Cheesecake Filled Pound Cake with Strawberry Jam – Recipe

I decided it was time to bake a coffee cake, and while flipping through one of my favorite resources—The Perfect Cake—a particular recipe caught my eye. But as usual, I didn’t stick to the script. For me, cookbooks are more of a launching pad than a rulebook, and by the time I’m done, the final creation often looks quite different from the original. This time, the result was a rich, cheesecake-filled pound cake swirled with strawberry jam—a delicious twist born from a little inspiration and a lot of improvisation.

It was really yummy!

Cheesecake Filled Pound Cake with Strawberry Jam

Serves 12

For the Topping

• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp grated lemon zest
• 1/2 cup sliced almonds

For the Cake

• 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
• 1 1/8 tsp baking powder
• 1 1/8 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 10 TBS unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into pieces
• 1 1/8 cups plus 5 TBS granulated sugar, divided
• 1 TBS grated lemon zest
• 4 tsp fresh lemon juice
• 4 large eggs
• 5 tsp vanilla, divided
• 1 1/4 cups sour cream
• 8 oz cream cheese
• 1/4 cup strawberry jam

• Set rack to middle of oven and preheat to 350°
• Spray a 16 cup angel food cake pan with cooking spray

Make the topping

• mix the lemon zest and sugar together and then add the almonds. Set aside

Make the Cake

• whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl. Set aside
• the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attached cream the butter, lemon zest, and sugar on high until light and creamy. About 4 minutes
• Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each one.
• Add 4 tsp of the vanilla and combine
• Turn to low and add the flour in three additions and the sour cream in two, alternating between the two until the batter just comes together.
• Remove the paddle and give a good stir to make sure everything is mixed.
• Set aside 1 1/4 cups of batter in a small bowl.

• Carefully spread the remaining batter in the prepared pan
• Return the bowl to the mixer and reattach the paddle
• Add the cream cheese, lemon juice, 1 tsp vanilla and remaining 5 TBS of sugar and beat on medium until smooth and slightly lightened
• add 1/4 cup of the reserved batter and mix until combined

• Spoon the cheesecake mixture evenly over the center of the batter.

• Top the cheesecake mixture with the 1/4 cup of strawberry jam.

• Use a butter knife to swirl

• Take the remaining cup of batter and distribute it evenly over the top of the cheesecake and jam and carefully spread to cover.

• Gently drop the pan a couple of times on the counter to release air bubbles

• Sprinkle the topping evenly over the batter
• Bake in the preheated oven for 45 – 50 minutes. The top will be golden brown.
• Tap pan on counter again a couple of time. Top may sink a little
• Cool in pan on wire rack for one hour, then remove to cool completely

• Dust with confectioner’s sugar if desired before serving

How Was the Cheesecake Filled Pound Cake with Strawberry Jam?

There was no way this cake was going to be anything other than seriously yummy. I mean we have pound cake, we have cheesecake, and we have strawberry jam. The only thing I would change at all is that I believe walnuts would taste better than almonds but that is a minor complaint.

This was one seriously delicious coffee cake. I initially reached for apricot jam, but since I had more strawberry on hand, that’s what I used—and it turned out beautifully. You can easily swap in any jam you like, just be sure to use jam, not jelly, for the best texture and flavor.