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A slice of marbled pound cake on a plate, with the rest of the cake on a cutting board next to it along with a mug of tea.
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Marble Cream Cheese Pound Cake

This beautiful marbled pound cake has a velvety crumb and is practically fool proof. It has the addition of a little bit of baking powder (something that traditionally not included in pound cake) to help ensure it’s not too dense and is just the right consistency and texture. Be sure to just swirl the batter only once or twice. If you over mix the batter, you run the risk of blending them together too much.
Course coffee time, Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword cake, chocolate, marbled, swirl, vanilla
Servings 8
Calories 1811kcal
Author Irvin

Ingredients

Cake batter

  • 14 tablespoons unsalted butter 2 1/4 sticks or 200 g
  • 3 ounces cream cheese 85 g
  • 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar 300 g
  • 5 large eggs at room temperature (see note below)
  • 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 210 g

Chocolate mix-in

  • 3 tablespoons Dutch-processed cocoa sifted if clumped together
  • 1/2 teaspoon instant coffee or espresso optional but recommended
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 325°F. Lightly grease a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with cooking oil spray.
    Cut the butter and cream cheese into 1/2-inch cubes. If you're using a stand mixer, the ingredients can be directly from the refrigerator cold. But if you're using a hand mixer, it’s better to use room temperature ingredients.
    Place the ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and mix on low speed until they start to combine, which should take 1 to 2 minutes. Then, increase the speed to medium and continue mixing until the ingredients have a creamy appearance, are well blended, and cling to the sides of the bowl, which should take another 2 to 3 minutes.
    Left image is cubed butter and cream cheese in mixing bowl. Right image is two ingredients creamed together with the paddle attachment of a stand mixer in the bowl.
  • Add the salt and baking powder and mix for an additional 30 seconds until they are fully incorporated. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl using a silicone spatula.
    With the mixer still on low speed, gradually add the sugar, pouring it into the bowl in a steady stream to incorporate it slowly into the butter. Continue adding all the sugar until it is well combined and appears fluffy. Once again, scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a spatula.
    Left image is sugar being slowly poured into the mixing bowl of a stand mixer with butter and cream cheese well blended. Right image is the sugar mixed into the butter and cream cheese to the point where it is clinging to the side of the bowl and is fluffy and light colored.
  • In a separate glass measuring cup with a spout, whisk together the eggs and vanilla. Slowly drizzle this egg mixture into the bowl with the mixer on low speed, occasionally pausing to make sure egg is fully absorbed before adding more. The goal is to maintain a smooth batter, but don't worry if it appears slightly broken and grainy in the end – this is normal.
    Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl again and, with the mixer on low speed, gradually add the flour, mixing until the flour is fully incorporated, and the batter becomes smooth.
    Left image is egg drizzled into the bowl of creamed sugar, butter and cream cheese. Right image is flour being added to the cake batter.
  • Do a couple more scrapes of the bottom and side with a spatula and another mix to make sure everything is well blended. Then take half the batter, about 550 grams if you have a scale, and move it to a separate bowl. Add the cocoa, instant coffee (if using), and vanilla to the remaining batter in the mixer bowl and mix until incorporated.
    Left image is the cake batter divided into one bowl, and the remaining batter still in the mixing bowl with cocoa powder, vanilla and instant coffee. Right image is the chocolate batter mixed in the bowl, with the plain vanilla batter in another bowl next to it.
  • Spoon alternating batches of the plain and chocolate batter into the prepared pan. Then, using a chopstick or butter knife, gently swirl the batters together, using large “figure eight” motions. Don’t over swirl, but mix it enough to create a pretty pattern.
    Left image is chocolate and vanilla pound cake batter alternating in a loaf pan. Right image is a hand swirling the batter together with a chopstick.
  • Bake for 85 to 90 minutes, or until the top has cracked open, the center looks dry (not wet) and a skewer inserted comes out clean. If you have an instant read thermometer, the internal center temperature should be somewhere between 200° and 205°F.
    Let cool for 5 minutes in the pan, then invert onto a wire rack and flip right side up. Let the pound cake cool completely before serving.
    Left image is unbaked marbled pound cake in a loaf pan. Right image is the pound cake baked in the pan, ready to be unmolded on a cooling rack.

Notes

If you forgot the step of bringing your eggs to room temperature, don't worry. You can quickly warm them up by placing them in a bowl of hot water straight from the tap. Allow the eggs to sit in the hot water for approximately 10 minutes, which should be about the same time it takes to reach the step where you need to add them to the batter. This will bring the eggs to room temperature.

Nutrition

Calories: 1811kcal | Carbohydrates: 62.9g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 166.4g | Saturated Fat: 103g | Cholesterol: 650mg | Sodium: 1447mg | Potassium: 1822mg | Fiber: 11.8g | Sugar: 24.9g | Calcium: 427mg | Iron: 9mg