Wednesday 13 March 2013

Cream Cheese Pound Cake


When I started baking in 2011, I was very attracted to this Cream Cheese Pound Cake which was featured in Joy of Baking. I consider Stephanie Jaworski my baking teacher because I learnt baking by watching her video demonstrations. It's funny when I think of why I was so taken by this cake. It was the shape (it is baked in a bundt pan) and color (golden brown crust and yellow interior) that made it so attractive. I was disappointed that there is no video demo for this cake (up to today there is none yet) but I bravely attempted it anyway.


The first time I baked this cake (and I baked it many more times subsequently), I baked it in a 9" deep square pan. It is a big cake and I remember struggling with my hand mixer when I added flour into my egg, sugar, butter and cream cheese mixture. My mixing bowl was too small and I was too inexperienced to anticipate this problem. The batter was stuck to my mixer paddles and it was quite a mess! But lo and behold, the cake turned out and my partner pronounced the cake "powerful!". Beginner's luck was on my side :)


But I was not so lucky on some other occasions. My main problem was the mixing of the batter. Sometimes the uneven mixing resulted in certain dense oily spots. But still, the cake was edible and well received. Now that I have gained more experience and am much better at baking, I decided to bake this cake again. But this time in a bundt pan. And this is the first time that I am using a bundt pan, inherited from my beloved auntie. Thank you, Ee-Ee!


This being a pound cake, the cake is on the dense side. It is however, moist and soft but not fluffy. My auntie has tried this cake but she did not like the dense texture. She prefers the fluffy type of butter cake. But this is just a matter of preference. I like fluffy cakes but if a cake is meant to be dense but has good taste and flavor, I can accept it.

Tastewise, this cake is very buttery and delicious. I can't detect the cream cheese at all, I guess all it does is add to the moistness of the cake. The recipe calls for lemon or orange zest but I left that out because I don't really like orange or lemon scented cakes.


I would say that this is a good cake if you love buttery cakes. It has a good aroma and is very rich. Definitely an indulgence and don't get carried away because it packs many calories. This would be a good cake to bake and serve when you have a good number of people around to share it with you.

The recipe below is reproduced in full with my adaptations in red.









Cream Cheese Pound Cake
Recipe Source : Joy of Baking

Ingredients :
- 3 cups (390 grams) all purpose flour (I used 300 grams self-raising flour)
- 1 teaspooon baking powder (I omitted)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda (I omitted)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt (I omitted)
- 1.5 cups (340 grams) unsalted butter at room temperature (I used 250 grams)
- 226 grams cream cheese, room temperature (I used 250 grams)
- 3 cups (600 grams) castor sugar (I used 150 grams)
- 6 large eggs, room temperature (I used 5 eggs because that was all I had)
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- Zest of a lemon or orange (I omitted)

Method :
1. Preheat oven to 160C
2. Butter and flour a 10" (25cm) bundt pan and set aside.
3. In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking powder and baking soda.
4. In a mixing bowl beat the butter and cream cheese until smooth.
5. Add the sugar in 3 additions, beating well after each addition.
6. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
7. Add the vanilla and lemon zest and beat until incorporated.
8. Add the flour mixture and mix just until incorporated.
9. Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth the top.
10. Bake for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes or until the cake is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean. (My cake was done in 45 minutes)
11. Cool the cake in the pan for about 20 minutes before removing the cake to cool completely.

73 comments:

  1. ..... and whereas Mel loves moist cake so this is the type of cake I love. I have not bake any Cream Cheese pound cake before and seems like I got to make this one day but shall cut to half of the ingredients. Seems like this recipe is really a big cake.

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    Replies
    1. Mel, this is a big cake so if you don't have many people around it is better to halve it. It is moist and very buttery. I am sure you will love it!

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  2. from the picture, the texture of your cake is fine and smooth, well done my friend. Enjoy this over a cup of coffee, must be super nice!

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    Replies
    1. Sonia, with hot cofee sure can wallop 2 pieces!

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  3. Phong Hong your cook looks delicious and very well bake .I have not bake for a while. Must go back to baking again instead of Pao Pao recipes from Cooking Pleasure.I must try baking this cake but before that have to and buy this bundt pan it gives the cake a very nice shape.I am glad that this pan didn't stay put and collect dust.

