Cream Cheese Pound Cake

I am eagerly awaiting the holiday this coming weekend.  I know we just had a holiday here (Admissions Day), but I need another break.  I've been busting my ass!

I spent mid-week worried about KikukatMom.  She had her gallbladder removed on Wednesday in what was supposed to be a simple, out-patient procedure.  It turned into an overnight stay because her heart beat became irregular during the procedure.  Her gallbladder was also infected, which means it's a good thing the surgery wasn't put off any longer.  She was given the "all clear" the next day, and by morning the day after, she was out and about.  It blew ABetty's mind when she showed up at her doorstep in Mt. View after going to Target and Safeway.  ABetty had offered her services to stay with the Rents during the recovery period and was surprised when KikukatDad declined.  ABetty didn't realize KikukatMom would be up and about so soon.

I spent the weekend doing work, work-related work.  I made a flowchart, worked on my professional development goal, and tried to process how my lapse in judgement at the moment resulted in being the advisor for 2 HUGE senior class activities.  I purchased a video class on pastry via Craftsy, but I never got around to watching it.  I was too tired.

In spite of my lethargy, I have been able to bake.  Yeah, go figure.  Baking is not so much a problem as cooking.  I think it's because it's a lot easier for me to get excited over sweets.  I know I have a major sweet tooth, and my biggest weakness is cake.

This weekend, I baked pound cake.  I like the tight crumb of pound cake, and the buttery flavor is to-die-for.  The cream cheese adds just a hint of tang.  The best part about this recipe is that it makes two at a time.  We are almost done with one of the cakes, and the other one is nestled in the freezer. . .perhaps I will need to eat it during the recovery period after Jimena, since it appears Ignacio will bypass us!

click on recipe title for printable recipe

Cream Cheese Pound Cake

     1 1/2 c butter, softened
     8 oz cream cheese
     3 c sugar
     6 eggs
     1 tsp vanilla extract
     1/2 tsp almond extract
     3 c flour
     2 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease and flour 2 8 x 4-inch loaf pans, being sure to grease all the way to the top of pans.  Cream butter and cream cheese.  Add sugar and beat 3-5 minutes until light and fluffy.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Add vanilla and almond extracts with last egg.  Stir in flour and salt just until combined.  Divide batter evenly between pans.  Bake for 55 minutes.  Tent pans with foil and bake an additional 20 minutes.  Remove from oven and cool 10 minutes before removing cakes from pans.  Cool completely on wire rack.  Wrap in plastic wrap.  Similar recipes suggest baking in a tube or bundt pan for a total of 80 minutes.

This freezes well too.