Cream Cheese

Extremely plush, fine-crumbed, and dare-we-say moist, this is like the best wedding cake—and you mix it entirely by hand.

From the always-sunny brain of Flour Shop’s Amirah Kassem, this colorful, festive cake with a surprise filling is about as celebratory as it gets.

This cheesecake has a vanilla pound cake base, because why the hell not? You bake the cheesecake first, then the pound cake on top, and flip the whole thing over before decorating and serving. Room temperature eggs, cream cheese, and butter are vital to an evenly mixed cheesecake and fluffy pound cake. If you’re in a hurry, place the eggs in a bowl of hot tap water and zap the butter and cream cheese in the microwave in 10-second increments to quickly warm them up.

The secret to the fudgiest, most chocolaty brownies is cocoa powder—not melted chocolate. We borrowed chocolate expert Alice Medrich’s technique, then added a cream cheese topping for tangy balance. Don’t overthink your camo design; the brownies will look even better when sliced.

There’s something about that recipe that made it number one…or is it something else?

The most casual-cool carrot cake of all time.

Serving this creamy, delicious dip in a bread bowl is not mandatory, but we highly recommended going for it.

This is the anti-cheesecake, and it’s all we’ve ever wanted.

These bright, sweet-tart beauties are the perfect addition to the typical cookie plate.

If we had to give this toast a bunch of random personality traits, we’d describe it as a rule-breaking hothead with a softer side.

All the flavored cream cheese devotees out there, this one's for you.

Meet your new favorite birthday cake.

An easy, cheesy dip you can serve this with pretzels, your favorite kind of crackers, or a platter of crudités.

This stuff is crazy good.

If what you really want is a delicious clam dip that comes together in less than 15 minutes, this recipe is for you.

Keep a log stashed in your freezer AT ALL TIMES.

With a gingersnap cookie crust!

Cheesy. Crispy. Make-ahead. These slice-and-bake cheddar crackers are the easiest, tastiest way to kick off cocktail hour.

Okay, this is actually a cheesecake, but it’s so creamy and light that you won’t care what it’s called, you’ll just ask for more. 

You may be able to find pre-made everything spice in the grocery store for these palmiers. If not, it’s easy enough to make. Double the recipe and keep it around for topping plain yogurt.

When great dips get together, it’s magic. This recipe boasts all the beauty of a creamy onion dip with the irresistible appeal of queso.

Earthy, nutrient-rich whole grain flours give this classic banana loaf cake recipe some added personality.

This recipe is a showstopping and grown-up version of everyone’s favorite party snack—the 7-layer dip.

Cupcakes are kid stuff, right? That’s why we chose to use chocolates on the sweet end of the spectrum. If you’re baking for a more mature crowd, sub bittersweet or semisweet instead. This recipe goes well with our Devil's Food cupcakes. Or, head this way for classic cream cheese frosting.