This Cream Cheese Pound Cake is a 6-ingredient recipe that guarantees a rich, buttery, flavorful cake with a moist, dense, velvety crumb. Finish with a simple almond glaze or sprinkle of powdered sugar, for an easy dessert that looks and tastes like something extra special.
This Cream Cheese Pound Cake recipe checks off all the boxes when it comes to the perfect pound cake. I’ve had way too many disappointing pound cake experiences in my past, and promise you that this one is not dense-like-a-rock, dry, or flavorless. I’m sharing a well-loved family recipe, and it shows. Like the Angel Food Cake my mom has always made, it’s exactly the kind of cake you’ll want to make for gatherings, holidays… or just because!
Why This Pound Cake Is a Family Favorite
This recipe has been in our family for a very, very long time, thanks to my sister Jessica. She had raved about her favorite cream cheese pound cake in a Bundt pan for years, and I’m so glad that it’s now in my recipe box.
I’m confident this is the best pound cake, just like my sister always said, and here’s exactly why!
What You Can Expect:
- Only 6 basic ingredients. With the right ratio of just a few ingredients, this recipe gives you the perfect pound cake.
- Just 1 bowl. There’s very little clean-up with this cake!
- Very buttery, moist, AND flavorful. Pound cakes have a reputation for being rich and delicious because of that generous amount of butter. But this recipe also includes cream cheese, which makes ALL the difference! It adds more moisture, plus a subtle tangy flavor.
- Beautiful inside AND out! Using a unique cold oven method, this recipe involves placing the batter in a non-preheated oven. This yields a thicker, more caramelized and golden crust with a finer, denser, more velvety crumb.
- Simple, elegant glaze. An almond glaze adds just the right finishing touch.
“Thx for this recipe! Got last min request for pound cake. Picked this one. Made late @ night, served at early afternoon next day. It was PERFECT!! I added 1 T almond extract to batter & used the glaze as written. OMG-HEAVEN! As w most cakes, do try to make a day or two ahead for best flavor & texture. Plan to make this many times again! Thx!”
Kim
What You’ll Need
Here’s a quick look at what goes into this cream cheese pound cake, with a brief description of why each ingredient is used. Scroll down to the printable recipe card for exact measurements.
For the Cream Cheese Pound Cake:
Traditional pound cake recipes do not include chemical leaveners like baking powder or baking soda. Instead, their rise and volume relies on air trapped in creamed butter and eggs.
- Butter – This is the base of any traditional pound cake recipe. Let it soften to room temperature before you start, so it blends easily into the batter.
- Cream cheese – Full-fat, brick-style cream cheese adds moisture and richness. It’s the difference-maker between a dry pound cake and a moist pound cake, and what sets this recipe apart from the rest.
- Sugar – Granulated sugar provides sweetness and helps create that tender crumb. While 3 cups of sugar might seem excessive, keep in mind that this cake calls for 3 sticks of butter and a block of cream cheese. So it needs ample sugar to both sweeten and cream these rich ingredients together. It’s also worth mentioning here that this large, heavy cake yields many servings.
- Eggs – You simply cannot make pound cake without eggs, and this recipe calls for six. They offer structure, leavening, moisture, and rich flavor. By binding the heavy butter, cream cheese, and flour, they create a dense yet tender crumb.
- Flour – All-purpose flour provides the main structure. You’ll need most for the batter, but also a bit for dusting the pan to keep the cake from sticking.
- Vanilla extract – For that warm, cozy, classic pound cake flavor.
For the Almond Glaze (optional):
- Powdered sugar – This is so finely ground that it melts right into the glaze (unlike granulated sugar that needs to be heated to remove its grainy texture).
- Almond extract – Adds a classic bakery-style flavor. Rather than tasting nutty, it has a cherry-like flavor.
- Milk – Whole milk thins the glaze to your desired consistency.
How to Make Cream Cheese Pound Cake
Here’s a step-by-step look at how to create this classic cake.
- Prep the pan. Thoroughly butter a Bundt pan, making sure to coat every last bit of it. Add flour and tilt the pan to coat evenly, then tap out the excess.
- Cream the butter, cream cheese, and sugar. With an electric mixer, beat the butter and cream cheese together until smooth and creamy. Add the sugar and beat on high until light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs and flour. Reduce the mixer speed to low. Add 2 eggs, then 1 cup flour, alternating eggs and flour until everything is incorporated. Mix well between each addition.
- Add the vanilla. Stir in the vanilla extract until fully combined.
- Add batter to pan. Pour the batter into the prepared Bundt pan and spread evenly.
- Bake the cake. Place the pan in a cold oven. Turn the oven to 340°F and bake for 80 to 85 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out mostly clean.
- Cool the cake. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then carefully invert onto a serving platter. Let cool completely.
- Mix the glaze. If adding the optional glaze, whisk together powdered sugar, almond extract, and milk until smooth.
- Adjust consistency. Use 1 tablespoon milk for a thicker glaze or up to 3 tablespoons for a thinner drizzle.
