Cold-Oven Cream Cheese Pound Cake

We were cutting a melon for our snack last evening, while craving for a good slice of cake instead and we got around reminiscing about those days when we wouldn't give a damn about what we ate. We were in Hyderabad for a year after we got married, it was a new place with not many friends. Once Manoj left for work my brand new oven was the best company I had on most days. I baked cakes or muffins every other day and while I loved sharing my bakes with my new neighbors, there were those rare occasions when I would finish an entire cake all by myself and then I would bake one more before Manoj got home. We always had cake at home and we never gave a thought to all the sugar, flour and butter we were having daily.

Ofcourse now its all I can think about as the side effects are a little too clearly visible around our waistlines. 

I eagerly wait for an opportunity to bake now, friends coming over or a party at Anushka's school or at work. I had baked this particular cake for a snack party at Anushka's school a while back and it was heavenly. The cream cheese imparts an amazing velvety texture to the cake and a little tanginess that's just perfect.

It's from one of my favorite books, Cake Keeper Cakes by Lauren Chattman. I googled the recipe before I tried it and it was a good thing too because I found a lot of  reviews that suggested reducing the sugar. I reduced it considerably and it was still sweet, but just the right amount.
Note:
I divided the cake batter among two loaf pans and there was not enough and thats the reason it baked flat. Its best to use a bundt pan, it rises beautifully and looks great.

Cold - Oven Cream Cheese Pound Cake

Ingredients:

3 cups cake flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

8 oz cream cheese, softened

1 1/2 cups sugar (original recipe calls for 2 1/2 cups)

6 eggs (room temperature)

1 tbs pure vanilla extract

1 1/2 tbs grated fresh ginger

1 tbs grated lemon zest

Method:

Adjust the oven rack to the lower-middle position. Grease a 12-cup bundt pan and dust with flour. Combine flour, baking powder and salt in a medium mixing bowl.
Combine the butter, cream cheese and sugar in a large mixing bowl and cream with an electric mixer on medium high speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl if necessary.
With the mixer on medium speed, add the eggs one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition. Beat in the vanilla, ginger and lemon zest.
Turn the mixer to low speed and add the flour mixture, 1/2 cup at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition. After the last addition, mix for 30 seconds on medium speed.
Place the cake in a cold oven. Turn the oven to 325F and bake, without opening the door, until the cake is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 65-80 minutes.
Cool the cake in the pan for 15 minutes, then invert it onto rack. Cool completely before slicing and serving.
Store uneaten cake in a cake keeper, or wrapped in plastic at room temperature for upto 3 days.

Note:
I divided the cake batter among two loaf pans and there was not enough and thats the reason it baked flat. Its best to use a bundt pan, it rises beautifully and looks great or use smaller loaf pans.