Philly Fluff Cake

Named for the iconic cream cheese brand, the Philly fluff cake can be found at bakeries across the Northeast. Far less dense (and far more flavorful) than a traditional pound cake, the Philly fluff is known for its ethereally light, fluffy texture. The cake batter starts with a trifecta of fat—cream cheese, butter, and shortening—each playing an important role in the cake’s flavor and structure. The cream cheese gives the cake its signature tang; the butter adds richness and flavor; and the shortening is key to the cake’s light, springy, soft crumb.

The original Philly fluff cake was created by Harry Zipes, onetime of Bruce’s Bakery (named for Zipes’ son, Bruce) in Great Neck, Long Island. “My father, Harry, was constantly trying to make every item in his bakery just a little bit better,” Zipes writes in Bruce’s Bakery Cookbook, where he published the recipe for his father’s signature Philly fluff cake. “In this case, he took a basic pound cake and added extra cream cheese and lots of real butter.” Shortly after its introduction to the menu, the ultrarich Bundt cake—which also featured a chocolate ripple in the batter—became a best-seller. Its instant popularity prompted bakeries across the tri-state area to create their own versions. This recipe is inspired by the one at Natale’s Bakery in Summit, New Jersey, famous for their all-vanilla, tender-crumbed Philly fluffs. It keeps the original triple-enriched base but skips the chocolate swirl and bakes in a tube pan rather than a Bundt. Once cooled, the cake is inverted so the thicker ring faces up, providing more surface area for the generous layer of powdered sugar on top, a signature of many Philly fluff cakes.

This is one of those rare confections that only gets better with time: As the cake sits, its flavor concentrates and the crumb softens, making a slice just as enjoyable (if not more so) the next day. Eat it for breakfast, a snack, or dessert—it’s the ideal have-around-the-house cake.