This moist Lemon Pound Cake is a delicious combination of sweet and tart. Made with fresh lemons, you’re going to love this dense and flavorful dessert.
For other amazing desserts, try this Berry Chantilly cake and Cream Cheese Danish (VIDEO), too.
Table Of Contents
Recipe Details
This recipe makes the moistest lemon pound cake! You’ll be coming back for seconds before you know it. I know I always do ????
- TASTE: Every bite of this lemon loaf is bursting with zesty lemon flavor and topped with sweet and tangy icing.
- TEXTURE: It’s super MOIST! It’s honestly the best part about this recipe. The crumb is so soft, it just melts in your mouth.
- TIME: The process of making the pound cake is pretty quick, but it takes about 1 hour and 20 minutes to bake. You also need to wait for it to cool before you add the lemon icing on top.
- EASE: Since this entire recipe is made it one bowl, it makes it easy enough for newbie bakers to nail it from the first try!
What You’ll Need
Ingredient Notes
- All-purpose flour– This is the base of the cake
- Baking soda- This leavening agent keeps it from being too dense.
- Granulated sugar– For sweetness
- Butter– This makes the pound cake extra moist.
- Buttermilk- For moisture and tanginess.
- Lemon juice and zest- This adds loads of lemony flavor to the cake and icing.
- Powdered sugar- This sweetens the icing.
Add-ins and Substitutions
- No lemons? Then use lemon extract to mimic lemon flavor.
- Add berries– Add strawberries, raspberries, or blueberries to add more texture and berry flavor.
- Thicken the icing– Just mix in heavy cream and extra powdered sugar.
How to Make Lemon Pound Cake
- Sift the dry ingredients. Sift together into a bowl the flour, salt, and baking soda using a sifter.
- Mix the butter with sugar. In a large bowl, add the sugar and butter, and mix them with an electric hand mixer.
- Add the lemon zest, juice, and eggs. Add these ingredients to the butter and sugar mixture.
- Slowly add the flour mixture and buttermilk. Splitting it into thirds, add the flour mixture and the buttermilk to the wet ingredients. In between each third, mix the batter again to make sure it is smooth and lump-free.
Pro Tip: Be careful not to overmix the batter as this can make the cake tough and too dense by killing the air that has been incorporated with the eggs and baking soda.
- Prep the loaf pan. Line a loaf pan with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray. Pour the batter into the pan.
- Bake. For 1 hour, bake the lemon pound cake in the oven at 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Then, drop the temperature to 300 degrees and bake for another 20 minutes.
- Make the icing. Whisk the lemon juice and powdered sugar together in a small bowl, mixing until smooth.
- Ice the pound cake. When the cake is done, allow it to rest in the pan for about 10 minutes and then transfer it to a cooling rack. Once cool, drizzle the lemon icing over the top.
- Serve. Slice the cake and serve as is or alongside a scoop of cool Honeydew Melon Fruit Sorbet or some Fruit Pizza.
Recipe Tips
- Use room temperature butter for optimal texture– If you forgot to soften your butter, just warm in the microwave on the “melt chocolate” setting. Yes, it works better than the “soften butter” setting. Just do it in 10-second increments.
- Only use fresh lemon juice– The artificial stuff does not taste the same!
- Avoid over-baking– Insert a toothpick in the center of the pound cake towards the end of bake time. If it comes out clean, you’re done baking!
FAQs
Pound cakes are extremely dense, which is what causes them to crack on top. The outside of the cake will cook first, resulting in the batter rising up and cracking the top of the loaf. So if your pound cake cracks, it’s okay!
This type of cake got the name “pound cake” in the 18th century because, traditionally, it calls for a pound of flour, a pound of sugar, a pound of eggs, and a pound of butter. You don’t necessarily have to make it with that much of each ingredient, but the proportion of each is what makes a pound cake a pound cake.
Eureka lemons are best for baking since they have the perfect amount of acid to balance the sugar. Meyer lemons on the other hand, are a lot sweeter and less acidic making them perfect for lemonade.
Use room temperature ingredients, don’t over-mix the eggs, use buttermilk, and don’t over-bake. Also, adding syrup or icing on top will moisten the cake as well.
Serving Suggestions
This sweet and citrusy Lemon Pound Cake recipe is super moist and makes a delicious dessert. Serve it with other sweet treats or your favorite coffee for an afternoon snack.
- Cookies: Serve this tender cake with some Easy Cream Cheese Cookies, Double Chocolate Cookies (VIDEO), White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies, or Chewy Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies.
