Are you looking for a buttery old-fashioned Southern cream cheese pound cake made from scratch?! This pound cake recipe has a crispy crust with a soft and moist inside. Delicious as breakfast OR dessert!
In my opinion, every special occasion needs a cake or two. Holiday spreads, family get-togethers, whatever it may be. If you’re hosting company, why not have a cake?! I recently shared one of my all-time favorite special occasion cakes—my coconut pineapple cake recipe. In this post, I will show you a much simpler cake recipe: an old-fashioned Southern cream cheese pound cake!
What is Pound Cake?
Southern-style pound cake is infamous in Southern households. It’s nice and buttery in the middle but has a cookie-like crunch crust. So, what exactly is pound cake?
Well, pound cake gets its name from the original recipe that dates back to the 1700s. Published in the 1796 cookbook American Cookery, a pound cake contained one pound of each of the four ingredients; a pound of butter, a pound of sugar, a pound of eggs, and a pound of flour. Hoooo-boy was that a big ol’ cake! It filled multiple cake pans and was way more than one family could eat!
These days, you don’t need nearly that much of each ingredient (thank goodness, with the cost of eggs these days!). Now, it’s easy to make pound cake with a few simple ingredients. I have a whole host of pound cake recipes, including a lemon pound cake, a 7-Up pound cake, and even a key lime pound cake. This cream cheese pound cake is simply amazing and SO easy to make from scratch, so let’s get started.
Ingredients for Homemade Southern Cream Cheese Pound Cake
To get started, I recommend removing all the ingredients from the refrigerator at least two hours before baking. You want to make sure all ingredients are at room temperature, which makes them easier to mix.
To make this homemade cream cheese pound cake recipe, you need the following ingredients:
- Cream cheese: I use regular full-fat cream cheese for my pound cake.
- Cake flour: Instead of all-purpose flour, I use cake flour, which is best for baked goods like cakes and pastries.
- Sugar: I use granulated white sugar.
- Eggs: My recipe uses 7 medium-sized eggs. If your eggs are larger, use one less.
- Butter: I recommended unsalted butter for this recipe.
- Ground nutmeg, vanilla extract, and lemon juice: These ingredients really make the flavor of the cream cheese pound cake pop, so don’t skip out on them!
I like adding ground nutmeg to my pound cakes because I love the flavor it adds. If you’re not a fan, go ahead and leave it out. (Although I definitely recommend following this recipe exactly as is—it’s truly amazing!) You might notice almond extract is missing from this recipe list. I don’t use almond extract in my cream cheese pound cake recipe, but I do use it in my Cherry 7-Up pound cake recipe.
What equipment do you need to make cream cheese pound cake from scratch?
To make this homemade pound cake, I recommend using a stand mixer if you have one. It makes mixing all the ingredients MUCH easier since there is quite a lot of mixing. You’ll also need whisk and paddle attachments for the stand mixer. A handheld electric mixer would also work well if you don’t have a stand mixer.
I bake my cream cheese pound cake in a tube pan. You could also use a bundt pan or a loaf pan if that’s what you have (you will likely need two loaf pans for this recipe).
How to Make Southern Cream Cheese Pound Cake from Scratch
- Start by adding the eggs to the bowl of a stand mixer and whisk until they are a uniform color. Then add the room-temperature cream cheese, butter, and sugar until everything is nice and creamy. Next, add the ground nutmeg, vanilla extract, and lemon juice, and continue mixing until well combined.
- Next, switch out the whisk attachment for the pedal attachment on the stand mixer. Then, add the cake flour ½ cup at a time, mixing on low speed until all the flour is added and the cake batter is smooth and well combined.
- Prepare the pan you’re using—a tube pan, bundt cake pan, or loaf pan—by greasing and flouring the pan. Pour the batter into the greased pan, smooth out the top with a spatula, and bake in a 325-degree oven for one hour and 10 minutes.
- Once done, test the center of the cake with a knife or cake tester. Let the cake cool completely before removing it from the pan and serving.
Making a homemade cream cheese pound cake from scratch is so easy, and the results are to die for—so good! You can find the exact measurements, step-by-step directions, and a video tutorial in the recipe card below!
Recipe Pro-Tips and FAQs for Cream Cheese Pound Cake
Now, this is an easy pound cake recipe, but that doesn’t mean my Cousins won’t have questions. I got you, boo boo. So, here are some pro tips, frequently asked questions, and serving suggestions for this easy cream cheese pound cake recipe. With these tips and tricks, you’ll get the best results every single time.
