Caramel Cream Cheese Pound Cake
Creamy, buttery, and decadently topped with homemade caramel, this Caramel Cream Cheese Pound Cake is the kind of dessert that feels like a warm hug on a plate.
Servings: 12 servings
Equipment
- Mixing Bowl
- Bundt Pan
- Saucepan
Ingredients
Cake Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 8 oz cream cheese softened
- 2.5 cups granulated sugar
- 6 large eggs room temperature
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 0.5 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 1.5 tsp vanilla extract
- 0.5 cup whole milk
Caramel Ingredients
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar for caramel
- 0.5 cup unsalted butter for caramel
- 0.25 cup heavy cream
- 1.5 tsp vanilla extract for caramel
- 1 pinch salt for caramel
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 325°F. Grease and flour a 10-inch bundt pan, or grease and line two 9×5-inch loaf pans if you prefer loaves.
- In a large bowl, beat together 1 cup softened unsalted butter, 8 oz softened cream cheese, and 2 1/2 cups granulated sugar until light and fluffy—about 5 minutes. Scrape the bowl as needed so everything is well combined.
- Add the 6 large eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. This helps the batter emulsify and gives a smooth texture.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together 3 cups all-purpose flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda, and 1 tsp salt to evenly distribute the leaveners.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture in three additions, alternating with the 1/2 cup whole milk. Begin and end with the flour mixture. Mix on low speed and stir only until just combined—overmixing will tighten the crumb.
- Stir in 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract by hand until evenly distributed.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan(s) and smooth the top with a spatula. Tap the pan gently on the counter to release any large air bubbles.
- Bake in the preheated oven: for a bundt pan, bake 65-75 minutes; for loaf pans, bake 60-70 minutes. Start checking at the shorter time. The cake is done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- Cool the cake in the pan for 15-20 minutes. Carefully invert onto a wire rack to cool completely before adding the caramel sauce.
- For the caramel sauce: in a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt 1/2 cup unsalted butter. Add 1 cup packed light brown sugar and stir constantly for 2-3 minutes until the mixture begins to bubble and the sugar dissolves.
- Slowly add 1/4 cup heavy cream while stirring; continue to cook 2-3 more minutes until smooth and glossy.
- Remove from heat and stir in 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract and 1 pinch of salt. Taste and adjust salt if you like a more pronounced contrast.
- Once the cake is completely cooled, drizzle the warm caramel sauce over the top, letting it cascade down the sides and soak into the cake.
Notes
Make sure butter and cream cheese are softened to room temperature to achieve a smooth, airy batter. Eggs at room temperature incorporate better. Whole milk helps keep the crumb tender.