This rich, dense cream cheese pound cake has a moist swirl of apple butter running through it for a wonderful fall treat!
1 pound (4 sticks) butter, room temperature
6 cups powdered sugar
1 1/2 packages (12 oz) cream cheese, room temperature
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
8 large eggs, room temperature
4 1/2 cups cake flour or White Lily All Purpose Flour
1/3 cup heavy cream, room temperature
1 1/2 cups (about one 17 oz jar) apple butter, room temperature
Preheat oven to 300F. Prepare Old Country Kitchenware square tube pan by brushing with pan coat (if using two piece pan, fit with a parchment paper square between the two pieces first). Beat butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer until pale, light and fluffy (about 6 minutes at medium speed). Add cream cheese, 1/2 cup flour, extract, salt, and baking powder, beat until combined. With the mixer running at low speed, add 1 egg and beat until fully incorporated. Repeat with each egg, beating well after each addition. Beat in remaining flour mixture in two additions, beating just until flour disappears. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl and beat for another 10 seconds. Separate about 2 cups of the batter and mix in apple butter. Beat heavy cream into the vanilla batter. Layer half the vanilla batter into prepared tube pan, then layer in apple batter. Top with remaining vanilla batter and gently shake to settle. Place on middle rack of oven with a baking sheet on the rack below it to catch any drips. Bake 2 hours 15 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean. Let cool until the pan is comfortable enough to handle. (If using two-piece pan, place it over a metal can and press down to remove the outer piece first). Transfer the cake to a wire rack in two steps: first, turn the cake up on its side, then invert fully. Let cool completely.
Creamy Frosting
2 cups powdered sugar
3-5 tbsp heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup apple chips
With an electric mixer, beat together powdered sugar and 3 tablespoons cream. Add more cream a tiny splash at a time until desired consistency. If a thicker icing is desired, add more powdered sugar, one tablespoon at a time. If a thinner icing is desired, add more liquid, one teaspoon at a time. Slowly spread over cake. Top with apple chips.