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    Replies
    1. EE, your bundt pan is very good. I also used it to bake a banana cake. Will post that one next week.

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  4. hi,,may i know can i half the recipes,n also
    as u mention its buttery,,can i also cut down the amount,
    as my parent don like too buttery cake,,
    hope u can share,,thanks--
    singapore,,

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi there! Yes, you can halve it. Why don't you try this recipe from The Little Teochew : http://www.thelittleteochew.com/2011/07/cream-cheese-pound-cake.html. She has halved and also reduced the butter. Happy baking!

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  5. Ahhhh this is heaven with a cuppa tea or coffee! Your cakes looks super soft and buttery...just the way I would love my cake to be. And yes Stephanie is my fav...I can just sit and watch her videos the whole day!

    Okay, pass me a few slices now dear...nak makan bertambah tambah...hehe :)

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    Replies
    1. Sri, this cake would be nice for a chit chat gathering with friend over kopi-o or teh-o. Sure will pass you a few slices but don't blame me if your lemak-lemak bertambah-tambah hee..hee....

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  6. Hi, my feveret cake.

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    Replies
    1. Azie, this cake is so buttery and fragrant. No wonder it is your feveret!

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  7. Hi PH! Maybe you should come out with a video demo for this cake! Looking forward to it! :D

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    Replies
    1. Oh no! I would be too clumsy for that. All you'll get to see is my messy kitchen table hah! hah!

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  8. oh wow... This is really tempting.. offlate I am getting additive towards cakes n now feel like tasting this yummy cake...Looks sooper soft.. Can I have one slice?

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    Replies
    1. Priya, of course you can have a slice or two! Do bake this cake, it is very delicious.

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  9. uikk dah stop diet ke hehe

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Nor, masih diet.....PH makan sepotong aje. Itu pun hiris nipis-nipis hee..hee....

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  10. This cheese pound cake looks silky smooth....nice with a cuppa.

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    Replies
    1. Li Shuan, it is a good cake but a bit heavy. One slice and you will feel quite full.

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  11. Yummmm!!!! Nice. I like the Japanese cotton baked cheese cake - I think it's lighter...also very nice.

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    Replies
    1. Oh, the Japanese cotton cheese cake is much, much lighter. This one is on the heavy side but very good.

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  12. Wey wey wey, are you still on diet? Or was it you or Mel who was on diet, forgot liao, hehehe! Ah, no need to say much, I can imagine how tasty for cream cheese pound cake! You naughty lah, I'm still on the so called dessert-free diet you know. But hoh, it wasn't very successful coz thought I didn't make any dessert for the 3rd week now, I still drink soft drink & eat my son's milo yoghurt & today I made lychee konnyaku jelly.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hee...hee...hee....Still diet lah, Jessie. But cannot resist tasting the cake, wor! I just took one thin slice, sudah cukup :) Eh, you also naughty leh, make pinwheel pizza and now make lychee konnyaku jelly. How to diet like that? Hee..hee...

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  13. May I know when to add the 5 eggs? Thank you.

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    Replies
    1. Oops! Missed out in my method. Sorry about that. Add the eggs after adding the sugar. I have already amended the recipe. Thanks for pointing that out!

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  14. cake looks delicious ..nice clicks
    http://foody-buddy.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Gayathri! Will come over to your blog soon :)

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  15. Your pound cake is perfectly baked with no streaks of oil in sight! I love the fine crumbs for butter cakes....delicious! but so sinful!:P

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    Replies
    1. Jeannie, this is the first time I did not get streaks of oil. What I did was fold the flour in using spatula. Previously I used the handmixer. Don't know if this is what made the difference.

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  16. I also get those dense heavy spots at times, probably from over mixing. Or not mixing enough? I really don't know... your cream cheese pound cake looks so moist and fine. Love the texture.

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    Replies
    1. Mich, I think those spots are due to uneven mixing. This is the first time my cake was streak free. I folded the flour using the spatula.

