Try to resist this raspberry cheesecake poundcake recipe

Spring is here! That means new beginnings. For people some people that can mean new life, a new marriage, new home, car or job. Nature springs forth in many forms. The flowers bloom, the trees begin to bud and barbecue grills pop out. I love spring, especially when it rains. Thunderstorms remind me of my grandmother and how we would sit absolutely still and quiet during thunderstorms, because she believed noise attracted lightening (among other folk tales).

This month I wanted to try something different since I recently have conquered my long time nemesis — the poundcake. I had the hardest time making these consistently good until last month when I finally figured it out. Since then I have been trying many different add-ons, trying different versions of my pound cake at my bakery. Each one has been successful. A few I have tried are strawberry cream cheese, caramel apple and peach cobbler. Of course, I also have just topped it with my homemade caramel and just plain butter.

I’m a proud foodie. I’m not afraid to venture out and try new things, that’s why I add these items to my counter, in hopes that people will be encouraged to try new things (or rather, things that are new to them). That’s how I came up with the raspberry cheesecake version of poundcake. My favorite Danish pastry is raspberry cream cheese and blueberry buckle.

I think the dessert looks pretty enough for any occasion and for any time of the year. The Raspberry Cheesecake Poundcake is sure to attract attention on any table with bright red raspberries on top of a crispy crunchy outer layer of the cake, all drizzled in vanilla glaze.

I hope you will try this recipe as well as your own combinations of flavors because it is really delicious.

Now it’s time to roll up our sleeves, wash our hands and get started creating our very own version of Raspberry Cheesecake Poundcake.

Raspberry Cheesecake Poundcake

For the poundcake

5 sticks of butter, room temperature

3 cups sugar

6 eggs

3 cups cake flour

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 tablespoon of vanilla

For the cream cheese filling:

2 8 ounce-blocks of cream cheese

1/4 cup sugar

2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 egg

For the vanilla icing:

1 cup powdered sugar

1/4 cup heavy whipping cream

1 tablespoon of vanilla

For the raspberry filling:

1 can raspberry pie filling (use as much as you’d like but save 1/4 cup for glaze once baked)

Fresh raspberries for top of cake (optional)

Preheat over to 350 degrees.

For cheesecake filling: In a medium bowl, mix the 2 blocks of cream cheese, 1/4 cup sugar, 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream, 1 teaspoon vanilla and 1 egg.

For the vanilla icing: In a small bowl, whisk the 1 cup powdered sugar, 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream, 1 tablespoon of vanilla until smooth and creamy. The mixture should be thick but still fluid enough to drizzle. If you make it too thin, it won’t have the same visual effect and may cause the icing to pool in spots.

For the poundcake: In a large bowl mix on medium the room temperature butter for 2 minutes until creamy. Add 3 cups of sugar one cup at a time until well blended and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time allowing each one to mix into the batter well before adding the next.

In a separate bowl, mix the 3 cups cake flour, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon baking powder. Then add it to the wet ingredients one cup at a time, mixing well before adding another cup. (Do no over mix or the batter will be very dense after it is baked.) Once all the flour has been mixed in, take a spatula and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Fold in 1 tablespoon vanilla. The batter will appear stiff, but really it is just fluffy.

Spray 3 medium-size loaf pans with non-stick cooking spray.

Fill a pan 1/4 of the way with cake batter using a spatula or big spoon.

Next, spoon the raspberry pie filling in the middle of the batter (this helps it not stick to the sides so much making for easy cutting and serving) using a tablespoon. On top of the raspberry filling, spoon the cream cheese mixture until covered. (At this point you can choose to make swirl patterns through the layers or you can just leave it as is.) Top with cake batter up until the pan is 3/4 full. Repeat for each pan.

Bake poundcake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the middle is completely set. The top should be like a crispy cookie edge.

Remove loaf pans from oven and top with raspberry filling as desired. Cool on counter for at least 10 minutes.

Place fresh raspberries on top (or use remaining raspberry filling) and drizzle with vanilla icing.

Poundcake can be served warm or cold, just slice and enjoy.

Source: Adapted by Michelle Madden

Poundcake with cream cheese and raspberry filling. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)