Easiest Vanilla Pound Cake From Scratch
I almost never make pound cake. With all my other baking, we don’t need a pound of cake. But two little mini cakes is a different story. I’m not sure who eats traditional pound cake that’s made with a pound each of flour, butter, eggs, and sugar. That’s one heavy cake. They must have super-human metabolism. For my version, I added cream cheese in addition to the butter. It adds extra flavor, richness, and moisture. Pound cake is prone to dryness, and there’s nothing more inedible than dry cake. Why bother? The cream cheese helps combat that pesky problem.
I love the cracked tops. I’ve read that a cracked top on banana bread is the signal of a great loaf. It indicates that the wet and dry ingredients, as well as leaveners, were all combined in proper ratios to create steam, which escapes via the crack. When I see a crack, I know the loaf is going to be a keeper. The cake has a very dense and tight crumb, yet they’re surprisingly light. It’s just sweet enough and very subtly flavored with cream cheese. The cream cheese plays more of a role in adding moisture so the little cakes stay soft and moist.
The vanilla cream cheese pound cake glaze was the icing on the cake. Literally. It’s tangy yet sweet, and enhanced the cream cheese vibe. Or try this heavenly Apricot Cream Cheese Glaze or your favorite jam or fruity topping. A handful of fresh strawberries, sprinkled with a touch of sugar, and allowed to macerate for an hour would be lovely draped over a slice. The mini size is perfect to satisfy my once a year craving for a slice or two of pound cake, without having a ridiculously large amount of cake leftover. Let’s face it, no one wants to eat dried out pound cake on day 4 that’s leftover from a huge 10-inch tube-cake of pound cake. Not a problem here. And they make adorable gifts. One for you, one for a friend. That is, if you don’t scarf them both down. They’re mini, after all.
What’s in This Mini Pound Cake Recipe?
To make the cream cheese pound cake from scratch, you’ll need:
Eggs Granulated sugar Unsalted butter Cream cheese Vanilla extract All-purpose flour Baking powder Salt
And for the cream cheese pound cake glaze, you’ll need:
Cream cheese Unsalted butter Vanilla extract Confectioners’ sugar
How to Make Mini Pound Cake Loaves
The batter comes together in just minutes. All at once, cream together butter, cream cheese, eggs, sugar, and vanilla. Fold in the dry ingredients and you’re ready to bake. Turn the batter into two greased and floured 5×3-inch loaf pans, then bake until the cakes are domed, golden, springy to the touch, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cakes cool in their pans for 15 minutes before turning them out to cool completely on a wire rack. Once cooled, top with the pound cake glaze.
Can I Use a Regular Loaf Pan?
Yes! I baked off the vanilla pound cake recipe as two mini loaves because mini food is cuter, of course. And I find it easier to control the overall browning and dryness levels when I bake dense batters in smaller loaf pans rather than as one big loaf. I love this Set of 4 Mini Loaf Pans, but if you don’t have mini pans, it can be baked in a 9×5-inch pan. You’ll likely extend baking by 10 to 15 minutes, and if necessary, tent it with foil midway through cooking if your loaf is becoming overly browned.
Can I Prep This Recipe in Advance?
Yes, although I recommend serving the mini pound cake loaves the same day they’re made. They’ll last up to five days at room temperature, but they do dry out over time.
How to Store Pound Cake
Cakes are best enjoyed fresh, but will keep airtight at room temperature for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months (without the glaze).
Tips for Making a Moist Pound Cake From Scratch
I used Trader Joe’s Soft Spreadable Light Cream Cheese for this recipe with great results. However, a brick of classic Philadelphia cream cheese that’s been softened to room temperature will work just as well. It’s very important that you beat the eggs, butter, sugar, and cream cheese until light and fluffy. This will take about 5 minutes. If you skip this step or skimp on the beating time, you’ll wind up with dense pound cake. Yuck. Wait to glaze the vanilla pound cake loaves until they’ve cooled completely. If you try to glaze them while still warm, the glaze will slide right off.
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Originally posted June 4, 2013 and reposted February 26, 2021 with updated text.
