This Lemon Pound Cake is made with fresh, squeezed lemon juice and zest for a cake that tastes like summer with every bite. If you love classic pound cake, you’ll be head over heels for this citrus-loaded version!
Got a sweet tooth? Satisify it with a slice of classic Southern Pound Cake, Million Dollar Pound Cake or rich Chocolate Pound Cake!
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When it comes to pound cake, my family is clear: their favorite is lemon. My recipe for lemon cake from scratch combines the deliciousness of Southern pound cake with a citrus kick, which my boys absolutely adore.
Why Everyone Loves This Cake
- It has a bright and refreshing flavor from fresh lemon juice and zest.
- With a moist and rich texture from butter and sour cream, it has a tender crumb that’s precisely what you look for in a pound cake.
- It’s simple to make and doesn’t require any fancy baking techniques.
- This pretty cake is nostalgic and brings back fond memories of family gatherings and holiday celebrations.
Lemon Pound Cake Recipe Ingredients
- Flour – All-purpose flour is the best to use for pound cake recipes.
- Baking Soda – Helps the cake rise to fluffy perfection.
- Salt – Always used in baking recipes to enhance flavor and texture.
- Butter – Using butter in cake recipes gives it richness, tenderness, and great structure.
- Granulated Sugar – Add the perfect amount of sweetness without being overbearing.
- Large Eggs – Use room temperature eggs to help hold everything together.
- Lemon Juice – The highlight of this pound cake is the lemon.
- Lemon Zest – Adding the zest helps enhance the lemon flavor.
- Sour Cream – Sour cream instead of milk results in a more moist and rich cake.
How To Make The Best Lemon Pound Cake
- STEP 1 – Using an electric mixer at low speed, beat butter in a large bowl at medium speed until fluffy. Gradually add sugar and beat for 5 minutes.
- STEP 2 – Add eggs 1 at a time, beating until combined after each egg is added. Beat in lemon juice and peel.
- STEP 3 – Sift flour, baking soda, and salt into a bowl. Place the four mixture in with the wet ingredients.
- STEP 4 – Fold in sour cream.
- STEP 5 – Pour the batter into the prepared pan – the batter will be thick.
- STEP 6 – Bake cake until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean, about 1 hour 20 minutes.
Lemon Cake With Glaze
I elevate Lemon Pound Cake to new heights of yumminess with a lusciously smooth lemon glaze.
Whisk together 1 cup of powdered sugar with 2-3 tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice until silky and pourable. Drizzle this tangy-sweet glaze generously over the cake, allowing it to drip down the sides.
Questions And Answers
Yes, you can. If you want to use a loaf pan, you will need 2, 9″x5″ loaf pans. If using a bundt pan, I recommend a 10 to 12-cup pan.
For the best flavor, I recommend using fresh lemon juice. Bottled lemon juice can have a more acidic and less vibrant taste, plus you’ll be missing the fresh zest, which adds a wonderful aroma and depth of flavor that bottled juice can’t match.
If you’re out of sour cream, you can use plain Greek yogurt as a substitute.
The best way to check if your pound cake is done is to insert a toothpick or a cake tester into the center of the cake. Your cake is ready if it comes out clean or with just a few crumbs attached.
Storing And Freezing Tips
Store the cake in an airtight container on the countertop. It will be good for up to about 4 days.
Lemon Pound Cake freezes beautifully. Make sure the cake has cooled completely, then wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, followed by a layer of aluminum foil. It can be frozen for up to 3 months. To serve, thaw it overnight in the refrigerator, then move it to the counter and let it come to room temperature.
More Lemon Dessert Ideas
If you tried this Lemon Pound Cake Recipe or any other recipe, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. Thanks!
Ingredients
- 3 cups flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter at room temp (2 sticks)
- 3 cups sugar
- 6 eggs at room temp
- ⅓ cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 ¼ tablespoons grated lemon zest
- 1 cup sour cream
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
- Grease tube or bundt pan. Dust pan with flour, then tap out excess.
- Sift flour, baking soda and salt into medium bowl, set aside.
- Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl at lot to medium speed until fluffy. Gradually add sugar and beat for 5 minutes.
- Add eggs 1 at a time, beating just until combined after each egg is added. Beat in lemon juice and zest.
- Using a rubber spatula, mix in dry ingredients. Mix in sour cream.
- Pour batter to prepared pan. ** The batter will be thick.
- Bake cake until tester inserted near center comes out clean, about 1 hour 20 minutes.
- Let cake cool in pan on rack 15 minutes then turn out cake onto a plate or cake stand.
- Carefully turn cake right side up on rack and cool completely.
- For an extra touch – drizzle glaze made of 1 cup confectioners sugar and 2-3 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice over cake.
Video
Notes
- If you want to use a loaf pan, you will need 2, 9″x5″ loaf pans. If using a bundt pan, I recommend a 10- to 12-cup pan.
- For the best flavor, I recommend using fresh lemon juice. Bottled lemon juice can have a more acidic and less vibrant taste, plus you’ll be missing the fresh zest, which adds a wonderful aroma and depth of flavor that bottled juice can’t match.
- Store the cake in an airtight container on the countertop. It will be good for up to 4 days.
- Lemon Pound Cake freezes beautifully. Make sure the cake has cooled completely, then wrap it tightly in plastic wrap followed by a layer of aluminum foil. It can be frozen for up to 3 months. To serve, thaw it overnight in the refrigerator, then remove it to the counter and let it come to room temperature.
Nutrition
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Danny Sapp
Very good
Aurora Magdalenski
So good, im very picky with any kind of cake, and this one is superb!10 stars!
Aurora, you are the sweetest!
Thank you for the inspiring comment.
XO,
~Donya
Glodia Thomas
Made this cake last night. Very easy recipe. I didn’t think it would that good, because the batter was not that tasty. But after it cooked! Amazing! Family enjoyed it. Will be adding to my recipe book. Thank you!
Gerald S Lee
Very good!
Sha
Wonderful recipe! My Southern Grandma always made her lemon pound cake every time we went to visit my dad’s side of the family. I add 1 tablespoon of light corn syrup to the glazes I make. Just saying
Ruth Dornstauder
So good! Made it in an angel food pan. Baked it for 15 minutes less than the recipe calls for.
Judith
One word, “Delicious”
Gerald
IF YOU DO NOT HAVE BBAKING SODA CAN YOU USE BAKING POWER