Cherry Cream Cheese Pound cake

Cherry Cream Cheese Pound cake!

 

Everything about this cake sounds dreamy. It is an indulgent affair and not for the whole-wheat-carrot-cake type of a day.

Pound Cakes are heavy. With so many eggs in them they can be filling. But so delicious and creamy. And add some cream cheese in the mix, you have a delectable buttery, cheesy cake. The mild tartness of the cherries goes very well with the cake and makes it very flavourful.

Cherries are in season right now, and I must have used about 40-50 un-pitted cherries on top of the cake I love how that looks. My little baby boy Arjun helped me make the decoration and gave me one cherry at a time while I placed it on the cake. Loved doing that.

This cake serves 8, has to be sliced thinly while serving. Perhaps with a cup of coffee, like the French.

Cherry Cream Cheese Pound Cake

What you will need:

• 3 cups maida – all purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 and 1/2 cup butter at room temperature
• 220 gram cream cheese, I use D’lecta
• 2 and 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 6 large eggs

Cream Cheese Chocolate Frosting

• 125 gram cream cheese, cold
• 50 gram Amul butter
• 300 grams icing sugar, sifted
• 1 teaspoon cocoa powder
• Fresh cherries for decoration

What to do :

1. For the cake, sift the all purpose flour + baking powder + baking soda and keep it aside.
2. In another bowl, whisk room temperature butter and cream cheese together, add vanilla extract.
3. Now add granulated sugar and whisk.
4. Add the eggs one at a time, whisking till it gets fully incorporated.
5. Pre-heat oven to 180C.
6. Line two 8 inch pans with a parchment paper at the bottom and butter and flour the sides.
7. Pour the prepared batter in the pans and bake in a pre-heated oven for 25-30 minutes till a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.
8. Remove from the pan and let the cakes cool completely before frosting.
9. To make the frosting, take all the ingredients in a bowl and whisk till it comes together to form a smooth frosting.
10. Place one cake on a plate or a wooden board, frost it lightly and then place the second cake on top. Again frost the sides lightly, scraping of any excess frosting.
11. Put about 1/4 cup of frosting on top of the cake and spread evenly.
12. Put the cake int he fridge for 10 minutes so that the frosting sets a bit before placing the cherries on top.

Notes :

• If you live in a hot humid place, it is better to keep the cake in the fridge. Bring it to room temperature for half hour before serving.
• The mild cocoa flavour in the frosting helps balance the cheesy frosting.
• The pound cake recipe is taken from Joy of Baking