Glazed Mini Pound Cake Loaves — Adorable mini vanilla pound cakes that are moist, tender, and not at all dry!! Or you can bake them as a full-sized loaf. This recipe will make anyone a fan of pound cake!!
Easiest Vanilla Pound Cake From Scratch
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.
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 pound cake 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.
What’s in This Mini Pound Cake Recipe?
To make the cream cheese pound cake from scratch, you’ll need:
- Eggs
- Granulated sugar
- Unsalted butter
- Cream cheese
- Vanilla extract
- All-purpose flour
- Baking powder
- Salt
And for the cream cheese pound cake glaze, you’ll need:
- Cream cheese
- Unsalted butter
- Vanilla extract
- Confectioners’ sugar
How to Make Mini Pound Cake Loaves
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.
Turn the batter into two greased and floured 5×3-inch loaf pans, then bake until the cakes are domed, golden, springy to the touch, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Let the cakes cool in their pans for 15 minutes before turning them out to cool completely on a wire rack. Once cooled, top with the pound cake glaze.
Can I Use a Regular Loaf Pan?
Yes! I baked off the vanilla pound cake recipe 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, but if you don’t have mini pans, it can be baked in a 9×5-inch 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.
Can I Prep This Recipe in Advance?
Yes, although I recommend serving the mini pound cake loaves the same day they’re made. They’ll last up to five days at room temperature, but they do dry out over time.
How to Store Pound Cake
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 (without the glaze).
Tips for Making a Moist Pound Cake From Scratch
I used Trader Joe’s Soft Spreadable Light Cream Cheese for this recipe with great results. However, a brick of classic Philadelphia cream cheese that’s been softened to room temperature will work just as well.
It’s very important that you beat the eggs, butter, sugar, and cream cheese until light and fluffy. This will take about 5 minutes. If you skip this step or skimp on the beating time, you’ll wind up with dense pound cake. Yuck.
Wait to glaze the vanilla pound cake loaves until they’ve cooled completely. If you try to glaze them while still warm, the glaze will slide right off.
Pin This Recipe
Enjoy AverieCooks.com Without Ads! 🆕
Go Ad Free
Glazed Mini Pound Cake Loaves
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 2 large eggs
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup 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
- ¾ 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
Instructions
For the Cake:
- Preheat oven to 325F. Spray two 5×3-inch Mini Loaf Pans with floured cooking spray, or grease and flour the pans; set aside.
- 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.
- 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 latter version. Extra glaze will keep airtight for many weeks in the refrigerator.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
©averiecooks.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited.
More Easy Cake Recipes:
Easy Pound Cake with Powdered Sugar Glaze — Finally a homemade pound cake that isn’t dry!! This EASY, buttery, velvety pound cake will be the star of your next party or celebration!
Vanilla Cake From Scratch — Move over chocolate, because vanilla has arrived. This no mixer, easy vanilla cake is topped with a browned butter glaze that’s impossible to resist!
Easy Homemade Funfetti Cake — Move over, store-bought cake mix!! This easy cake only takes minutes to make and tastes wayyyy better!!
Homemade Yellow Cake — This is the easiest yellow cake from scratch and it tastes like a million bucks! This yellow cake recipe always turns out supremely moist, springy, soft and fluffy cake thanks to buttermilk, sour cream, and oil. Who needs the bakery?
The Best Pineapple Upside-Down Cake – So soft, moist & really is The Best! A cheery, happy cake that’s sure to put a smile on anyone’s face!
Butterscotch Poke Cake — Butterscotch sundae topping isn’t just for ice cream – it makes AWESOME poke cakes!! Along with the irresistibly crunchy toffee bits, this is a perfect fast and EASY cake everyone will love!!
Glazed Cinnamon Roll Cake — The flavor of cinnamon rolls in a soft, tender, easy cake! One bowl, no mixer, and you’re going to love the tangy-sweet glaze!
Originally posted June 4, 2013 and reposted February 26, 2021 with updated text.
These mini cake loaves are adorable Averie! Love the sound of the glaze too, it makes these extra extra special! Congrats on the release of your book today – can’t wait to pick one up:)
Thanks, Kelly! :)
I’m a big fan of pound cake; although, it has been quite a long time since I’ve had any. These look delicious and I love the sound apricot cream cheese glaze. Yum!
