There’s something timeless and soothing about a good pound cake, and adding cream cheese makes it even softer, richer, and beautifully tender. This mini version bakes up with a golden crust and a velvety crumb perfect for sharing or savoring with a quiet cup of tea.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
- 4 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Optional swaps: - Replace vanilla with almond extract for a lovely bakery-style note.
- Add a touch of lemon zest for a brighter cake.
Steps
- Cream the butter, cream cheese, and sugar until light and fluffy don’t rush this part; it’s what gives the cake its beautiful lift.
- Add the eggs one at a time, mixing gently after each so the batter stays smooth.
- Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl.
- Fold the dry ingredients into the wet just until combined. Don’t overmix a thick, silky batter is what you want.
- Stir in the vanilla to finish the base.
- Spread into a greased mini loaf pan or divide into mini bundt molds.
- Bake at 325°F for 35–42 minutes (less for minis) until the top is golden and a toothpick comes out clean.
Chef’s Tips
- Room-temperature ingredients blend best and keep the crumb tender.
- If using mini pans, start checking at 22 minutes smaller cakes bake fast.
- Let the cake cool fully before slicing to avoid crumbling.
Variations
- Lemon Pound Cake: Add 1 tbsp lemon zest + 1 tbsp lemon juice.
- Brown Sugar Pound Cake: Swap half the granulated sugar for brown sugar for deeper flavor.
- Glazed Pound Cake: Top with a simple powdered sugar glaze once fully cooled.