I don’t have cake flour; can I use all-purpose flour in this pound cake recipe?
Cake flour is the best type of flour for a classic pound cake recipe. Cake flour has less protein, meaning less gluten, resulting in soft and tender cakes. If you don’t have or can’t find cake flour, you can substitute it with all-purpose flour with a little tweak. Use 2 fewer tablespoons of AP flour per cup, and add 2 tablespoons of cornstarch per cup.
My cream cheese pound cake recipe calls for 3 1/4 cups of cake flour. If you want to use all-purpose flour, remove about 6 ½ tablespoons of flour, and add the same amount of cornstarch. This will make an adequate substitute for cake flour.
Does cream cheese pound cake need to be refrigerated? How do I store it?
Cream cheese pound cake does not need to be refrigerated. You can store it at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 4-5 days. You can refrigerate it for up to one week (but wrap it up in plastic wrap to make sure it keeps).
My pound cake fell as it cooled; why did that happen?
There are a few reasons why pound cake falls as it bakes or after—most of them come down to ingredient issues and temperature issues. To avoid these mistakes, make sure you carefully measure your ingredients and check the temperature of your oven. Use an internal oven thermometer to make sure your oven temperature is accurate.
Toppings and serving suggestions for Southern cream cheese pound cake:
This homemade pound cake is just as delicious when served plain, but there are some equally delicious ways to take it up a notch! Here are some popular toppings to serve with your cream cheese pound cake:
- A simple icing made with powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and milk. Drizzle it onto the cake and serve for a touch of extra sweetness.
- Add fresh berries like raspberries, blueberries, or blackberries. Of course, fresh strawberries would be perfect as well!
- Fresh fruit like orange slices, cherries, or even pineapple would pair perfectly with the creaminess of this pound cake.
- Fruit sauces like homemade raspberry sauce or strawberry sauce. Easily make a homemade sauce by cooking fruit with sugar and a little lemon juice until it’s reduced and slightly thickened.
- A scoop of ice cream—vanilla ice cream or chocolate ice cream would be bomb.com with cream cheese pound cake!
Now, does this cake need icing, sauce, or topping? No ma’am! It’s excellent served toasted and paired with coffee or tea or served just as-is—no matter how you choose to serve this homemade cream cheese pound cake, it will be delicious!
Cream Cheese Pound Cake Recipe Card + Video Tutorial
You can watch my video tutorial on YouTube or below, in the recipe card. Print out the recipe card and stash this easy, delicious pound cake recipe away in your favorite recipe binder to make again and again! It’s the perfect cake for special occasions, holidays, or just because you’re craving it! Make sure you follow along with all things Rosie and I Heart Recipes by following me on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest, subscribe to I Heart Recipes on YouTube, and check out all my cookbooks! I just released a brand new cookbook, Super Soul Food with Cousin Rosie, with many recipes you can’t find anywhere else.
Southern Cream Cheese Pound Cake
Ingredients
- 3 1/4 cups cake flour
- 3 cups granulated sugar
- 7 medium sized eggs at room temperature
- 1 cup butter at room temperature
- 8 oz cream cheese at room temperature
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325 F.
- Add the eggs into a mixing bowl and beat until everything is one color.
- Add in the softened butter, cream cheese, and sugar. Mix until everything is nice and creamy.
- Add in the ground nutmeg,vanilla extract, and lemon juice.
- Mix on a low speed and start sprinkling in the flour, but only 1/2 cup at a time.
- Once all the flour is in the bowl and everything is well incorporated, stop mixing.
- Grease and flour a tube pan then add in the cake batter.
- Smooth the batter out using a spatula.
- Bake the cake on 325 F for 1 hour and 10 minutes, or until done.
- Let the cake remain in the pan and let it cool completely.
- Remove from the cake pan and place the cake on a cake stand or plate.
- Serve and enjoy!
Could I bake this in a bundt pan? I really like frosting or icing on my cakes. What kind could I put on here and please don’t tell me it doesn’t need any. I’m sure you’re right, for me, but all cakes are better with icing. Thannk you.
Hi Susan. I don’t add any icing or frosting because it my opinion it doesn’t need any. You can try a simply lemon glaze or something.