- Glaze the cake. For a thinner glaze, drizzle while the cake is still slightly warm. For a thicker glaze, be sure to wait until the cake is fully cooled.
Brenda’s Tips
- Use the right size Bundt pan. For this recipe, you want a 10-12 cup Bundt pan.
- Grease the pan thoroughly. This cake has a lot of surface area and Bundt pans have a lot of nooks and crannies. This means these cakes are prone to sticking to the pan. Take the time to grease the pan well and make sure it’s entirely coated in flour.
- Use room temperature ingredients. Cold ingredients simply do not emulsify together as well. This takes a little extra planning/timing, but promises a uniform cake texture.
- Don’t rush the creaming step. This helps create the best texture, as you’ll be incorporating air into the butter mixture.
- Follow the cold oven method. I know it’s not the typical way to make a cake, but it helps the cake bake evenly and develop a beautiful outer crust and interior crumb.
Easy Variations
- Rub the zest of 1 lemon into the sugar to infuse the whole cake with citrus-y flavor.
- Include almond flavoring in the cake by adding almond extract along with, or in place of, the vanilla extract
- Use vanilla or lemon glaze instead of almond glaze.
- Skip the glaze for a more traditional pound cake. Or add a simple sprinkling of powdered sugar, which is super pretty.
How To Serve
Serve with fresh berries. Or offer fresh no-cook Strawberry Sauce, 3-ingredient Raspberry Sauce, sweet-tart Rhubarb Sauce, or vibrant Blueberry Sauce for drizzling over the top of individual pieces. Whenever I skip the almond glaze, I like to dollop some softly whipped cream onto pieces.
How to Store
- Room temperature: Store this cream cheese pound cake covered at room temperature for up to 4 days.
- Freezer: Wrap tightly and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
More Crowd-Pleasing Cake Recipes
Cream Cheese Pound Cake with Almond Glaze
Ingredients
Pound Cake
- 1½ cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, plus 1 tablespoon for buttering the pan, softened to room temperature
- 8 ounces full-fat, brick-style cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 3 cups granulated sugar
- 6 large eggs, at room temperature
- 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for flouring the pan
- 2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
Almond Glaze
- 1¼ cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure almond extract
- 1 to 3 tablespoons whole milk, depending on how thick you want the glaze
Instructions
Pound Cake
- Coat the entire interior of a 10-12 cup Bundt pan with the tablespoon of butter, taking care to get every little nook and cranny – do not leave any dry patches. Add a bit of flour and tilt the pan around to cover all of the buttered surface. Gently tap out the excess flour. Set pan aside.
- Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, on high speed, beat the butter and cream cheese together until smooth. Add sugar and beat well on high speed until light and fluffy, 1-2 minutes. Turn mixer to low speed and add 2 eggs, then 1 cup flour, alternating adding eggs and flour until all eggs and flour are added, mixing well between each addition. Add vanilla and mix to incorporate. Pour into prepared Bundt pan and spread evenly.
- Place pan in cold oven. Heat oven to 340°F and bake for 80 to 85 minutes, or until toothpick comes out mostly clean. Remove from oven and let cool 10 minutes in pan. Top Bundt pan with platter or cake stand and carefully turn cake out of pan. Let cool.
Glaze
- Whisk together all glaze ingredients. To get the very thin glaze as shown in my pictures, I used 2 tablespoons of milk to thin the glaze, and then drizzled the glaze over the cake when the cake still had just the slightest bit of warmth left to it. If you want a thicker glaze, start with just 1 tablespoon of milk to thin it, adding just a bit more if needed. Then wait until cake is completely cooled to drizzle the glaze over it.
Notes
Nutrition Information:
WATER FIGHT! This photo just makes me smile. It was taken the same weekend that I first enjoyed Jessica’s cream cheese pound cake. It was July in South Dakota, extremely hot and muggy. And everyone cooled off in the back yard with buckets and bottles and blasters filled with water. It was the perfect sultry summer solution!
This post was originally published in 2013, then updated in 2026.
Thx for this recipe! Got last min request for pound cake. Picked this one. Made late @ night, served at early afternoon next day. It was PERFECT!! I added 1 T almond extract to batter & used the glaze as written. OMG-HEAVEN! As w most cakes, do try to make a day or two ahead for best flavor & texture. Plan to make this many times again! Thx!
Hi there! I love reading all the cute stories on your blog and trying your recipes always puts smiles on my family’s faces, especially your buttermilk pancakes! This recipe sounds incredible and I can’t wait to try it, however I don’t have a bundt pan, can I substitute a normal 9in cake pan? And if so, will the cook time alter?
Need to try this recipe! Sounds yummy!
I read about a orange cream cheese bundt cake in a book and I just had to find the recipe. The name of your website is why I chose your recipe. I didn’t have orange extract so I substituted strawberry jam and the result was AMAZING!!! Thank you for your wonderful page and sharing this recipe with all of us. God Bless.
Hi there, I made this recipe over Easter and LOOOOVED it.