Philadelphia Cream Cheese Bread Cake
Bake a tender bread cake enriched with Philadelphia cream cheese, perfect for breakfast or dessert, using simple ingredients and easy steps.
The “pain-gâteau au Philadelphia” is a sweet, loaf-style cake that bridges the gap between brioche and pound cake by incorporating cream cheese directly into the batter. Prepared with everyday baking staples—wheat flour, eggs, sugar, butter, milk, and a touch of baking powder—its defining ingredient, Philadelphia cream cheese, yields a crumb that is exceptionally moist and delicately tangy. Baked in a loaf tin and sliced like bread, this versatile treat is typically enjoyed at breakfast, for an afternoon goûter, or as a simple dessert alongside coffee or tea.
Philadelphia Cream Cheese Bread Cake
Ready in roughly 10 minutes of hands-on time, this one-bowl batter is perfect for last-minute baking sessions. The neutral base welcomes add-ins like chocolate chips, berries, or citrus zest, so you can customize a fresh loaf with whatever’s already in your pantry.
Prep Time
20 minutes
20 minutes
Cook Time
45 minutes
45 minutes
Total Time
65 minutes
65 minutes
Ingredients
Philadelphia cream cheese 150 g
- All-purpose flour 200 g
- Granulated sugar 100 g
- Eggs 2 large
- Whole milk 10 cl
- Unsalted butter, melted 40 g
- Baking powder 1 packet (≈11 g)
- Vanilla sugar 1 sachet (≈7.5 g)
- Fine salt 1 pinch
- Optional additions that work well: finely grated zest of ½ lemon; a small handful of chocolate chips or raisins for extra flavour and texture.
Method
Preheat the oven to 180 °C
- Butter a loaf pan
- Dust the buttered pan with flour
- Place the cream cheese in a mixing bowl
- Stir the cream cheese until smooth
- Add the sugar to the cream cheese and mix until blended
- Sprinkle in the salt and mix again
- Crack one egg into the bowl and whisk until incorporated
- Crack the second egg into the bowl and whisk until incorporated
- Crack the third egg into the bowl and whisk until incorporated
- Sift the flour and baking powder together into a separate bowl
- Tip the sifted dry ingredients onto the wet mixture
- Fold until the flour is almost absorbed
- Pour in the milk
- Stir just until a homogeneous batter forms
- Scrape the batter into the prepared loaf pan
- Smooth the surface with a spatula
- Place the pan on the middle rack of the oven
- Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean
- Remove the pan from the oven and set it on a wire rack
- Let the cake cool for 10 minutes in the pan
- Turn the cake out onto the rack
- Allow the cake to cool completely before slicing
Nutrition
Calories
2160 kcal Protein
46 g Fat
99 g Carbs
275 g Fiber
5 g Sugar
121 g
2160 kcal Protein
46 g Fat
99 g Carbs
275 g Fiber
5 g Sugar
121 g
Notes
Chef’s note: Bring the cream cheese and butter to room temperature so they blend without flecks—cold lumps create uneven pockets in the crumb. Just before sliding the tin into the oven, scatter a tablespoon of coarse demerara sugar over the batter for a thin, crackly crust. Any leftover slices reheat beautifully in a toaster; the edges caramelize and taste like cheesecake biscotti.
why this recipe
The Philadelphia cream cheese bread cake is the kind of comforting bake that instantly elevates an ordinary afternoon into something memorable; its velvety crumb owes everything to the cream cheese, which locks in moisture while lending a subtle tang that sets it apart from conventional loaf cakes. Easy to bring together in a single bowl, it strikes the perfect balance between lightness and richness, emerging from the oven with a delicate golden crust and an aroma that hints at vanilla-kissed decadence. Whether served plain with coffee or dressed up with seasonal fruit, each slice stays tender for days, making it as practical for weekday breakfasts as it is impressive for weekend brunch. In short, this is a fuss-free recipe that delivers bakery-level results, proving that a handful of everyday ingredients can create something quietly spectacular.
FAQs
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Frequently Asked Questions
The ingredient list calls for 2 eggs, yet the instructions mention adding a third egg—how many eggs does the recipe really require?
Use 2 large eggs, as stated in the ingredient list. The reference to a “third egg” in the method is a copy-editing error and can be ignored.
What can I use if I don’t have Philadelphia cream cheese—will low-fat or other soft cheeses work?
For the best texture, swap Philadelphia with any full-fat brick-style cream cheese or mascarpone in the same weight—both behave almost identically in the batter. Light or whipped cream cheese works, but the lower fat and higher moisture make the loaf slightly denser and less tender, so add an extra teaspoon of melted butter to compensate. Very soft cheeses like ricotta, fromage blanc, or cottage cheese need to be well-drained and blended smooth first; expect a more open, slightly coarser crumb.
How should I store leftover slices and how long will they stay fresh?
Once completely cool, wrap the loaf (or individual slices) tightly in plastic wrap and keep it in an airtight container at room temperature; it stays moist and flavorful for about 3 days. For longer storage, refrigerate it for up to 5 days or freeze well-wrapped slices for up to a month, thawing and briefly toasting them to revive the crumb.