Cream Cheese Pound Cake

Pound cake got its name from the original formulation: a pound each of sugar, flour, butter and eggs. Just the thought of it is enough to raise your cholesterol. Our version calls for half whole-wheat flour, less sugar, a modest amount of butter and loses quite a few egg yolks. To keep it rich we moisten the cake with reduced-fat cream cheese and buttermilk. It is every bit as delicious as the original, with only a third of the calories and fat.


Ingredients


1 1/2 cups whole-wheat pastry flour, (see Ingredient Note)

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 large eggs

1/2 cup nonfat buttermilk, (see Tip)

1/3 cup canola oil

2 tablespoons light corn syrup

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

6 large egg whites

2 cups sugar, divided

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened

8 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese, (Neufchâtel)
 
Preparation


1.Preheat oven to 325°F. Coat a 12-cup Bundt pan with cooking spray and dust with flour.

2.Whisk whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk whole eggs, buttermilk, oil, corn syrup and vanilla in another medium bowl until well blended.

3.Beat egg whites in a large clean bowl with an electric mixer on high speed until light and foamy. Gradually beat in 1/2 cup sugar until stiff glossy peaks form.

4.Beat butter and cream cheese in a large bowl until creamy. Add the remaining 1 1/2 cups sugar and beat, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed, until pale and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Alternately add the flour and buttermilk mixtures, beating until just smooth. Fold in about one-third of the egg whites with a rubber spatula until just smooth and no white streaks remain. Fold in the remaining egg whites. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan, spreading evenly.

5.Bake the cake until a skewer inserted into it comes out clean and the top springs back when touched, 1 hour to 1 hour 10 minutes. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Loosen the edges with a knife and turn out onto the rack; let cool for at least 1 hour more before slicing.

Tips & Notes

Make Ahead Tip: Wrap and store at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 1 month.
Equipment: 12-cup Bundt pan

Ingredient Note: Whole-wheat pastry flour, lower in protein than regular whole-wheat flour, has less gluten-forming potential, making it a better choice for tender baked goods. You can find it in the natural-foods section of large super markets and natural-foods stores. Store in the freezer.

Tip: No buttermilk? You can use buttermilk powder prepared according to package directions. Or make “sour milk”: mix 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar to 1 cup milk.

Nutrition

Per serving: 261 calories; 12 g fat (5 g sat, 3 g mono); 52 mg cholesterol; 35 g carbohydrates; 5 g protein; 1 g fiber; 167 mg sodium; 73 mg potassium.



2 Carbohydrate Serving



Exchanges: 2 other carbohydrate, 2 fat