- Sweet treats: Pair this with some other desserts, like Paleo Chocolate Fudge, Chocolate Creme Brulee, Candied Pecans, or Coffee Chocolate Mousse.
- Cakes: Enjoy this Lemon Cake alongside Tiramisu Cake (VIDEO), Chocolate Honey Cake (Spartak Cake), Chocolate Mousse Cake, or New York Style Cheesecake.
- Beverages: Serve a slice of this cake with a Pumpkin Spice Latte, Iced Caramel Macchiato, Caramel Frappuccino (Starbucks Copycat), or Iced Matcha Latte.
Make This Recipe in Advance
Make ahead: The lemon glaze icing can be made days in advance and wrapped with plastic wrap to preserve freshness. The lemon pound cake can be made the day before and baked the following morning.
Storing: This Lemon Pound Cake can last for about 4 days at room temperature or a week in the refrigerator. Wrap it in plastic wrap or place it in an airtight container to keep it fresh.
Freeze: This pound cake freezes really well. Just place it in an airtight container to avoid any freezer burn and this cake will last for about a month in the freezer. If possible, ice it after thawing so that the icing is thick and smooth as it’s drizzled on top. Frozen icing will crack, melt, and absorb when it is thawed.
More Scrumptious Cakes!
Watch the VIDEO Here
Full Recipe Instructions
Lemon Pound Cake
This moist Lemon Pound Cake is so dense and delicious. Sweet and tart and drizzled with icing, you won’t be able to say no to seconds.
Servings: 10 slices
Calories: 536kcal
Instructions
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Sift the 3 cups all-purpose flour, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a bowl. Then set it aside for later.
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In a separate bowl combine 1 cup unsalted softened butter with 2 cups granulated sugar. It works best to do this using an electric hand mixer. It may seem like a lot of sugar but trust me, this loaf is big. So the extra sweetness is necessary.
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Once the sugar and butter are combined mix in 2 tablespoons lemon zest, 3 tablespoons lemon juice, and 3 eggs.
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Now mix in 1/3 of the buttermilk. You will need a total of 1 cup, but only add 1/3 cup at first. Once it’s mixed, add in a third of the flour mixture. Continue interchanging a third of the buttermilk and a third flour of the mixture with mixing in between. This will ensure the batter is smooth and not lumpy.
![Steps to make Lemon Pound Cake: sift the flour, salt, nd baking soda, then beat the butter and sugar, mix in the lemon zest, eggs, and juice, and then combine the wet and dry ingredients.]()
![Steps to make Lemon Pound Cake: sift the flour, salt, nd baking soda, then beat the butter and sugar, mix in the lemon zest, eggs, and juice, and then combine the wet and dry ingredients.]()
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Line a 9×5 inch loaf pan with parchment paper and coat it with nonstick spray. Then pour the lemon pound cake batter into the loaf pan.
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Bake at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for 1 hour, then drop the temperature to 300 degrees Fahrenheit and bake for an additional 20 minutes. A good way to tell if the pound cake is baked through is by inserting a toothpick in the center of the loaf. If it comes out clean, your pound cake is done baking.
![Steps to make Lemon Pound Cake: pour the batter in the loaf pan and bake.]()
![Steps to make Lemon Pound Cake: pour the batter in the loaf pan and bake.]()
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Now make the icing by combing 1 cup powdered sugar with 2 tablespoons lemon juice in a small bowl. Tip: if you want to make the icing thicker, and some heavy cream or milk and a little more powdered sugar. Add a little at a time until you get your desired consistency.
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Once the lemon pound cake is baked, let it rest for 10 minutes in the pan, then transfer it to a cooling rack. Once it’s cooled, drizzle on the lemon icing.
![Steps to make Lemon Pound Cake: mix the powdered sugar with lemon juice and then drizzle on the lemon pound cake.]()
![Steps to make Lemon Pound Cake: mix the powdered sugar with lemon juice and then drizzle on the lemon pound cake.]()
Nutrition
Calories: 536kcal | Carbohydrates: 82g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Cholesterol: 101mg | Sodium: 227mg | Potassium: 101mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 53g | Vitamin A: 678IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 46mg | Iron: 2mg
Hi, I’m Dina, so glad you stopped by! I believe life is too short for bad coffee and boring meals. With my easy to follow step-by-step recipes, you’ll be surprised at how quickly a wholesome and delicious meal can come together. I hope you find something you enjoy!
