The Cake Recipe Everyone Needs

Have people been making fun of your baking skills? Then this is the cake for you. Even if you're a decent baker, grab this recipe and stash it away. It's everything a basic cake should be. Perfect for family gatherings and pot lucks. Ideal for breakfast (ooh, with a little jam?), brunches, afternoon tea, and dessert.

It's the most basic cake you can imagine. And it's delicious plain. But it lends itself to all kinds of dressed up toppings. Powdered sugar, a milk and sugar drizzle, caramel pecan, chocolate, cream cheese, or even ice cream or fruit on the side.

I'm not quite sure how it happened, but I had six bars of cream cheese in my fridge. I suspect a cheesecake will have to be baked. But first, I used one of them in this Bundt cake. The crumb of the cake is perfect. It cuts beautifully and tastes wonderful.

Now I can hear some of you groaning. One and a half sticks of butter? Has she lost her mind? Nope. Look at it this way, one stick of butter, two eggs, one cup flour. That doesn't sound quite so unreasonable does it? This is a Bundt cake. It's a big girl.

Check the cake with a cake tester after one hour. Mine wasn't done. It took exactly one hour and thirteen minutes. You don't want to over-bake it because it will get dry. So be sure to check it with a cake tester at the 60 to 70 minute mark.

And be sure you bake it at 325! Not 350.


Cream Cheese Pound Cake Bundt Cake

1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 cups unsalted butter (3 sticks), softened, plus extra for pan
6 eggs, room temperature
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
pinch of salt
2 3/4 cups sugar + extra for pan
2 teaspoons vanilla (delicious even if you omit the vanilla)

Take the cream cheese, butter, and eggs out of the fridge to soften and come to room temperature.

Preheat the oven to 325. Butter the Bundt pan well. Sprinkle with sugar as you would flour, all the way around the pan so it won't stick.

Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl and mix well with a fork to combine.

Cream the cream cheese and butter together. Add the sugar and cream until very well combined. Add the eggs, beating after each one. Add the vanilla and beat. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture about half a cup at a time. Beat briefly to be sure everything is combined.

Spoon into the Bundt pan. When it has all been added, smooth the top. Bake for 65 to 70 minutes. Check with a cake tester to be sure it's done.

Let it rest for about ten minutes. Loosen the edges gently with a knife and flip onto a cooling rack. Allow to cool before adding any toppings.

Butter and sugar the pan.

Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt.

Makes a nice thick batter.

Smooth the top before baking.