Mini Cream Cheese Pound Cakes with Vanilla Cream Cheese Glaze

by Averie Sunshine on June 4, 2013

I almost never make pound cake. With all my other baking, we don’t need a pound of cake.

But two little mini cakes is a different story.

I’m not sure who eats traditional pound cake that’s made with a pound each of flour, butter, eggs, and sugar. That’s one heavy cake.

They must have super-human metabolism.

For my version, I added cream cheese in addition to the butter. It adds extra flavor, richness, and moisture. Pound cake is prone to dryness, and there’s nothing more inedible than dry cake. Why bother. The cream cheese helps combat that pesky problem.

The batter comes together in just minutes. All at once, cream together butter, cream cheese, eggs, sugar, and vanilla. Fold in the dry ingredients and you’re ready to bake.

I baked them as two mini loaves because mini food is cuter, of course. And I find it easier to control the overall browning and dryness levels when I bake dense batters in smaller loaf pans rather than as one big loaf.

I love this Set of 4 Mini Loaf Pans for $9.99, but if you don’t have mini pans, it can be baked in a 9×5 pan. You’ll likely extend baking by 10 to 15 minutes, and if necessary, tent it with foil midway through cooking if your loaf is becoming overly browned.

I love the cracked tops. I’ve read that a cracked top on banana bread is the signal of a great loaf. It indicates that the wet and dry ingredients, as well as leaveners, were all combined in proper ratios to create steam, which escapes via the crack.

When I see a crack, I know the loaf is going to be a keeper.

The cake has a very dense and tight crumb, yet they’re surprisingly light. It’s just sweet enough and very subtly flavored with cream cheese. The cream cheese plays more of a role in adding moisture so the little cakes stay soft and moist.

The vanilla cream cheese glaze was the icing on the cake. Literally. It’s tangy yet sweet, and enhanced the cream cheese vibe.

Or try this heavenly Apricot Cream Cheese Glaze or your favorite jam or fruity topping. A handful of fresh strawberries, sprinkled with a touch of sugar, and allowed to macerate for an hour would be lovely draped over a slice.

The mini size is perfect to satisfy my once a year craving for a slice or two of pound cake, without having a ridiculously large amount of cake leftover. Let’s face it, no one wants to eat dried out pound cake on day 4 that’s leftover from a huge 10-inch tube-cake of pound cake.

Not a problem here.

And they make adorable gifts. One for you, one for a friend. That is, if you don’t scarf them both down.

They’re mini after all.

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I like this recipe because it makes just two little pound cakes, perfect when you only want a slice or two to satisfy a craving, and don't want a big cake leftover. The pound cake is dense and rich, yet light. It stays soft and moist from the cream cheese in the batter, and the vanilla cream cheese glaze is the literal icing on these small cakes. Make one for yourself and give one to a friend if you can part with one of these mini cuties.

Yield: two 5x3 mini cakes, or one 9x5 cake

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

For the Cake
2 large eggs
3/4 cup granulated sugar1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
4 ounces cream cheese, softened (I used Trader Joe's Soft Spreadable Light Cream Cheese with great results)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
pinch salt, optional and to taste

For the Glaze
2 tablespoons cream cheese, softened
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
about 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar, plus more if necessary

For the Cake - Preheat oven to 325F. Spray two 5x3 Mini Loaf Pans with floured cooking spray, or grease and flour the pans; set aside. (Cake may be baked as one 9x5 loaf, possibly as one 8x4 loaf, although I have not tested either. Adjust baking time accordingly, probably by adding 5 to 15 minutes, tent with foil if necessary to prevent over-browning)To the bowl of stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or large mixing bowl and hand mixer), add first 5 ingredients (through vanilla), and beat on medium-high speed to cream them until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.Stop, scrape down the sides of the bowl, and add the final 3 ingredients. Mix on medium speed until just incorporated, don't overmix.Turn batter out into prepared pans and bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until cakes are domed, golden, springy to the touch, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. I baked for 47 minutes and rotated pans midway through baking. I would bake for about 45 minutes next time. If at any point your cakes seem to be browning too quickly, tent with a sheet of foil; however this was not an issue for me.Allow cakes to cool in pans for about 15 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Cakes are best enjoyed fresh, but will keep airtight at room temperature for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. While cakes cool, make the glaze.For the Glaze - Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and beat on medium-high speed until smooth and silky, playing with sugar ratio if necessary until desired consistency is achieved.Drizzle glaze on top of loaves or spread on the interior of the slices; I prefer the later version. Extra glaze will keep airtight for many weeks in the refrigerator.

Recipe from Averie Cooks. All images and content are copyright protected. Please do not use my images without prior permission. If you want to republish this recipe, please re-write the recipe in your own words, or simply link back to this post for the recipe. Thank you.

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Thanks for the entries in the Favorite Mini & Petite Treats and Cookbook Giveaway – very timely with this post and ends tonight 6/4

Make sure to also enter the Peanut Butter Comfort Cookbook and KitchenAid Hand Blender Giveaway

Today is a very happy day for me because it’s the official release date of my cookbook, Peanut Butter Comfort. Thank you to everyone who’s picked up their copy and for already writing to tell me you received your books. I’m so grateful for your support!

Do you like pound cake?

Ever made mini cakes of any kind?

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