The Cream Cheese Pound Cake Recipe is lemony, tender, and moist. It’s sweet and simple with a lemon and butter flavoring that melts in your mouth!

With just six basic cake ingredients, this is THE BEST pound cake recipe!

A close-up of a sliced Lemon Cream Cheese Pound Cake with a golden crust, accompanied by the text "Lemon Cream Cheese Pound Cake Recipe Too Good!" written over the image.

This is my Mom’s cake recipe. She always either made this Cream Cheese Pound Cake or a Sour Cream Pound Cake. For years, I thought it was the only Pound Cake recipe.

Old-fashioned desserts seem to be making a resurgence. My Pound Cake series has been very popular (especially this recipe), as well as other old-fashioned desserts that I’ve shared. My Old-fashioned Butter Roll, Old-fashioned Sugar Pie, Old Fashioned No Bake Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies, and Old-fashioned Rice Pudding are some of the most popular recipes.

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Cream Cheese Pound Cake

I’ve started a series of testing and reviewing Pound Cake recipes. You can read all the posts and get the recipes here.

This recipe boasts a silky texture. A small crumb that is even smoother than the Whipping Cream Pound Cake. The outside of this pound cake does not have a crispy texture like the Whipping Cream Pound Cake. However, it’s just as flavorful.

It’s a very easy pound cake to make. Even though I used a generous one tablespoon of lemon extract in my Cream Cheese Pound Cake, it does not have a strong lemon flavor. The one and a half cups of butter give it a butter flavoring instead. Also, as I found in this cookie recipe that uses cream cheese, the cream cheese actually complements and intensifies the butter flavor. That’s a good thing!

You may also enjoy these pound cake recipes

The video below is for my Old Fashioned Blue Ribbon Pound Cake. However, the mixing method is the same for this Lemon Cream Cheese Pound Cake Recipe.

More Tips for Cream Cheese Pound Cake

If you truly want a lemon flavor, I suggest adding two tablespoons of lemon extract and two tablespoons of lemon zest to the recipe below. Furthermore, for Cream Cheese Pound Cake with classic vanilla and buttery taste, use vanilla instead of lemon extract. It is very good, and I highly recommend this recipe.

This Cream Cheese Pound Cake Recipe yields a moist cake that’s dense and slightly sweet. If you crave more sweetness, glaze the cake with a mixture of confectioners’ sugar, milk, and flavoring.

What is the secret to a good pound cake?

The key to making a great pound cake is careful mixing and using high-quality ingredients that are at room temperature, especially the butter and a liquid dairy such as milk, cream cheese, or sour cream. To create a moist and tender texture, start by thoroughly creaming the butter and sugar together. Next, add the eggs one at a time. After that, gently incorporate the dry and liquid ingredients in alternating additions, being careful not to overmix. Finally, bake the cake at a lower-than-normal temperature for a longer time so it cooks evenly all the way through.

Get all my Pound Cake recipes here.

Can I freeze cream cheese pound cake?

Pound cake is great for freezing. Wrap it tightly with aluminum foil or plastic freezer wrap and store it in the freezer for 4 to 6 months.

Can I bake this cake in two loaf pans?

Yes, you can bake this cake in two 8 x 4-inch loaf pans. The cooking time will be 60 minutes, add time if needed.

Lemon Cream Cheese Pound Cake Recipe

Lemon Cream Cheese Pound Cake Recipe is tender and moist. It’s sweet and simple with a buttery flavoring that melts in your mouth!

