Orange Cream Cheese Pound Cake

This recipe was taken from JoyOfBaking and I've halved and  tweaked this recipe slightly by cutting down the sugar and adding orange juice to it.  I loved the texture of this cake which is so soft and light.  Wonderful for afternoon tea with a cuppa.


 Ingredients:  (all at room temperature)

195g plain flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

3 eggs - lightly beaten just to combine

170g butter 

115g cream cheese

200g caster sugar

1/2 tbsp vanilla extract

zest of 1 orange

1 tbsp orange juice

• Preheat oven to 160 degrees C.  
• Grease and line a loaf pan (23 x 13 x 7 cm).
• Sift flour, baking powder and baking soda together into a bowl.  
• In a medium bowl, with an electric mixer beat softened butter and cream cheese until smooth (about 2 minutes).  Add sugar in 3 additions; beating well after each addition.  Continue beating on medium-high speed until light and fluffy (about 5 minutes).
• Add in beaten eggs in 3 additions; mixing well (on low speed) after each addition.
• Add in vanilla extract and orange zest.  Beat to combine.
• Lastly, add in 1/3 of the flour and beat well  (on low speed).  Pour in orange juice.  Combine well.  Then beat in flour in another 2 additions, mixing well between each addition.  Do not over-beat or it might result in a tough cake. 
• Pour batter into the prepared pan.  Level the top.
• Bake in the centre of the oven for about 50 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean.
• Cool cake in the pan for 10 minutes.  Remove and let it cool on a rack.