Home > Holidays > Cream Cheese Pound Cake with a Red Velvet Heart Center Cream Cheese Pound Cake with a Red Velvet Heart Center January 18, 2014 | 49 Comments SAVE TO RECIPE BOX Jump to Recipe This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy. This delicious Cream Cheese Pound Cake is stuffed with red velvet cake hearts and then coated with a creamy sugared glaze. Presenting Valentine’s Treat NUMBER THREE! So far we’ve had lovebirds in a nest and a white chocolate snack mix. And today is one of my favorites! I know you are probably thinking I have lots of favorites. And you are completely right! But seriously, how fun is this cake?! This cake is far easier than it looks. It takes a bit of time to bake, but it takes seconds to assemble. Okay, maybe more than seconds, but not too much! Oh, and want to hear the great news? After cutting out the hearts, there is PLENTY of red velvet cake left over. I pretty much loved that part of the recipe. Here I was in my kitchen cutting out hearts, eating the crusts (the best part!) of the cake, and then eating everything else that wasn’t a part of the heart cutout. And then I had the idea to save the red velvet cake to make cake pops with! That idea was both great and sad. Great, because HELLO, red velvet cake pops = amazing. But sad because, well, that meant I needed to stop eating shoveling the leftover cake down. So do what makes you happiest: nibble all the leftover cake, or save your leftover red velvet cake and any extra hearts that this cake makes to use for adorable cake pops! 🙂 Anyway, after the hearts are cut out of the cake, you just stick them inside the pound cake batter and bake. Make sure to pack the hearts close together and super tight, or else the other pound cake batter will seep in and you won’t have the greatest heart center. I was able to get two hearts per slice of the red velvet cake and had a lot more hearts than fit in the cake. Save those hearts for heart cake pops or crumble them with the rest of the leftover cake for regular cake pops. When the cake is finished and cooling, it’s time to whip up the glaze and before you know it, this cake is ready to wrap up and gift away. Or just eat away! Ingredients in Cream Cheese Pound Cake This delicious and impressive-looking Cream Cheese Pound Cake has three components: the pound cake itself, as well as red velvet cake, and a glaze. The pound cake: This is a classic, rich cake, made in a loaf pan. Since there aren’t many ingredients used, quality really matters! Use top-notch ingredients for superior results! The ingredients include: Cream cheese: For best results, use fully softened, full-fat cream cheese. Set the cream cheese out on a counter for at least an hour before using, so that it will mix smoothly and evenly. Failure to do so will result in a lumpy, disappointing batter. If you do forget to soften the cream cheese, you can microwave it to speed up the softening process. Remove the wrapper, cut into cubes, and microwave on defrost, removing and checking every 20 seconds. Don’t overdo this; melted cream cheese is not what we’re after! This recipe is not a good candidate for low-fat products, and that applies to the cream cheese. Use the regular, full-fat type, not light or fat-free. And definitely don’t use whipped cream cheese! It has air whipped into it and when baked, it will cause all sorts of issues. Butter: The butter also needs to be softened before mixing. Follow the directions for the cream cheese softening process. Real butter (not margarine or oil blends) makes a big difference in this recipe. Sugar: White sugar blends beautifully with the butter and cream cheese. Brown sugar works, but the flavor and appearance will reflect the darker sweetener. Eggs: Always use room-temperature eggs. They’ll blend more evenly into the batter. Remove them from the fridge an hour before use, or float them in some water for 10 minutes, Flour: The most important measurement is the flour. If you press a measuring cup into a bag of flour, you will pack in way too much flour, which add too much density to this cake. Spoon the flour into a measuring cup and level the top with the back of a table knife. Vanilla and salt: It’s the little things that make a difference in a recipe. Salt may seem out of place, but it helps enhance the flavors. And vanilla is a magical, though subtle thing. You may not taste it, but it plays a huge role! More ingredients: The red velvet cake: Pick up your favorite brand of red velvet cake mix and prepare according to the directions. Most mixes require water, eggs, and oil. Since it needs to be fully cool before using, you may want to fix it in advance–even the day before! Glaze: A glaze is a type of icing, but it’s thinner. Much