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  17. Hi Phong Hong,
    Firstly, your cake is beautiful, with lovely golden crust. Secondly, the texture is perfect, looks so even, moist with perfect crumbs. Thirdly, are you sure you are new in baking?
    You did a superb job, your cake looks perfectly baked! I love simple cakes like this, buttery, moist and irresistible! You rock, gal! In music, cooking and now baking! :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Joyce, thank you for your compliments! I am relatively new in baking, started in late 2011. Made a lot of mistakes and have thrown away a few cakes back then and even in 2012! But I am improving, slowly but surely :)

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  18. sedapnya kek tu phong.. nampak gebu & lembut je...
    dah lama mengidam bundt pan tu.. tapi belum kesempatan nak mencari2nya.. hhehe..

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. MaDiHaA, kek ni boleh bakar dalam square pan. Tapi bundt pan lebih cantik kan? Kalau ada kesempatan, try lah buat.

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  19. Hi Phong Hong, very nice cream cheese cake you baked. Mind sending some over? Thanks for making the adjustments. I see the sugar has been reduced, good thing.

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    Replies
    1. Kimmy, sure I can send over! This cake can feed many people. The amount of sugar in the original recipe is quiet scary.

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  20. mammamia che buono viene voglia di prenderne una fetta!!!!complimenti un saluto...

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  21. Replies
    1. Mas, kek ni gebu. Nak sepotong? Hee..hee..

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  22. Hi Phong Hong, cream cheese cake definitely taste yummy!!!! You baked it beautifully!!!

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    Replies
    1. Thank you, Esther! You might like to try baking it too.

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  23. This is a gorgeous pound cake. :) Yes, I love fluffy cakes but I also love rich and decadent cakes when it's supposed to be rich and dense. I can always use a good old pound cake. It's really beautiful with this bundt cake shape. Thanks for sharing.

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    Replies
    1. Thank you, Amy! I do enjoy dense buttery cakes as I consider it comfort food. If I had not been watching my diet, I would have loved to spread some strawberry jam.

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  24. Love all your bakes, you are too good in baking. this looks super delicious

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    Replies
    1. Swasthi, thank you for your generous compliments! You really made my day :)

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  25. Hi Phong Hong,
    Your cream cheese pound cake looks very 'Sui' .
    Love the golden yellow colour.
    I don't mind having dense, soft, moist cake as along as it is tasty: )
    Aiyo...looking at this type of buttery cake ..how to on diet hor...:p
    mui

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    Replies
    1. mui mui, thank you for your compliments! This cake is very tasty and you are right, how to diet? If I was not on diet, I would have eaten a few slices :)

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  26. Interesting recipes, good pictures, very tasty resemble the Mediterranean cuisine which we do in Spain.
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    ReplyDelete
  27. You're baking again! Hooray! I love dense pound cakes, and yours looks fantastic! The crumb is perfect. Have a wonderful weekend, my friend~

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Lizzy! Yes, I'm back baking and loving it. Your encouraging words really mean a lot to me.

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  28. okayyy...this looks very GEBUSSS..i like!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you! Mesti cuba, kalau tidak rugi!

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  29. Carissima questa torta è strepitosa, e mi tenta moltissimo; ma come faccio col mio colesterolo?????????????? però quando saremo in tanti mi piacerebbe provarla! Buon week end a presto Azzurra

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    Replies
    1. Oh cari, avete colesterolo problema? Non preoccuparti, è sufficiente prendere una fetta e dovrebbe essere ok.

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  30. I am attracted by the photo of your cake, the cake however looks fluffy and fine to me.

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    Replies
    1. Thanks, Angel! It is quite moist but a bit dense.

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  31. Phong Hong, that is a lovely cake - looks fantastic - love the idea of the cream cheese. Hope you have a great week.

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    Replies
    1. Thanks, Carole! Here's to a great week ahead!

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  32. Cream cheese? Wooooo...... I love anything cheese!! Send me some, wont't u??

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Shirley, they are all gone hah! hah!

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  33. good evening phong hong, i'm okay towards dense cakes as long as it is delicious and of course moist! I can see that the texture is really good. Sometimes you can also check out youtube where there are lots of baking demonstrations in there..

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    Replies
    1. Lena, I agree that as long as it is moist and delicious, I will eat! But some people like lighter and fluffier cakes.

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  34. It looks great, I like cream cheese pound cake too!

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  35. Hi Phong hong, yummylicious... I love anything cream cheese. Your this cake look so moist and delicious. I go make coffee now... one for you with less sugar, ok? :))

    See you then...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Amelia, yes a good cup of coffee would be great with the cake!

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