When a recipe calls for cream what do they mean?

In baking, creaming is the first step in baking a cake, and the most important. Butter should be at room temperature, not melted. Beat the butter first in a large bowl, preferably with a wooden spoon, until it is creamy. Add the sugar gradually, and continue beating until the butter and sugar are fully combined with no lumps of butter showing. If done correctly, the mixture will be almost white.

Whole eggs are added next, one at a time with the mixture being beaten well after each addition. The hard part is done, and the rest of the batter should go together more quickly.