of it soaks into the cake, and what’s left adds that extra little touch of sweetness. Powdered sugar: Lumps will ruin the glaze, so sifting the powdered sugar before measuring is a smart idea. Heavy cream: Don’t swap out milk for the cream. It really makes a huge difference to the texture of the glaze. Vanilla: Once again, vanilla adds a subtle flavor that you’ll miss if it’s not there! Butter: You’ll only need a tiny bit, and it needs to be softened in order to mix in smoothly. If you take the half teaspoon you need and let it stand at room temperature for just a few minutes, it’ll be ready. More fun Valentine’s Day Recipes: Easy Valentine’s Treats Valentine’s Day Oreos Easy Valentine’s Gifts {free printables} Mini Cheesecakes with strawberry sauce Easy Valentine’s Gifts part 2 {free printables} FOLLOW ALONG! Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for the latest updates, recipes and content. Cream Cheese Pound Cake with a Red Velvet Heart Center 4.84 from 6 votes - Review this recipe This delicious Cream Cheese Pound Cake is stuffed with red velvet cake hearts and then coated with a creamy sugared glaze. SAVE TO RECIPE BOX Print Recipe Cream Cheese Pound Cake with a Red Velvet Heart Center 4.84 from 6 votes - Review this recipe SAVE TO RECIPE BOX Print Recipe This delicious Cream Cheese Pound Cake is stuffed with red velvet cake hearts and then coated with a creamy sugared glaze. Course Dessert Cuisine American Keyword Cream Cheese Pound Cake Servings 10 Chelsea Lords Calories 580kcal Author Chelsea Lords IngredientsHeart Layer▢ 1 package (14.5 ounces) Red Velvet Cake Mix + ingredients that go with the mixPound Cake Layer▢ 4 ounces cream cheese softened, use full-fat▢ ¾ cup (12 tablespoons) salted butter softened▢ 1 ½ cup white sugar▢ 3 large eggs at room temperature▢ ½ teaspoon vanilla extract▢ 1 ½ cup white flour▢ ½ teaspoon salt depending on preferenceGlaze *▢ ¾ cup powdered sugar▢ 2 teaspoons heavy cream▢ ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract or less depending on taste preference▢ ½ teaspoon butter melted InstructionsPREP: Prepare the red velvet cake according to package instructions. Bake in a well-greased and floured bread loaf pan.COOL: Let cool for about 10 minutes and then remove from pan.SLICE: Cut into slices and let slices continue to cool while you prepare the next layer.MIX: In a large bowl, combine the cream cheese and butter. Using a hand mixer, beat for about 2 minutes or until soft and creamy.ADD: Add in the sugar and eggs and continue to beat.SIFT: Sift the flour and salt in another small bowl and then slowly mix in with the wet ingredients. Continue to beat and add in vanilla extract.PREHEAT: Set aside and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.CUT: Using a cookie cutter, cut out hearts in the sliced red velvet cake.PREP: Grease and flour the bread pan very well.ARRANGE: Pour a bit of the pound cake layer into the bottom of the pan and then stand the red velvet heart pieces from the back of the pan to the front. Pack the hearts in tightly so cake can't seep between the layers.POUR: Pour the remaining pound cake on top so that all the hearts should be completely covered.BAKE: Bake for about 60-90 minutes or until a toothpick (stuck in only the pound cake layer) comes out clean. This time variance is so large because of altitude differences.TENT: Watch the cake and make sure the top and sides aren't burning. If they seem to be browning too quickly, cover with a tin foil tent,LCOOL: et the cake cool for about 10-15 minutes and then remove onto a large plate or platter.GLAZE: While the cake is cooling, whisk together the powdered sugar and heavy cream. Add in vanilla extract and melted butter to meet your taste preferences.SPOON: Spoon the glaze over the cake and let the glaze drip down the sides.SLICE: Using the cookie cutter as a guide for how thick your pieces should be cut, cut and serve. Nutrition FactsCalories: 580kcal | Carbohydrates: 83g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 100mg | Sodium: 615mg | Potassium: 191mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 55g | Vitamin A: 689IU | Vitamin C: 0.01mg | Calcium: 86mg | Iron: 3mg We do our best to provide accurate nutritional analysis for our recipes. Our nutritional data is calculated using a third-party algorithm and may vary, based on individual cooking styles, measurements, and ingredient sizes. Please use this information for comparison purposes and consult a health professional for nutrition guidance as needed. DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE? I love hearing from you when you've made one of my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @ChelseasMessyApron or leave me a comment below.
