Lemon Pound Cake

Name: Lemon Pound Cake
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 65 min
Total time: 80 min
Ingredients: 3 cups all-purpose flour; 1 teaspoon baking powder; ½ teaspoon salt; 2 (1 cup) unsalted sticks; 2 ½ cups granulated sugar; 4 large eggs (plus 2 yolks), at room temperature; 1 cup sour cream; 1/3 cup lemon juice; 3 Tablespoons lemon zest; 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract; 2 cups powdered sugar; 3 Tablespoons lemon juice; 1-2 teaspoons milk

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This Lemon Pound Cake is soft, buttery cake topped with a simple, smooth lemon glaze for a fun, homemade dessert everyone will love.

A Spring Inspired Pound Cake

This Lemon Pound Cake is a classic dessert that is really the perfect blend of sweet and tart, which is what you kinda want with a lemon desert, right? This really is a simple homemade cake that tastes like summer! So, if you’re a huge lemon lover like me, this one is definitely for you!

Looking down on a glazed Lemon Pound Cake.

Frequently Asked Questions:

What’s the best way to measure flour?

I always love to mention this for those of us who don’t bake very often or who may not own a kitchen scale. Then you wonder why your baked goods turn out dry or crumbly. Too much flour is usually the culprit. You will always get the best results by weighing flour but I honestly don’t know anyone personally who owns one. So what is the best way to measure?

Use the scoop and sweep method for an accurate measure. It is best not to measure straight out of the bag because you will end up with way too much flour in the cup, so if you can, pour it into a separate large bowl. Then stir flour to loosen, use a large spoon to scoop flour into a dry measuring cup, overfilling slightly, be careful not to pack down the flour. Use a straight edge such as the back of a butter knife to sweep the excess flour from the top of the cup.

How can I get eggs from the fridge to room temperature faster?

To quickly bring chilled eggs to room temperature, place eggs in a bowl, fill with warm (not hot) tap water. Allow the eggs to set in the water for 5 minutes to warm slightly.

Can I use self rising flour instead of all purpose?

Yep! You can, but you’ll want to omit the baking powder and salt since self-rising flour already contains leavening and salt.

Do you taste the sour cream in the cake?

I know, I know, sour cream taste can be a deal breaker for some people. After having this website over these many years, I have learned many people (especially men, ha!) really hate sour cream. However, you do NOT taste it in this Pound Cake.

The sour cream is there to help keep the cake soft and moist. It does not make the cake taste like sour cream. When baking a homemade cake, you always want the most moisture you can get as it’s very easy to accidentally dry out your made-from-scratch cake. If you really can’t get yourself to use the sour cream, I shared a few other options in the ingredients section below that you can try instead.

How to store leftover cake?

Cake can be stored in an air-tight container at room temperature for up to 4 days, or 7 days in a refrigerator (refrigerator is not recommended for homemade cakes as they can easily dry out). That cold air loves to suck the moisture out of homemade cakes. Honestly, I think that is why so many people love boxed cake mixes. They have those preservatives that keeps cakes moister for longer (especially if you’re not one to eat your cakes quickly.)

Could this pound cake be made with a cake mix?

Yes! You won’t get that classic thicker, pound cake texture but you can do it. I would recommend my 7Up Bundt Cake that is made with a cake mix and has that amazing lemon flavor.

Can I freeze Lemon Pound Cake?

To Freeze- Wrap the cake or slices in a double layer of plastic wrap followed by a layer of aluminum foil, freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator or at room temperature before enjoying.

A slice of Lemon Pound Cake being removed from the cake plate and the rest of the cake.

Ingredients Needed: (See Recipe Card Below For The Full Recipe)

all-purpose flour– Unbleached or bleached flour can be used, whatever you prefer. See my frequently asked questions above about using self rising flour.
baking powder– The one reason why your cake didn’t rise properly is usually because your leavening agent has expired. I am guilty of it. I buy it and it stays in my pantry forever and I forgot to look at the expiration date. So as a gentle reminder, check that expiration date!
salt
unsalted butter – You can use salted or unsalted butter. If using salted butter, reduce the addition of salt to ¼ teaspoon. I have a fantastic post on How To Soften Butter Quickly if you forgot to pull it out of the fridge anytime.
granulated sugar– You should be able to use a sugar substitute here. I like those substitutes that measure 1:1 like sugar.
eggs – you’ll use both whole eggs and you’ll need some egg yolks at room temperature. Having ingredients at room temperature really helps them just combine in the batter easier.
sour cream– Whole fat sour cream works best but can be substituted with plain Greek yogurt, low-fat sour cream, or buttermilk. This really is the moisture powerhouse but it keeps the batter thick.
lemon juice– I’m a huge advocate for using freshly squeezed lemon juice instead of the stuff in a bottle. The stuff in the bottle is just too acidic tasting for me and doesn’t do any recipe justice where lemon flavor is the star. Lemon juice and zest give the cake delicious lemon flavor. When juicing a lemon, place lemon on the counter, roll back and forth firmly with the palm of your hand, this breaks internal membranes in the lemon making it easier to juice.
lemon zest– another reason I’m all about the fresh lemon juice is because you’re going to want to use the lemon zest from a lemon anyway.
vanilla extract – Vanilla adds a subtle vanilla flavor and enhances the flavor of the cake. If you really wanted to amp up the lemon flavor, you can use lemon extract instead of vanilla extract.
powdered sugar– You don’t actually need to do the glaze if you don’t want. You could just leave the cake plain or dust with a little powdered sugar if you prefer.
milk – use whole milk if possible.

Kewpie mayonnaise, garlic, granulated sugar, seasoned rice vinegar, soy sauce, and sesame oil.

How To Make Lemon Pound Cake

Preheat oven to 325 degrees, spray a 12-cup bundt pan really well with nonstick baking spray, making sure to get into all the nooks and crannies (I like the kind with flour in it), set aside. Place a fine mesh sieve (sifter) over a large bowl, add the flour, baking powder, and salt, sift to combine, set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, sugar, and zest on medium speed until light and creamy, 2-3 minutes.

Dry ingredients being sifted into a bowl and wet ingredients being creamed into another.

Add the eggs and yolks one at a time, mixing on medium speed until incorporated after each addition. NOTE: This can be done in a large bowl with a handheld electric mixer as well. Add the sour cream and vanilla extract, mix on medium speed until incorporated, 20-30 seconds. Add the lemon juice, mix on medium speed until incorporated, about 20 seconds. Scrape down the bowl and paddle.

Eggs being added to cake batter, then vanilla, sour cream and lemon juice being added to a lemon cake batter.

Add the flour mixture in 3 increments, mix on low after each addition, scraping down the bowl if needed. After the final addition, mix on low until just combined and no streaks of flour remain.

Dry ingredients being added to wet ingredients to make a cake batter.

Pour batter into the prepared pan, spreading into an even layer. Bake the cake on the middle oven rack until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 60-65 minutes.

Cake batter in a bundt pan and then a baked cake in a pan.

Remove the pan from the oven, place on a wire rack to cool 10-15 minutes. To invert the cake, carefully run a knife along the outside and inside edges of the pan (only if it looks like it is sticking a little.) Place a wire rack onto the cake pan, turn upside down to invert cake, tap the top of the pan if needed to release, allow to cool at room temperature for 45-60 minutes. Once cooled, place the cake on your desired serving platter.

To make the glaze, add the powdered sugar, lemon juice, and milk to a bowl, whisk to combine. If you like it thicker, add a bit more powdered sugar, if you like it thinner, add a bit more milk. Pour glaze over the cake.