Pound Cake Is Even Better With A Savory Ingredient In The Batter

Originally containing a pound of each of its four basic ingredients, pound cake is a classic dessert loaf that is decadently dense and moist, thanks to a large proportion of butter. Now you can find countless popular flavors like a chocolate and vanilla marble pound cake or this lemon-glazed pound cake recipe. However, cheddar cheese is a savory ingredient that'll make your pound cake a delicious novelty.

Cheddar cheese is a popular addition to other dense, quick-rising types of bread like cornbread or this loaded cornbread casserole. Its sharp flavor will bring a bold complement to the sweetness and richness of pound cake or even convert a classic dessert into a savory side dish. Cheddar will melt seamlessly into the cake as it bakes, creating gooey, melted pockets that'll bring its already mouth-watering texture to new heights. You can also melt the cheddar into a creamy wet mixture to stir into the batter for a cheese-flavored cake. Cheddar cheese will also create a crispy, toasted crust if you sprinkle a generous portion of shreds over the top of the loaf at the tail end of its stint in the oven. Not only are there various ways to incorporate cheddar into a pound cake, but its unique flavor also opens up the door for other fix-ins, glazes, and toppings.

Cheese may be the ultimate savory ingredient, but its creamy rich flavors and textures can be channeled in sweet directions. In fact, soft cheeses like ricotta and cream cheese have become stars of their own cakes and tarts. We've even attested to cream cheese as a worthy upgrade to pound cake recipes. You could thus incorporate cheddar cheese and heavy cream into a cream cheese pound cake for an elegantly savory finish. Cheese plates are often offered on dessert menus at French restaurants, accompanied by sweet, fresh, and dried fruits. In the Northeast and Midwest, it's common to see cheddar melted over a slice of fresh apple pie. So, you could reverse the concept by serving cheddar pound cake topped with green apple compote. Cheddar also pairs well with blackberries. So, you could swirl blackberry preserves into a cheddar pound cake.

Add shredded cheddar to a corn pound cake with whole kernels of sweet, yellow corn. You can turn a corn pound cake even more savory by adding freshly chopped jalapeños to the batter. For more savory cheddar pound cake ideas, you could pair cheddar with other cheeses like Parmesan and ricotta, spiking the batter with rosemary and Italian herbs. Top a savory, cheesy cornbread with sautéed baby portobello mushrooms or sun-dried tomatoes for a delicious vegetarian dinner. For a comforting Southern twist, blend buttermilk into cheddar cheese sauce for your pound cake batter, along with scallions and diced bacon.