That glaze was SO good! I wanted to re-do it for these, but thought, well, I should use some variety :)
These are so adorable in the mini pans! I don’t make pound cake often, but every once in awhile it’s a very special treat and super easy to make.
and this is the easiest! like a 5 min batter and slap it in the pans. Too easy :)
Mini desserts are the cutest! I love pound cake, but it is always hard to get it cooked through without being dry – your mini ones sound perfect! I love the info about the crack in top of the loaf – so interesting!
And the cream cheese helps combat dryness!
Lovely photos Averie! This cake looks perfect & the texture heavenly!
It was blindingly bright when I took the pics. Cannot win sometimes; either super bright or not bright enough. And don’t know what you’re going to get til you load pics on the computer. Thanks for saying you like the photos!
These are adorable! I love your cute loaf dishes and the recipe sounds perfect with the cream cheese!
Congrats on the cookbook release today! This has got to be a very exciting day and I hope is awesome for you!
Thank you, Tieghan! Going to try to make it a fun day!
Wow that sounds awesome! Great job, definitely a must try :)
Happy Blogging!
Happy Valley Chow
Thanks!
And your comments keeping going into my spam folder because you put your URL in them. If you leave that off, it won’t happen anymore :) People can still click on your name/Happy Valley Chow and get to you, just actually writing it out in the comment is flagging it for spam.
Love love love the addition of cream cheese!!!!
These are beautiful!!!! Looks delicious as well!
I love using my mini loaf, tart and springform pans, and this little cake looks like the perfect canvas for different summer fruit toppings. Macerated strawberries sound especially good! Interesting about the crack on top of a great loaf–I always like those best but never knew why. I received another shipping notice from Amazon and your cookbook should be in my mailbox today…can’t wait to have a look!
Can’t wait for you to get it! I know some people already got theirs yesterday, so it should be there today!
Omg this looks amazing! I LOVE pound cake. When I was little my mom would make it as a snack for me haha! ;) Love the idea of vanilla frosting too.
This recipe is perfect for you since you probably don’t need a big cake – two little mini cakes and that’s that! :)
These are cute! Pound cake is not my favorite. My husband loves it. Our marriage is tough sometimes :)
Two little cakes will take you no time at all to make, and you’ll look like a hero and they’re small and just for him and you can move onto to bigger and better things for yourself!
I need to invest in these mini pans…great price and so cute!
HOORAY for today! I’m expecting to come home from work to my copy hopefully, and I just can’t wait! What an exciting day that you’ll always treasure! xoxo
Can’t wait for you to get it! I know some people already got theirs yesterday, so it should be there today! Thank you for your enthusiasm and heartfelt excitement. I can literally feel it – thank you! :)
I love the little cake pans…very cute…I’ve never really been a pound cake fan because homemade is usually dense and dry and store bought crumbles under strawberries, yours looks sturdy but moist..I’ll have to try making it.
Terrific idea to bake Cream Cheese Pound Cakes as mini loaves! So rich and so wonderful, but you don’t need much. So ideal for a small Strawberry Shortcake, too. Beautiful little loaves of cake, Averie!
Someone on ebay is using your picture and selling a recipe for cookie butter (your recipe too I suppose). Is it your ad? Cause I mean, you already have the recipe here most likely :)
https://www.ebay.com/itm/HOW-TO-MAKE-HOMEMADE-COOKIE-BUTTER-PEANUT-BUTTER-BISCOFF-QUALITY-10-MINUTE-EASY-/251276294840?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3a813bfab8
Thank you for telling me. It’s very sad to me that someone is selling my recipes, for profit, on ebay. I was unaware and will contact ebay and file a complaint. Thank you for LMK. Unfortunately this happens frequently. Thanks for the heads up and looking out for me. I appreciate it.
No problem! I hate to see people stealing from others and gain a profit from it! I was just ebaying peanut butter or biscoff and there it was. Felt like my duty to tell you because I love your blog and your creations!
Thank you so much for keeping an eye out and telling me :)