Peek-a-Boo Pound Cake with Raspberry Cream Cheese Frosting

Peek-a-Boo Pound Cake is a vanilla pound cake with surprise center and raspberry cream cheese frosting using real raspberries!

This Valentine’s Day cake is a fun and festive way to celebrate Valentine’s Day. This moist and delicious vanilla pound cake with raspberry cake cut outs will be a hit. Perfect for any Valentine’s Day party!

Let’s start off with a little bit of honesty. This is the third time I’ve attempted to make a Peek-a-Boo Pound Cake. All of the posts I have seen on “peek-a-boo cakes” swear it is “so simple” and “easy”.

The chemistry of this cake is not that elementary. So what are the hiccups and issues? I’ll show you how with my Peek-a-Boo Pound Cake with Raspberry Cream Cheese Frosting!

1. Cut-outs need to be frozen. If they aren’t, they overcook.
2. You need to cut the second batch of pound cake to 2/3’s. A full batch is too much.
3. The cooking time the second time around is considerably more, not less.
4. The top will undoubtedly have some imperfections, make sure you use some type of glaze or frosting to cover them up!

So here we go… let’s make a Valentine’s Day Peek-a-Boo Pound Cake with Raspberry Cream Cheese Frosting. I hope you will respect my honesty, but I really don’t want to mislead anyone.

After you’ve done it once, I promise it will get easier and then you can make them for any holiday or occasion.

Plus, making a peek-a-boo cake is a fun little way to add an element of surprise to your cakes. They’re all about fun!

It doesn’t just have to be a cake cut out shape on the inside of your cake, you can put different kinds of candies and chocolates in the middle! Peek-a-boo cakes are also great for gender reveal parties!

If you loved this pound cake recipe, check out these other easy cake recipes:

• Vanilla Pound Cake
• Lemon Yogurt Pound Cake
• Berry Buttermilk Pound Cake

If you are looking for even more dessert recipes, snag a copy of my Easy Dessert Recipes Mini-Cookbook. Available here for only $0.99, these easy dessert recipes are ready with less than 30 minutes hands-on time and are sure to please all your family friends. From no-bake to make-ahead, you are sure to find something you love!

Print Recipe

5 from 2 votes

Peek-a-Boo Pound Cake with Raspberry Cream Cheese Frosting

Peek-a-Boo Pound Cake is a vanilla pound cake with surprise center and raspberry cream cheese frosting using real raspberries!

Prep Time2 hrs

Cook Time1 hr

Total Time3 hrs

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: peek-a-boo cake, Valentine's Day cake

Servings: 12

Calories: 956kcal

Author: Jessica Formicola

Ingredients

Raspberry Cut-Out Cake

• 2 1/4 cups sugar
• 1 1/2 cups butter room temperature
• 1 tablespoon raspberry extract
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 6 large eggs room temperature
• Red gel food coloring amounts will vary depending on what color you are trying to achieve
• 3 cups cake flour
• Cooking Spray

Vanilla Cake

• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 cup butter room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 4 large eggs room temperature
• 2 cups cake flour

Frosting

• 1/4 cup cream cheese room temperature
• 1/4 cup butter room temperature
• 1 cup fresh or frozen raspberries thawed
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2-3 cups powdered sugar

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees and coat a 9-inch bread pan with cooking spray. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a large mixing bowl using an electronic hand mixer, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
• Add raspberry extract, red food coloring, salt and eggs. Continue to add red food coloring gel until you reach your desired color. Blend well, batter may be slightly lumpy. Gradually add flour until smooth. Continue to beat for approximately 2 minutes.
• Pour into bread pan and bake for 60-70 minutes, or until it passes the toothpick test. Remove and allow to cool for 10-15 minutes before removing from pan.
• Measure the depth of your cookie cutter (preferably 2 inches tall). Cut cake into slices equal to the depth of your cookie cutter. Cut each slice and place cut-outs into an airtight plastic bag. Freeze for a minimum of 4 hours or overnight.
• 
• When you are ready to make the rest of the cake, preheat the oven to 325 degrees again. Follow the same directions for preparing the batter, but use the second set of ingredients listed and no food coloring.
• Coat your 9-inch bread pan with cooking spray and spoon enough vanilla pound cake batter into the bottom to cover. Remove frozen cut-out's from the freezer. Line down the center of the pan, securing in the layer of batter and fitting snugly together. Spoon remaining batter around cut-out's and over top.
• 
• Place into the oven and bake for 50-70 minutes. This is where times may vary greatly depending on many variables; the size of the frozen cut-outs, oven and how much batter you have surrounding. Keep a watchful eye starting at 50 minutes and continue to bake until cake passes the toothpick test. If the top starts to brown, cover loosely with a piece of aluminum foil.
• Remove from oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes before loosening from pan. Cool fully before frosting.
• When you are ready to frost, blend together cream cheese and butter. Add raspberries and vanilla extract. Slowly add powdered sugar until frosting is a spoon-able consistency. It took me closer to 3 cups. This all depends on how much water your raspberries are holding on to. Frozen will require more than fresh.
• Frost and serve immediately and enjoy your Valentines Day Peek-a-Boo Pound Cake with Raspberry Cream Cheese Frosting!
• If you've made this recipe, come back and let us know how it was! 

Nutrition

Calories: 956kcal | Carbohydrates: 122g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 48g | Saturated Fat: 28g | Cholesterol: 253mg | Sodium: 634mg | Potassium: 135mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 82g | Vitamin A: 1560IU | Vitamin C: 2.6mg | Calcium: 48mg | Iron: 1.2mg