Author: Paula

4.86 from 88 votes

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Prep Time: 20

Cook Time: 1 10

Total Time: 1 30

Servings: 16 servings

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Equipment

Ingredients

1 and 1/2 cups butter room temp (How to soften butter)
8 ounce cream cheese room temperature
3 cups granulated sugar
6 large eggs room temperature
3 cups all-purpose flour sifted then measured
1 tablespoon lemon extract

Instructions

Coat a tube pan or bundt pan with solid vegetable shortening and a dusting of sugar (about 1/4 cup) swirl the pan so the sugar coats all the shortening. Be sure not to miss any areas. Or you can coat the pan with Wilton cake release.
Preheat oven to 350°F
In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter and cream cheese until smooth.
1 and 1/2 cups butter, 8 ounce cream cheese
Add sugar and beat until fluffy. The mixture will lighten in color slightly. Stop the mixer and scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl. Return the mixer to low.
3 cups granulated sugar
Add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Stop the mixer and scrape the sides and the bottom of the bowl. Return to low.
6 large eggs
Slowly add the flour to the mixture and stir it in gently. Be careful not to overmix.
3 cups all-purpose flour
Add lemon extract and stir it in. Stop the mixer and scrape the sides and the bottom of the bowl.
1 tablespoon lemon extract
Pour batter into your prepared pan.
Bake 60 to 70 minutes at 350℉ (or 75 to 80 minutes at 325℉ – I've baked it both ways) or until a pick inserted in the center comes out clean or with 'dry' crumbs. Or, you can test with your cake thermometer.
Allow to cool on the countertop on a wire rack 30 minutes before inverting on a serving tray. Cool completely on the counter before covering in an airtight container.
Store in an airtight container on the counter for 5 to 6 days. To revive dried-out 'old' pound cake, spread butter on both sides and toast until it's lightly browned. Or, you can make a Nutella Strawberry Grilled Sandwich. The link is in the notes below.

Notes

You can substitute vanilla extract or almond extract for the lemon. Pure extracts are the best, not imitation.

Here is the recipe for Nutella Strawberry Grilled Pound Cake Sandwiches.

Nutrition

80 Comments

Hi Paula,
I’ve made many of your pound cakes and love the taste and texture of all of them but I keep having the top crumble off. Am I over baking? They’re never dry and don’t seem to be over baked but I’m stumped.

Paula says:

10.31.21 at 7:31 pm

Hi Laurie, I’ve actually been researching this. It happens to mine occasionally and I *think* I do the same thing every time.

Reply

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The recipe says coat the pan with shortening and sugar. Is the sugar a typo? I have never heard of using sugar to coat a pan.

Paula says:

03.11.21 at 10:12 am

I use granulated sugar to coat the pan. It doesn’t leave white areas as flour does.

Reply

Guys, Thanks For sharing this Great Recipe. My Family Loved it. I am definitely sharing this recipe and this website with my friend. Hope they also love it. Thank you again for sharing such a great recipe.

Can you add Fresh blueberries to it? To take it a blueberry cc pound cake?

What can you use as a substitute for the lemon extract?

Paula says:

05.22.20 at 11:50 am

Yes you can use blueberries and you can sub almond or vanilla extract. I also have this Blueberry Pound cake if you want to refer to it. https://www.callmepmc.com/fresh-blueberry-pound-cake-recipe/

Reply
1. Lillie Burroughs says:
  
  07.22.22 at 7:54 pm
  
  I just made thus cake and shared it with my neighbors, it is so very good. I will keep using g this recipe. Thank you for sharing your recipe with me.

Can I also add HWC to the recipe or will that change it completely?

Paula says:

01.09.20 at 4:19 pm

I’m sorry, I can’t figure out what HWC is? My brain is slow after working all day 😊

Reply
1. Jan says:
  
  10.09.22 at 1:16 pm
  
  My guess is Heavy Whipping Cream?
  
  Have not tried this yet, but it looks delicious. Cream cheese pound cakes are my favorite, so very rich. Thanks for sharing the recipe.

Can you use cake flour

Paula says:

11.27.19 at 10:09 am

Yes

Reply

Can I use an ordinary cake tin instead ofbthe bundt tin?

Paula says:

06.28.19 at 2:18 pm

pound cake batter baked in a non-Bundt or tube pan will require different baking times. Bundt batter halved and baked in two cake or loaf pans will likely require less time, while Bundt batter baked in 13×9-inch pans may require more time, so stay in the kitchen while the cake bakes and give it plenty of attention to ensure proper doneness.

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