Holiday Cream Cheese Pound Cake

By á-28774

Ingredients

• 4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, at room temperature
• 3 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 1/2 cups flour, sifted
• 3 eggs
• 1 teaspoon McCormick pure vanilla extract
• 25 drops McCormick green food coloring
• 1 frozen pound cake
• Cream cheese icing, candies, optional to garnish

Preparation

Step 1

1.Preheat oven to 325°. Grease a standard loaf pan (about 8 x 4); set aside.

2.Slice frozen pound cake into 3/4-inch slices. Cut two shapes from each slice using one (1 1/2- to 2-inch) cookie cutter; set aside.

3.Combine butter, oil and cream cheese in bowl. Beat at medium speed until well mixed; add sugar and beat for 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, till incorporated. Add vanilla and food coloring and mix till combined. Slowly add half the flour, scraping down the sides and mixing till just combined, then add the rest of the flour. Beat at low speed just until mixture is smooth.

4.Pour 1/3 cup batter into bottom of each prepared pan; smooth surface. Stand pound cake cut outs in center of each loaf pan, in single row, touching to form one long shape. Lightly press into batter. Pour rest of batter over cut outs, making sure to keep them centered. Spread batter over tops of cut outs.

5.Bake for approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes, but start checking cake for doneness after 1 hour. Cake is done when a tooth pick inserted into green cake comes out clean.

6.Allow to cool in pan on a wire rack for about 15 minutes, then remove and allow to finish cooling on rack.

7.Ice or garnish as desired.

8.Yield: 8-12 servings

9.Total time: 2 hours