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Cold-Oven Cream Cheese Pound Cake
The secret to this incredibly tender pound cake is starting it in a completely cold oven. It allows the dense, buttery batter to rise slowly and evenly, creating a flawless golden crust. You'll love the complex flavor profile, which balances rich cream cheese with bright lemon juice, warm vanilla, and just a splash of bourbon. It's a classic Southern-style dessert that pairs beautifully with your morning coffee or stands alone as the star of any dessert table.
Ingredients
- 3 cups granulated sugar
- 1½ cups butter, softened
- 1 (8-oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
- 6 large eggs
- 3 cups bleached cake flour
- ¼ tsp. kosher salt
- 2 tsp. bourbon
- 2 tsp. fresh lemon juice (from 1 lemon)
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- ½ tsp. almond extract
- 1. Coat a light-color 18-cup (10-inch) tube pan with baking spray. Set aside. Do not preheat oven.
Instructions
- 1Coat a light-colored 18-cup tube pan with baking spray. Don't preheat your oven.
- 2Beat the sugar and softened butter in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on medium-high speed for about 3 minutes until the mixture is light and fluffy.
- 3Mix in the softened cream cheese for about 30 seconds until smooth. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing on low speed until just incorporated after each addition.
- 4Gradually add the cake flour one cup at a time. Mix on low speed until blended after each addition, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. This takes about 1 minute total.
- 5Stir in the kosher salt, bourbon, fresh lemon juice, vanilla extract, and almond extract until the batter is completely smooth. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and smooth the top.
- 6Place the pan on a rack in the lower third of the cold, unpreheated oven. Starting in a cold oven helps the dense batter rise slowly and evenly.
- 7Turn the oven temperature to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Bake for 1 hour and 50 minutes to 2 hours, or until a wooden pick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- 8Let the cake cool in the pan for 30 minutes. Run an offset spatula around the edges to loosen it, then turn the cake out onto a wire rack to cool completely for about 1 hour and 30 minutes. Cooling completely prevents the cake from crumbling when sliced.
Notes
- Ingredients: Make sure your butter, cream cheese, and eggs are fully softened to room temperature before starting so the batter emulsifies properly.
- Storage: Keep the cake wrapped tightly in plastic wrap at room temperature for up to 4 days. It actually tastes better on the second day.
- Freezing: You can freeze the whole cake or individual slices wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and foil for up to 3 months.