Try this Cream Cheese Pound Cake recipe, or contribute your own.
- Carbohydrate 4.10374 g
- Cholesterol 2.268 mg
- Fat 0.191666666666667 g
- Fiber 0 g
- Protein 2.96541 g
- Saturated Fat 0.122249333333333 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (22g)
- Sodium 132.704666666667 mg
- Sugar 4.10374 g
- Trans Fat 0.00920766666666668 g
- Calories 30 calories
Step-by-step
- Preheat oven to 325°F. Prepare a bundt pan with butter and flour or by spraying with non-stick spray.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine cream cheese and butter until smooth, about 3 minutes.
- Add sugar gradually and beat until lighter and fluffier.
- Add eggs one at a time, beating well with each addition.
- Add in the vanilla.
- Add the flour all at once and mix until just combined.
- Add in buttermilk with mixer on low and mix until just incorporated.
- Remove bowl from stand mixer and scrape with a rubber spatula to get every last bit of ingredient incorporated.
- Pour into bundt pan. Bake for 1 hour to 1 hour and 20 minutes. Check for doneness at 1 hour.
- A toothpick inserted into the center of the cake should come out with a few crumbs but no wet batter when the cake is done. The crust will be a dark golden brown around the edges and lighter in the center.
- Allow cake to cool to room temperature. Dust with confectioners sugar.
The Chemistry of Dairy Fats
Substituting standard shortening for the salted butter alters the moisture retention and crumb density significantly because milk solids introduce complex dairy proteins that trap air during creaming. Cream cheese adds extra lactic acid, which tenderizes the gluten network formed by the cake flour. When combining these fats with granulated sugar in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, tiny air pockets expand under heat to build the cake structure without chemical leaveners.
Emulsification and Protein Coagulation
Incorporating six room-temperature eggs one at a time ensures the fat emulsion does not break, maintaining a uniform batter that prevents heavy streaks of dense dough from forming at the bottom of the bundt pan. Cake flour contains lower protein levels than all-purpose flour, yielding a finer, more tender crumb when mixed just until combined. Introducing buttermilk at low speed supplies mild acidity that reacts subtly with the residual dairy fats, enhancing the overall flavor profile through enzymatic activity.
Thermal Progression and Doneness
Baking at 325 degrees Fahrenheit allows the dense interior to cook evenly before the exterior over-browning occurs from the high sugar content. Testing the center at the one-hour mark using a wooden toothpick verifies that the crumb has set properly while retaining enough moisture to prevent dryness. Allowing the baked dessert to cool completely before dusting with confectioners sugar prevents the fine particles from dissolving into sticky syrup.
