This lemon pound cake is dense and moist and made with fresh lemon juice and lemon zest that makes the flavor pop!
This zesty pound cake is a delicious treat that many lemon lovers enjoy. It's a moist and dense cake with a bright, tangy flavor.
The cake gets its name from the traditional recipe that used a pound each of flour, butter, eggs, and sugar.
What makes this cake special is its strong lemon taste, which comes from adding fresh lemon juice and zest to the batter. After baking, the cake is finished with a sweet and tart lemon glaze.
This glaze is made by mixing lemon juice with powdered sugar some melted butter and a pinch of salt, creating a smooth topping that adds extra lemony goodness and a nice shine to the cake.
If you like lemon desserts as we do, try out our lemon curd cookies, lemon poppy seed muffins, lemonade bundt cake, lemon cooler cookies, lemon tart, and lemon curd cake.
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Why this recipe works
- Texture- this pound cake has a dense but tender texture with a fine, tight crumb that melts in your mouth.
- Lemon flavor- its made with fresh lemon juice and lemon zest which gives this cake the best lemon flavor. This cake is infused with a bright, zesty lemon taste that leaves a delish and pleasant citrusy aftertaste.
- Lemon glaze- after the cake has completely cooled, it is topped with a simple yet delish lemon glaze that is made with only four ingredients.
- Simple and easy- this cake is made with simple ingredients you can find in any grocery store all year round and is really easy to make!
- One bowl- this incredible cake comes together in just one bowl! So there are minimal dishes to wash and makes minimal mess.
Ingredients
Before you start to make this recipe, measure and prepare your ingredients so the cooking process will go smoothly and easily.
Full measurements are in the recipe card below.
Butter- use unsalted butter for this recipe. Only butter will work for this recipe, no margarine, and no coconut oil. Margarine has a weird taste and can ruin the flavor of this cake.
Eggs- you will need eggs for this recipe. Make sure that your eggs are at room temperature.
Lemon juice- use fresh lemon juice for this recipe. Fresh lemon will give you the best result. We don't recommend using store-bought lemon juice. This will make the flavor pop!
Lemon zest- you will need ½ teaspoon of lemon zest. We recommend zesting the lemon first and then juicing it.
Flour– we used all-purpose flour for this recipe. cake flour will work great as well.
Baking powder– baking powder allows the cake to rise. Make sure that your baking powder is not expired.
Granulated sugar– we like to use granulated sugar, also the most common sugar used in baking. Caster sugar will work great as well.
Sour cream or Greek yogurt- you can use either Greek yogurt or sour cream. Get your sour cream to room temperature. Any percent of fat will work for this recipe.
Vanilla extract- adds extra flavor. You can use vanilla extract and also vanilla bean extract!
Milk- use whole milk for this recipe.
Kosher salt- you will need about ¼ teaspoon of kosher salt for this recipe.
For the lemon glaze
Lemon juice- use fresh lemon juice for this recipe. Fresh lemon will give you the best result.
Powder sugar- you will need powdered sugar for this recipe. you don’t have to buy powdered sugar, you can simply make it at home by blending granulated sugar in a blender or food processor.
Pinch of salt- to balance the sweetness.
Melted butter- use unsalted butter for this. You don't want a salty glaze.
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 180c (350f) and prepare a 12x5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper.
In a big mixing bowl, add the room-temperature butter, sugar, lemon zest, vanilla extract, and kosher salt, and mix with an electric hand mixer until it's creamy.
Add the sour cream (or Greek yogurt), eggs, and lemon juice, and mix until the mixture is well combined.
Add ½ of the milk, ½ of the flour, and baking powder, and mix it until almost combined.
Add the other half of the flour and milk and mix until just combined.
Pour the cake batter into the prepared loaf pan and spread it with an offset spatula. Bake in a 180c (350f) oven for about 55-65 minutes (depending on the oven) or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.
Make the lemon glaze
In a medium-sized mixing bowl, add the powder sugar, lemon juice, kosher salt, and melted butter. Mix with a spoon or a mini whisk until the mixture is smooth and silky.
Top the cake with the glaze and let it sit for a few minutes before serving. Enjoy!
Expert Tips
- Use room temperature ingredients. It is important that you use room-temperature ingredients like eggs and butter. This step ensures that your mixture mixes into a homogenous mixture and bakes perfectly.
