Moist Cream Cheese Pound Cake with Sweet Almond Glaze - Easy Recipe! (2024)

FAQs

Is it better to bake pound cake at 325 or 350? ›

A steady 325-350 degrees is ideal when it comes to baking pound cake. Position the pan in the middle of the oven, and rotate it once, halfway through the baking time, as it bakes to account for any hot spots.

There are several reasons why a cream cheese pound cake might fall. The most common reason for this or any type of pound cake falling is that the cake was exposed to cold air before it was baked through.

The Eggs: Pound cakes require a lot of eggs to create that dense texture. Some folks say that you shouldn't use fresh eggs in pound cakes because they don't mix into the batter as easily and can result in overmixing. I've always used my chicken's fresh eggs for pound cakes and it comes out fantastic, so who knows!

Cooling too long in the pan will cause the cake to be damp and stick to the pan. Remove pound cake from pan to wire rack, and let cool completely.

Starting your pound cake in a cold oven also impacts the texture of the cake. A longer bake time and lower temperature allows the leavening more time to work before the cake sets, resulting in a taller, fluffier cake.

Add moisture: One of the most common reasons for a dry cake is a lack of moisture. You can add moisture to the cake by adding extra liquid to the recipe, such as milk, yogurt, or sour cream. You can also add fruits or pureed vegetables to the batter.

When baking this particular cake, you'll want to place a water bath in the oven so the cake can soak up some extra moisture. You can watch the video if you'd like further clarification but essentially, fill a pan with a couple of inches of water and put it in the oven next to your cake.

Pound cake is SUPPOSED to be a little dense. But it's not supposed to feel heavy or dry. If it's dry, the cake may have been over-baked. Pound cake can also be too dry if you added too much flour (or not enough butter or sugar).

Sometimes it is because you have the temperature too high. Other times it is because you didn't flour and oil the pan.

Overmixing and its consequences

You see, pound cake is already a naturally dense bake if you don't over-mix the batter, but if you do end up over-mixing it, you are going to make one heavy brick of a cake that doesn't have an appealing texture (via Southern Living).

Should you sift flour for a pound cake? ›

Sift: Sifting the flour into the batter makes the cake lighter. It also breaks up any large clumps of flour, making it easier to incorporate into the batter.

How long do you leave pound cake in the pan? When it's done baking, let the cake sit in the pan for 10 minutes: no more, no less. It's enough time for the cake to firm up some after baking so that it doesn't fall apart, but not so much time that the cake gets stuck to the pan.

Bundt pans are a baking essential. Their unique construction allows an even browning on denser cakes, like pound cake, with the well-defined curves that are the hallmark of the form.

How many eggs are in a pound? Eggs vary in weight since not all eggs are the same. Large eggs tend to weigh just short of 2 ounces each. It takes between 8 and 9 large eggs to equal one pound.

What are the benefits of baking at 325 instead of 350 degrees? Baking at 325 degrees instead of 350 allows for a slower and more even cooking process. This can result in a more tender and moist finished product, especially for items like cakes, cookies, and delicate pastries.

Some of Dawn's favorite baking tips:

Bake your cakes at 325° not 350°. This will allow your cake to rise more. Don't grease the sides of your baking pan. Greasing the sides of the pan will not allow your cake to climb the edges of the pan and grow tall.

The general rule of thumb when baking is "the bigger the pan, the lower the temperature". You bake a chocolate 9" round cake for about 30-35 minutes at 350 F. But, if you were putting the same recipe in a 14" pan you need to lower the temperature to 325 F for 50-55 minutes.