This cream cheese pound cake is flavored with eggnog; it’s a festive treat and is perfect for gift giving!
I do love me some eggnog. It’s the creamiest, most luxuriously indulgent drink I can think of. All that rum flavoring and nutmeg swirling around make me so happy.
But, why is it we only have eggnog during the holidays? The same goes for peppermint or gingerbread. All are wonderful flavors, yet we only seem to appreciate them from November through January.
I know it has to do with the spices and their warm notes, I don’t know about you, but I eat things with nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger and mint all year long!
I’m going to start a movement. I’m going to push for people to enjoy seasonal flavors all year round. I’m going to munch on eggnog sugar cookies in May and cool down with Eggnog Smoothies in August.
In June, I’m going to decorate gingerbread men and women with swimsuits and make cabanas instead of houses. I’ll send my kids back to school with peppermint red velvet brownies instead of the usual apple bars. I’m going to spread Christmas cheer all year long. Who’s with me??? Anyone?
Perhaps I’m being just a tad bit overly dramatic. I know that if I ate gingerbread all year long I wouldn’t savor it and appreciate it as much when Christmas came around.
Too much of anything can be bad. The exception to that would be eggnog. I seriously love it and can consume it all 12 months of the year!
What Is Cream Cheese Pound Cake?
When it comes to making a moist pound cake, you need dairy. It could come in the form of buttermilk, sour cream, Greek yogurt, or cream cheese. The fat content adds creaminess without thinning the batter.
This pound cake uses cream cheese as it’s delicious dairy fat. It adds a tangy richness to the batter and it keeps it light and fluffy.
How To Make Cream Cheese Pound Cake Recipe
To start, beat together butter and cream cheese until creamy and smooth. Slowly beat in sugar until combined.
Eggs are added next along, with both vanilla extract and rum extract. Feel free to use purchased eggnog (with or without alcohol) or even brandy or spiced rum! If you want a recipe for homemade eggnog, I have the one for you!
A dry mixture made up of cake flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda are slowly added to the batter until completely incorporated. Take care to avoid over mixing the batter so that the cake comes out light and fluffy!
Pour the batter into a greased loaf pan and bake for a little over an hour. You want the cake to be golden. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean.
Allow the cake to cool completely
The frosting for this cake is butter and powdered sugar that is whisked with eggnog (the store-bought dairy version) until it is creamy enough to spread on the cooled cake.
Cream Cheese Pound Cake Tips
Do I sift flour for cream cheese pound cake? This recipe uses cake flour, which is significantly lighter and finer than all-purpose flour. However, since you are also adding baking powder and salt, it is best to sift all your dry ingredients. Sifted flour is easier to mix into the matter and fully combines all the dry ingredients.
Why does my cream cheese pound cake have a crust? This is often due to an oven temperature that is too high. The outside of the cake will bake faster than the inside of the cake. To avoid this, reduce your oven temperature and bake the cake for longer.
What is the difference between a cream cheese pound cake and a yellow cake? Pound cakes tend to be “sturdier” cakes that can handle any type of frosting, where a yellow cake can crumble easily and has a more delicate texture.
How To Store Cream Cheese Pound Cake
If you decide to skip the frosting, then this pound cake can be kept stored at room temperature for several days if wrapped properly in plastic wrap.
Since this cake is frosted, I would advise storing the cake in the refrigerator. Store the cake in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Eggnog Cream Cheese Pound Cake
This cream cheese pound cake is tender and sweet! The frosting is to die for!
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups cake flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 ¼ cups sugar
- 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2/3 cup cream cheese (5 ounces), room temperature
- 3 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1-2 teaspoons rum extract
- 2 tablespoons softened butter
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2-3 tablespoons eggnog
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°. Coat a loaf pan generously with nonstick spray; line bottom and long sides with parchment paper, leaving about 1 1/2-inch overhang. Coat paper with nonstick spray.
- Sift flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda into a medium bowl; set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat together the butter and cream cheese until blended and smooth, about 2 minutes. Gradually beat in sugar; beat on high speed until very light and fluffy, 3–4 minutes. Reduce speed to low; add eggs one at a time, beating to blend between additions and scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Beat in vanilla and rum extract. (Make sure mixture is completely incorporated so flour won't clump when added.) With the mixer on low speed, gradually add dry ingredients; mix just to blend (do not overmix or the cake will become tough). Scrape batter into prepared pan; smooth top.
- Bake cake until top is golden brown and springs back when gently pressed with your fingertips and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 60–70 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let the cake cool in the pan for 30 minutes.
- To prepare the frosting, whisk together the softened butter and powdered sugar. Add enough eggnog to get a spreading consistency.
- Spread the frosting over the cooled cake.
Notes
Store the frosted pound cake in an airtight container in the fridge. Allow the cake to come to room temperature before serving.