Ummm why is everything SO CUTE! I love love love pound cake….especially when it’s made with love in the batter. Cheesy? Yes. Necessary? Yes. Love this girl! Reply
So so fun! And quite cute : ) Plus, I’m a massive red velvet fan so this sounds awesome! I definitely wouldn’t mind snacking on the leftover bites of red velvet! lol Reply
Love this! So pretty; I’m going to have to try. It might be the perfect Valentine project for my girls cooking group 🙂 Love your pictures. Reply
Thanks so much Melissa! You’ll have to let me know if you try it out 🙂 and a girls cooking group sounds like a total blast! Reply
I totally love this idea Chelsea! You need to copyright this; so unique and cute! I can’t wait to start putting up Valentine’s Day treats – they are so fun to do! Reply
Love how cute this looks Chelsea, it’s perfect for Valentine’s Day:) Anybody would be thrilled to find a red velvet heart hidden inside this cake! Love this:) Reply
This is so adorable! The red velvet heart is such a sweet surprise. I just want to say “awww….” non-stop looking at this. : ) Reply
I don’t eat red velvet cake because of the unhealthy chemicals in the food coloring, but your cake is SO adorable! Found you through the Two Cup Tuesday party! Reply
I love pound cake but I am obsessed with red velvet cake 🙂 cool idea! check out my red velvet cake! http://michaelswoodcraft.wordpress.com/2013/10/25/red-velvet-cake/ Michael 😉 Reply
Wow I tried this cake today and it turned out really nice. The only thing was that I guess I put a bit too much cake before I put the hearts layer, that’s why the hearts came quite up – they were still inside the cake though, but right under the edge.. 🙂 anyways, loved the recipe! Reply
Thanks so much for taking the time to comment Aslihan! So glad you tried it and enjoyed it! Haha, I think I did the same thing, because my hearts are pretty high up on the cake too! 🙂 Have a great day! Reply
Chelsea, this has got to be the cutest pound cake I have ever seen! Seriously gorgeous. I’m so happy you brought this red velvet greatness to the SSS party this past week! Have a great Friday night! Pinning and sharing on FB. (= Reply
Thank you so much Gloria! I saw it on facebook, thanks so much for sharing and for the pin 🙂 I hope you have a wonderful weekend! Reply
This is PERFECT for Valentine’s Day, Chelsea….I love homemade pound cake and your additions make it even better!! Reply
Made this cake last night! I didn’t realize it would take so long to bake the red velvet part, so i was up later than expected and got to tired to put on the glaze. I added the glaze this morning and put it in the oven for a few minutes and it looks great! Thanks for posting! Reply
Made this tonight for Canada Day! I find cakes from boxed cake mixes tend to be crumbly though. I even tried freezing the red velvet cake before cutting out the shapes but they didn’t stay together very well. I suppose it’s because the maple leaf is very detailed as opposed to a simple shape like a heart or circle etc. However, the pound cake itself was moist and very delicious and pairs with the red velvet really well! Reply
Yes they definitely can be crumbly especially with more intricate designs like a maple leaf. Hopefully the shape was still clear for you though 🙂 And so glad that you enjoyed the flavor of the cake! Thank you Tracy! Reply
I’m not understanding the directions. Sounds like I’m supposed to cook my bundt cake in the floured and greased pan! What direction should the hearts be laid? I’m confused. Lovely idea. Reply
Hi Chelsea! We made this last night and it came out so delicious! Was wondering if we could do this with another cake mix instead of red velvet? The kids and husband aren’t too fond of red velvet. Can we possibly another cake mix and dye it a different color? Thanks for your great recipes!!!! This one was definitely a treat! Reply
That should work great! Just make sure you’re using the same amount since cake mixes can vary in size! 🙂 Reply
