3 minutes more.
SARAH SAYS: Cream cheese should not be creamed in with the butter and sugar, causing it to be overmixed. When it is, the gums in cream cheese break down resulting in a much runnier batter and the loss of air bubbles. The cake will not has as finely textured as a result.
Stop the mixer and make sure you stop the mixer and scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl often with a large rubber spatula.
5. With the mixer on low, beat in the vanilla, and then, four eggs, one at a time, beating for 20 seconds after each addition or until well incorporated and the batter is smooth.
6. With the mixer on low, beat in one-third of the flour mixture, and when absorbed, add in the fifth egg, and beat until smooth. 
7. Repeat with one-third of the flour and the sixth egg. Beat in the last one-third of the flour and mix until absorbed.
8. Stop the mixer and give the batter one or two turns with a large rubber spatula. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. 
9. Bake for 65 to 75 minutes or until the cake is browned, cracked on top, and a long thin wooden skewer inserted in the middle emerges with a few moist crumbs attached but not batter.
When using two 9 x 2-inch pans, bake for 30 to 40 minutes.
10. Cool the cake in the pan for about 10 minutes on a wire cake rack, and then unmold. Turn upright to cool completely.
SERVE
Drizzle with two layers of chocolate glaze and decorate with fondant flowers before serving.
STORAGE
Pound cakes keep well for a few days, well-wrapped at room temperature. They also freeze well for a month or more.
Food styling and photo by Kelly CA © Sarah Phillips baking911.com
CYNDI SAYS:
For the cakes I have baked so far using this recipe, I baked at 325 degrees F for 45 minutes. The sizes include:
1 - 10" x 2" round and 1 - 8" x 2" round (baked at same time - one recipe will be enough for both)
1 - 12" x 2" round (one recipe)
2 - 11" x 15" (two recipes)
VARIATIONS
CUPCAKES:
Boston Cream Pie Cupcakes 
odetteganda: I filled the liners 2/3 full (3/4 full will spill) and
it baked after 18-20 mins. It bakes flat and does not dome. The cake
also baked straight up on the liners. The baked cupcake was very neat
and very nice to frost.
CHOCOLATE:
Chocolate Cream Cheese Pound Cake
Valentine's Day Love Stacks 
CITRUS:
Lemon, Lime or Orange Cream Cheese Pound Cake, Lemon Poppy Seed Variation
BUTTER PECAN:
Butter Pecan Cream Cheese Pound Cake
CHERRY:
Cherry Cream Cheese Pound Cake 
LAYERED:
Decorated Layered Mini-Cheesecake and Pound Cake Tutorial
More photos:
Cake and photo by lindat Here are some pictures of my Pumpkin Cake - Sarah's Cream Cheese Pound Cake, Cyndi's Caramel Icing, with chopped walnuts added, and MMF.
Cake and photo by Canuck © Sarah Phillips baking911.com Canuck: ...I baked the cream cheese bundt. It was very easy and very good, Sarah. What I liked best is that it had a nice, simple taste. I am not one for tons of icing, chocolate, etc....By the way, I poured a tiny bit of maple syrup on each slice. It really went well with the taste of the cake.
