5 Star Reader Comment
We’ve made this several times and shared the recipe as well. This is definitely the best lemon pound cake!! Freezes great!
Lynn
Why My Family Loves This Cake
This lemon pound cake is the one my boys have been asking for since they were little. Every Mother’s Day, every spring gathering, this is the cake that goes on the table. It starts with fresh lemon juice and zest — real brightness, not that flat-bottled kind. Sour cream keeps the crumb buttery and tender. Y’all it is so delicious!
I have been making this cake for years, and it never fails. If you want a from-scratch pound cake that looks beautiful and tastes even better than it looks, you are in the right place. Let me show you exactly how to make it.
Donya’s Best Tips for Lemon Pound Cake
Room temperature really does matter here: Cold butter will not cream properly, and cold eggs can cause the batter to curdle. Pull everything out of the fridge at least an hour before you start.
Cream the butter and sugar the full five minutes: I know it feels like a long time, but that is what gives this cake its tender, fluffy crumb. Set a timer and let the mixer do the work.
Fresh lemon only — no shortcuts: Bottled juice is flat and one-dimensional. Fresh lemon juice and zest together give this cake that bright, true citrus flavor that makes people ask for a second slice.
Stop mixing the moment the flour disappears: Once you add the flour, overmixing develops gluten and makes the cake dense and tough. Fold just until you see no more dry streaks, then put the spoon down.
Wait until the cake is fully cooled before adding the glaze: If the cake is still warm, the glaze soaks straight in and you lose that beautiful, crackly lemon finish on top. Give it the full cool-down time — it is worth the wait.
Got a sweet tooth? Satisfy it with a slice of classic Southern Pound Cake, Million Dollar Pound Cake, or rich Chocolate Pound Cake!
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
- 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.
- Add eggs 1 at a time, beating until combined after each egg is added. Beat in lemon juice and peel.
- Sift flour, baking soda, and salt into a bowl, then mix the four mixture in with the wet ingredients.
- Fold in sour cream.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan – the batter will be thick.
- Bake cake until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.
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.
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
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
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.
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!
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This is the pound cake I recall from my youth! Literally tastes like the one my Gran used to make. I made it for my son and his girlfriend, added fresh blueberries, and a lemon glaze. Holy Cow! Delicious! Super moist and flavorful with just the right amount of heaviness. Thank you for posting this keeper ❤️ By the way, in case anyone is wondering, you can make this in two 9″-inch loaf pans. Just grease and flour in the same manner as the recipe. Turns out beautiful!
Hey there Tempa!
Wow! Thank you so much for this fantastic rating, and your sweet comment, I am so happy to hear you and your son enjoyed this recipe! This lemon pound cake is one of my favorite recipes of all time, it makes me happy to hear it’s as nostalgic for you as it is for me. Thank you so much for your support, let me know if you ever have any other questions about a recipe!
Best,
~Donya
Hey Donya…. that’s the best lemon pound cake I have ever made, and i’ve made quite a few pound cakes! Thank You So Much for sharing your treasured recipe – was it your Mama’s or did you tinker? Well, it makes a flavorful, soft, light pound cake! The dense but light texture felt like I’d made it with cake flour, but no I just used AP. Granted, baking with sour cream has some amazing influence, but everything comes together in this cake to make it something magical. I did not change a thing, no tweaks, doesn’t need it. Oh, just the baking time adjustment because I made 5 small loaves to give as gifts.
Hey there Leslie!
Thank you so very much for your sweet words and your fantastic rating! It’s my recipe, and it truly warmed my heart reading this comment. It’s so funny you mentioned the sour cream because I always think of it as my special secret ingredient; sour cream will do wonders to just about any recipe you add it to. I am absolutely thrilled you enjoyed this recipe, thank you so much for your support!
~Donya
Oh my gosh! I came across this recipe on Pinterest and had to try it. This is THE BEST Lemon Pound Cake I have ever eaten! Will be making this again, and I can’t wait to try more of your recipes!
Hey Tameka!
I am overjoyed to hear you liked this recipe! I grew up on good southern pound cake, these recipes are some of all time favorites so I’m thrilled you liked it! Thank you so much for your rating and your support!
~Donya
This looks like a long-lost recipe I had for lemon pound cake that I absolutely loved! It had great texture, had that heavy pound cake feeling but didn’t feel “heavy when you ate it. I always added extra lemon juice and zest because I love lemony desserts. This also tastes (tasted when I made in past) great with orange. (Lime would also be deliscious)
I have not made this recipe but it looks same from what I can remember.
Wow!! This recipe is great! I made this on Sunday and it came out great! Made a bundt cake and had batter left over to make a loaf cake! Lovely texture! Delicious!! Will be making this often!!
Thank you so much, Neisha for letting me know.
I’m glad you like this recipe. It’s my go-to for pound cake.
Have a wonderful week,
~Donya
OMG!!! This is one of the best pound cakes I’ve ever made! Texture is wonderful and delicate lemon flavor. After it cooled and I took it out of the pan, I drizzled with a mixture of powdered sugar, butter, milk, lemon juice and lemon zest. This cake is to die for and I will be making it again.
This pound cake looks delicious ?
Will try it, but want to use lemon extract also
How much would I use or do I omit lemon juice. Want to try it today. Thanks
Hey Marilyn. I’m thinking if you are going to add the extract and the fresh juice, maybe start with a 1/2 teaspoon of lemon extract and cut the juice down to 1/4 cup. Hope that helps.
~Donya
This looks so delicious. I love lemon!
Thanks Julie!
If it’s lemon we love it too. Thanks for stopping by.
XO,
~Donya
Lemon is one of my favorites! Can’t wait to share this recipe with a friend who loves lemons as much as I do!
Awesome Stacey! Thanks for sharing and stopping by. Lemon lovers unite!