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Lemon Cream Cheese Pound Cake Recipe

Lemon Cream Cheese Pound Cake Recipe

Olivia Brooks
Lemon Cream Cheese Pound Cake Recipe that stays moist thanks to cream cheese, fresh lemon zest, butter, sugar, and slow baking.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 35 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 10 to 12 slices
Calories 470 kcal

Equipment

  • Stand mixer or hand mixer
  • Large mixing bowl
  • Medium mixing bowl
  • Measuring cups
  • Measuring spoons
  • Microplane or zester
  • Loaf pan or bundt pan
  • Parchment paper
  • Cooling rack

Ingredients
  

For the Cake

  • 1 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 8 oz cream cheese softened
  • 2 1/2 cups granulated sugar
  • 6 large eggs room temperature
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • Zest of 2 lemons
  • 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Lemon Glaze (Optional but Recommended)

  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 –3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Instructions
 

Step 1: Prep Everything

  • Preheat your oven to 325°F. Grease and line your pan with parchment paper. This cake likes a slower bake, so don’t rush the temperature.
  • Make sure all ingredients are at room temperature. This helps everything blend smoothly.

Step 2: Cream Butter and Cream Cheese

  • In a large bowl, beat the butter and cream cheese together until completely smooth and fluffy. Take your time here. This step sets the texture for the entire cake.
  • Slowly add the sugar and beat until light and pale, about 3–4 minutes.

Step 3: Add Eggs

  • Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. The batter should look silky and thick, not broken.
  • Scrape down the sides of the bowl often.

Step 4: Add Lemon and Vanilla

  • Mix in lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla extract. The batter will smell incredible at this point.

Step 5: Fold in Dry Ingredients

  • In a separate bowl, whisk together flour and salt. Add to the batter in two additions, mixing just until combined. Do not overmix.

Step 6: Bake

  • Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for 70–80 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out mostly clean.
  • If the top browns too quickly, loosely tent with foil.

Step 7: Cool and Glaze

  • Let the cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack. Once fully cooled, drizzle with lemon glaze if using.
Keyword Lemon Cream Cheese Pound Cake Recipe