Good pound cake doesn’t really need icing. You could use a glaze of course, but you could also slice the pound cake then top with a fruit conserve and a dollop of whipped cream. Yummy! I make a fig conserve with peach and lemon that is so yummy with this.
I love pound cake (second to angel food) and this looks so good! Love the video and the pineapple poke cake link. Pinned. Thanks, Rosie for sharing. xoxo
Thanks Mary!! XOXO
Excited to try this recipe, but what type of grease do you use and what is your method to flour the tube pan? Thanks!
You can use vegetable shortening or butter.
This looks EXACTLY like the pound cake my dear late great aunt used to make for the holidays. I haven’t been able to find a recipe with a finished product that looked like her cake, until now! I want to try this recipe for Christmas! Thanks Rosie!
No problem Lauren. Thanks for stopping by!
Very tasty cake thanks rosie mr browne
I don’t have cake flour and am dying to make this recipe! What can I do? Can I just use all purpose flour? Thanks and I love your recipes! I’ve tried two so far and they turned out great!
Felecia you can make cake flour using cornstarch. For 1 cup of flour, remove 2 tablespoons of all purpose flour and replace it with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch then sift.
This turned out amazing. Thank you for taking the time to teach us.
Hi Rosie,
I made this pound cake last night and it tastes so good. I’ve never been a big fan of the cream cheese pound cake but this one is different. I really think it’s because of the nutmeg. I hope I didn’t add too much but even if I did, it came out delicious. I couldn’t find my 1/4 teaspoon so I didn’t 1/8 twice and if my math is correct, that should equal 1/4 (1/8+1/8=2/8 which should be 1/4). Thank you so much for this recipe! I love cream cheese pound cake now. I don’t want to even share but I guess I shouldn’t eat the entire cake by myself although I could. I’m a cake addict.
Shelia
Hi Shelia! Isn’t it amazing what a little nutmeg can do? I love this recipe. It’s definitely one of my favorites.
Hi Rosie, do you think I can use a bundt pan?
Yes Ma’am
Thank you Rosis! I just made your lemon pound cake & it’s awesome, so easy too! Making your deviled eggs as well getting ready for super bowl. Have a great weekend!
Glad that you liked the cake! XOXO
Hey Fave,
Do you think this recipe would work if I replaced the vanilla extract with lemon extract? I want to make a lemon cream cheese pound cake.
Thanks,
Jon Parri
Sure. I actually have a lemon pound cake uploaded 🙂
Thankyou for the breakfast quiche my daughters are loving it and the pound cake cream cheese recipes, ok be bless rosie
Thank you for trying my recipes!
Hi Rosie, loved, loved, loved, your red velvet cake recipe. So much, I decided to try this cream cheese pound cake one. My top crust came out delicious, however, the inside of the pound cake was very dense and wet looking, and tasted a bit “eggy”. I’m so disappointed in myself right now. Any suggestions?
Sounds like you didn’t cook it long enough. Keep practicing hun!
This cake came out delish. I sub the flour for almond flour as we don’t use flour. Its not even the holidays and just wanted something for breakfast. I will be enjoying this with my coffee.
If I have large eggs, do you suggest using 6?
Yes, six 🙂
I am making this cake for the second time (by request). It is delicious.
OMG!! Cream cheese pound cake is SOooooooo
GOOD!. Even better next day. Thank you . Will try all your cake recipes eventually. So far this one is # 1.(only one I’ve tried so far
Thanks for trying Jean!
Hey love the site how long would you say I need to leave the ingredients out to be at room temperature…the night before??
Maybe an hour or two before you make the cake 🙂
Can make a recipe book please….my whole Thanksgiving meal came frm ur page too!!!!! Love ur recipe!!!!
I want to make this cake where can I find that kind of flour I’ve never seen it before
I used cake flour. You should be able to find it at Walmarts, and other stores depending on where you live.
I just put this cake in the oven. I was a little nervous about the no milk and the nutmeg. However i had all of the ingredient’s so I said why not.
Love this gonna try for thanksgiving this year what size pan do you use and where could I find it please ?? I’m looking for the big old fashioned grandma pans
Hi there! I just used a regular Bundt or Tube pan. If you want one of the really old ones, I suggest getting it from a thrift shop. They have some really good ones!
Hello Rosie. I love this cake. Its my go to recipe for all occasions. Keep up the good work.
I haven’t made this yet, but will do so for Christmas holiday dinner! I love your recipes sk I know I’ll live this one also.