Recipe Thursday: Cream Cheese Pound Cake

Outside of king cake, pound cake is my favorite dessert. So much so, in fact, that my wedding cake was pound cake sprinkled with powdered sugar!

My wedding cake/ Photo: Matt Roberts

When I say this is the best pound cake I've ever eaten, I mean it with all my heart. It's my mom's recipe for cream cheese pound cake and it will just about change your life. My mom is visiting this week and we're going to bake one together that I'll post as Saturday's tutorial. Stay tuned.

So, remember that the key to a good pound cake is in the way you mix it. Good luck:

Mom's Unbelievable Cream Cheese Pound Cake

Ingredients:
1 block cream cheese, softened to room temperature
3 sticks butter, softened to room temperature
6 eggs
3 cups sugar
3 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp almond extract (optional)
1/2 tsp salt

Instructions:
1. Spray cooking spray in bundt pan.
2. Preheat oven to 325.
1. Beat cream cheese and butter in electric mixer until fluffy (speed 4).
2. Gradually add sugar, keeping the mixture fluffy.
3. Turn down speed to Stir and add eggs one at a time, mixing until the yellow disappears.
4. Add vanilla, almond (if using), salt, and flour, stirring just until combined and looks well incorporated, stopping and scraping as you add.
5. Bake for 1 hour and 30 minutes, beginning to check at 1 hour and 20 minutes. The cake will start to pull away from the sides and when you put a toothpick in, it comes out clean.
6. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, but no longer than that.
7. Cool completely on wire rack before storing.

Enjoy warm or cooled with fresh whipped cream and strawberries. Yum.

Happy Thursday!