Million Dollar Cream Cheese Pound Cake

Here’s the legendary Million Dollar Cream Cheese Pound Cake — rich, buttery, velvety, and perfectly dense with that signature fine crumb. 💛🍰

This old-fashioned Southern favorite truly tastes like a million bucks!

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🧾 Ingredients

• 1½ cups (3 sticks, 340g) unsalted butter, softened

• 8 oz (225g) cream cheese, softened

• 3 cups (600g) granulated sugar

• 6 large eggs, room temperature

• 3 cups (375g) cake flour (or all-purpose flour sifted well)

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• ½ tsp almond extract (optional, but adds amazing flavor)

• ½ tsp salt

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👩‍🍳 Instructions

1. Preheat oven:
   Set to 300°F (150°C). Grease and flour a 10-inch Bundt or tube pan, or use baking spray with flour.

2. Cream butter, cream cheese, and sugar:

   • In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and cream cheese together on medium speed until smooth and creamy (about 2–3 minutes).

   • Gradually add sugar, beating for another 4–5 minutes until very light and fluffy.
     (This step gives the cake its tender texture — don’t rush it!)

3. Add eggs:

   • Beat in one egg at a time, mixing well after each addition.

   • Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.

4. Add extracts:

   • Mix in vanilla (and almond extract, if using).

5. Add flour and salt:

   • Reduce mixer speed to low.

   • Gradually add flour and salt, mixing just until incorporated — don’t overbeat.

6. Pour and bake:

   • Spread batter evenly into the prepared pan.

   • Bake at 300°F for 1 hour 20 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

   • (Check at the 1-hour mark; ovens vary!)

7. Cool:

   • Cool in the pan for 10–15 minutes, then carefully invert onto a wire rack to cool completely.

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🍋 Optional Glaze (for a touch of sweetness & shine)

Whisk together:

• 1 cup powdered sugar

• 2 tbsp milk or lemon juice

• ½ tsp vanilla extract

Drizzle over cooled cake.

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💎 Tips for the “Million Dollar” Texture

• Use room temperature ingredients — it makes the batter smoother.

• Cream thoroughly — this is what creates that fine, tender crumb.

• For extra flavor, you can add zest of 1 lemon or orange.

• Freezes beautifully — wrap tightly and freeze up to 3 months.

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Would you like me to include a lemon or strawberry cream glaze variation to go with this cake?