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Pound cake is the ultimate post-meal dessert —a recipe so straightforward that even a novice can handle it effortlessly. However, if you're not new to baking and want to enhance your homemade pound cake, there's one pantry ingredient that can make a remarkable difference: cream cheese!
One of the biggest problems with pound cake or any crumb cake is the dryness. Cream cheese can make your pound cake really moist and add a subtle tangy flavour. If you've ever baked a pound cake, you know it can easily turn out dry, dense, and lacking in taste. This often happens when too much flour or too little butter or sugar is used. Interestingly, the name "pound cake" comes from the original recipe, which calls for one pound each of flour, sugar, butter, and eggs.
However, many bakers aim to adjust these ratios to create denser, tastier cakes. Lowering the oven temperature is a common trick to prevent overbaking. Adding vanilla extract can significantly enhance the flavour. Baking powder, though not traditionally included in pound cake recipes, can be added in small amounts to lighten the crumb and prevent the cake from being too heavy.
Adding cream cheese results in a silky smooth batter and a luxurious crumb. The tanginess of the cream cheese balances the sweetness perfectly. When using a basic pound cake recipe, choose full-fat cream cheese and incorporate it into your batter. In addition to the slight tang, cream cheese tenderizes the crumb, transforming the overall taste.
To achieve the best results, soften the cream cheese by leaving it out of the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Gradually add equal amounts to your batter at regular intervals. Another technique is to cream the butter until smooth, then add the cream cheese and beat until no lumps remain. Beat in the sugar, followed by the sour cream and vanilla. If your recipe calls for two eggs (a common standard), mix in one egg at the beginning and the other towards the end.
Pour the batter into a well-greased 10-12 cup Bundt pan and bake at 325°F (163°C). To prevent over-browning, you can tent the cake with aluminum foil halfway through baking. The best topping for a cream cheese pound cake is powdered sugar, but if you've included vanilla extract or a drop of syrup in your batter, vanilla or lemon icing are excellent options as well.