- Measure your flour correctly! When measuring your flour, avoid scooping it with a measuring cup. Instead, stir the flour with a spoon to create as many air pockets as possible, and spoon it into your measuring cup. Finally, level it with a back of a knife.
- Don’t overmix the batter, you don’t want to develop the gluten in the flour. This step ensures you have a moist cake and not a dense and dry cake.
- Scrape down the sides and the bottom of the bowl frequently to ensure that you have a homogeneous mixture that has unmixed parts of the mixture.
- Use fresh lemon juice. The key to a great lemon cake is the use of fresh, tart lemon juice. Avoid using bottled or concentrated lemon juice, as it can lack the depth of flavor you're looking for.
- Use fresh, high-quality ingredients. Opt for plump, juicy lemons and pure vanilla extract for maximum flavor. Invest in a good-quality poppy seeds to ensure a satisfying crunch in every bite.
- Line your baking pan with parchment paper! This step helps the cake to bake evenly, and it makes sure that your loaf cake will release easily from the pan.
- Make sure that your butter is at room temperature. An hour or two before making these cookies, take the butter out of the fridge and let it come to room temperature. The butter should be soft to the touch. If your butter is too cold, it will be harder to mix and there will be lumps of butter in the dough.
- Be patient! I know it’s extremely tempting to glaze this cake as it is pulled out of the oven, but let the cake cool for at least 1 hour so it will be more firm and won’t crumble up.
Faq's
I use all-purpose flour for this cake, cake flour will work great as well.
We used a 12x5-inch loaf pan. This loaf pan is quite big. You can also use two smaller loaf pans.
Traditionally, pound cake got its name from using a pound each of flour, butter, eggs, and sugar, resulting in a dense, rich texture.
Regular cakes typically have a lighter, fluffier consistency due to the addition of leavening agents like baking powder or soda.
The ingredient ratios also vary, with regular cakes often containing less fat and more liquid than pound cakes.
Pound cake earned its name from its traditional recipe, which called for a pound each of four key ingredients: flour, butter, eggs, and sugar.
While modern versions may vary slightly in proportions, the name has stuck, reminding us of the cake's straightforward origins and dense, rich texture.
Storing
Store it for up to 3 days at room temperature. Make sure that you store this cake in an airtight container so it won’t dry out.
Freezing
To freeze a pound cake, you have two options: freezing it whole or in individual slices.
For a whole cake, allow it to cool completely, then wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, followed by a layer of aluminum foil to prevent freezer burn.
For slices, cut the cooled cake into portions, wrap each slice individually in plastic wrap, and place them in a freezer-safe container or resealable plastic bag.
Whether freezing the whole cake or slices, label the package with the date and contents. Pound cake can be frozen for up to three months.
When ready to enjoy, thaw the cake or slices in the refrigerator overnight, or at room temperature for a few hours.
Once thawed, unwrap the cake and let it come to room temperature before serving for the best taste and texture.
Substitutions
Dairy-free - If you are dairy-free, replace the butter with vegan butter or plant-based butter. Also, replace the milk with vegan milk.
Gluten-free - if you want to make this recipe gluten-free, simply replace the flour with gluten-free flour.
Variations
White chocolate- add mini white chocolate chips to the cake batter for a delicious white chocolate flavor.
Cream cheese frosting- you can swap the strawberry glaze with cream cheese frosting. I recommend this recipe from my pumpkin bread with cream cheese frosting.
Almond crunch- top this cake with sliced and toasted almonds for a delicious nutty flavor and crunch.
Berries- add 1 cup of fresh or frozen berries to the batter, and throw them in flour before adding them to the cake batter.
Powder sugar- top this cake with powder sugar instead of the glaze.
Lemon zest- add even more lemon zest for a stronger lemon flavor and aroma.
Serving Tips
Whipped cream and lemon zest- serve a slice of this pound cake with a dollop of freshly whipped cream and a sprinkle of grated lemon zest on top.
Vanilla ice cream- add a large scoop of ice cream next to a slice of this cake.
Lemon curd- top a slice of this cake with a dollop of lemon curd. You can use homemade lemon curd or store-bought one.
Fruit compote- for a delicious addition of fruity flavor, top each slice of this pound cake with a fruit compote of your choice. I like using my strawberry compote recipe.
