Vanilla Cream Cheese Bundt Cake

Vanilla Cream Cheese Bundt Cake

Vanilla lovers are a much quieter by nature kinda folks. They don't need to constantly shout about their flavor passion like some chocolate lovers do. (Oops! Points finger at self.) This recipe is for them especially if they like the added richness and flavor that cream cheese brings to a cake batter.

I make a couple of fruitcakes during the Christmas season that use cream cheese in the batter and it's always those that my holiday guests seem to favor most. With that in mind, I reminded myself over the Christmas season to try a simple bundt cake using a variation of one of those delicious cake batters. If you are a cake batter bowl licker this one is for you too. The batter is so rich, creamy and absolutely luscious, you'll want to eat it by the spoonful.

This cake recipe can also be baked in two loaf pans if you don't have a bundt pan but it may be time to invest in one if you don't; this recipe baked up absolutely perfectly in my pan.

Cream together well:

• 1 ½ cups sugar
• 8 oz cream cheese (one standard Philadelphia brand block)
• 1 cup butter
• 3 tsp pure vanilla extract

Add, one at a time,

• 4 eggs

Sift together:

• 1 ¼ cups flour 
• 1 cup cake flour
• 1 ½ tsp baking powder

Gently fold dry ingredients into the creamed mixture until the flour is fully incorporated.

Bake in well greased and floured bundt pan or two parchment lined loaf pans at 325 degrees F for about 50-60 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack.Frost with Vanilla Cream Cheese Glaze.

Vanilla Cream Cheese Glaze

• 2cups icing sugar
• 4 ounces cream cheese (1/2 a standard Philadelphia brand block)
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 2-3 tsp milk

Beat all ingredients together very well in an electric mixer until very smooth. Add more or less milk to get the glaze to the proper consistency which should be relatively thick but not quite pourable. Spoon and swirl the glaze on top of the cake and let it drip down naturally.