Go Back
–+ servings
Vanilla bean cream cheese pound cake dusted with powdered sugar on a wooden cake stand.

High Altitude Vanilla Bean Cream Cheese Pound Cake

Heather Smoke
A high altitude cream cheese pound cake that's moist, dense and flecked with real vanilla bean.

All recipes on Curly Girl Kitchen are developed for high altitude at 5,280 feet. See FAQs for adjusting to higher or lower elevations.

5 from 11 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings12

Equipment

  • Bundt Pan (10 cup capacity)
  • Stand Mixer with Paddle Attachment

Ingredients
 

  • 8 oz (1 block) full-fat cream cheese, softened to room temperature
  • 8 oz (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
  • 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp ground vanilla (or seeds scraped from 1 vanilla bean)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 6 large eggs room temperature
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
  • 1 ¾ tsp baking powder
  • ¾ tsp coarse Kosher salt (if using table salt, use half the amount)
  • ¼ tsp ground cardamom, optional

Instructions
 

  • Preheat your oven to 325 F and thoroughly grease your bundt pan with non-stick baking spray.
  • In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese, butter, sugar, ground vanilla and vanilla extract on medium speed, scraping the bowl down occasionally, for about 8-10 minutes, until very fluffy and lightened in color.
  • Add the eggs, one at a time, beating each for 30 seconds before adding the next. After you've added all the eggs, the batter might look a little grainy or curdled. This is normal, and it will come together once you add the dry ingredients.
  • In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and cardamom. Add the dry ingredients to the batter, and use a whisk to whisk the batter by hand, just until the dry ingredients are incorporated. Scrape up the bottom with a spatula, to make sure all the ingredients are evenly distributed.
  • Spoon the batter into your prepared pan and smooth out the top.  Bake for about 40-45 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean or with moist crumbs clinging to it. The crust should be golden brown, pulling away from the sides of the pan and slightly cracked on top.
  • Cool the cake in the pan for exactly 15 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack, carefully remove the pan, and let cool completely before slicing.  Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for 4-5 days, or freeze indefinitely.
Keyword Cream Cheese, High Altitude, Pound Cake, Vanilla Bean
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
https://curlygirlkitchen.com/