Equipment
- Mixing bowls- best glass mixing bowls.
- Whisk set- our favorite copper whisk set.
- Loaf pan
- Rubber spatula
- Electric hand mixer
More cake recipes
Fudgy flourless chocolate cake- This flourless chocolate cake is rich, fudgy, made with both dark chocolate and dutch cocoa powder, and is made with a few simple ingredients!
Dark chocolate sheet cake- This dark chocolate sheet cake is super moist, made in one bowl chocolate cake that is topped with dark chocolate buttercream frosting.
Marble loaf cake- This marble loaf cake is moist and flavorful and topped with a layer of chocolate ganache, it's so beautiful and so delicious.
If you tried this recipe, don’t forget to leave a rating and a comment below. We love hearing from you.
If you liked this recipe:
📖 Recipe
Lemon Pound Cake
Ingredients
- 1 cup Butter unsalted, room temp
- 1 ⅓ cups Granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoon Lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- ⅓ cups Sour cream or greek yogurt
- 4 Eggs large
- 2 tablespoon Lemon juice
- 3 cups Flour
- 2 teaspoon Baking powder
- ½ cup Milk
Lemon glaze:
- 2 cups Powder sugar
- 2 tablespoon Lemon juice
- 2 tablespoon Butter melted
- 1 pinch Kosher salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180c (350f) and prepare a 12x5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper.
- In a big mixing bowl, add the room temperature butter, sugar, lemon zest, vanilla extract, kosher salt, and mix with an electric hand mixer until it's creamy.
- Add the sour cream (or greek yogurt), eggs, lemon juice, and mix until the mixture is well combined.
- Add ½ of the milk, ½ of the flour, and baking powder, and mix it until almost combined.
- Add the other half of the flour and milk and mix until just combined.
- Pour the cake batter into the prepared loaf pan and spread it with an offset spatula. Bake in a 180c (350f) oven for about 55-65 minutes (depending on the oven) or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.
Make the lemon glaze:
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl, add the powder sugar, lemon juice, kosher salt, and melted butter. Mix with a spoon or a mini whisk until the mixture is smooth and silky.
- Top the cake with the glaze and let it sit for a few minutes before serving. Enjoy!
Notes
- Use room temperature ingredients. It is important that you use room-temperature ingredients like eggs and butter. This step ensures that your mixture mixes into a homogenous mixture and bakes perfectly.
- Measure your flour correctly! When measuring your flour, avoid scooping it with a measuring cup. Instead, stir the flour with a spoon to create as many air pockets as possible, and spoon it into your measuring cup. Finally, level it with a back of a knife.
- Don’t overmix the batter, you don’t want to develop the gluten in the flour. This step ensures you have a moist cake and not a dense and dry cake.
- Scrape down the sides and the bottom of the bowl frequently to ensure that you have a homogeneous mixture that has unmixed parts of the mixture.
- Use fresh lemon juice. The key to a great lemon cake is the use of fresh, tart lemon juice. Avoid using bottled or concentrated lemon juice, as it can lack the depth of flavor you're looking for.
- Use fresh, high-quality ingredients. Opt for plump, juicy lemons and pure vanilla extract for maximum flavor. Invest in a good-quality poppy seeds to ensure a satisfying crunch in every bite.
- Line your baking pan with parchment paper! This step helps the cake to bake evenly, and it makes sure that your loaf cake will release easily from the pan.
- Make sure that your butter is at room temperature. An hour or two before making these cookies, take the butter out of the fridge and let it come to room temperature. The butter should be soft to the touch. If your butter is too cold, it will be harder to mix and there will be lumps of butter in the dough.
- Be patient! I know it’s extremely tempting to glaze this cake as it is pulled out of the oven, but let the cake cool for at least 1 hour so it will be more firm and won’t crumble up.
Sara says
It's incredibly good!
Thanks for the recipe!
Sara
Padmini says
Since I dont consume eggs, what is the substitute for eggs.But I want to try out this cake
Janise says
Butter: 230g (US customary) or 150g (metric) ???
RichandDelish says
Butter is 230g (US customary)
Nargess says
I am sorry I am confused . If we are following metric we should use 150g butter? And if we are following US customary we should use 230g ????