This lemon pound cake is bursting with bright and refreshing citrus flavor among a perfectly tender crumb. The lemon glaze ties everything together in harmony so each slice has a burst of sweet summery tang.
Why this recipe works
If life gives you lemons, you should definitely make a lemon pound cake. It’s soft, moist, and packed with bright citrus flavor. This lemon loaf is extra luscious topped with a glaze that’s subtly flavored with even more lemon. Pure bliss. Does it get any better than this?
Lemon is our absolute favorite citrus to bake with. Lemon cake, lemon brownies, lemon loaves… You name it. The juice alone infuses a pop of freshness to baked goods while the zest adds that lemony zing we can’t get enough of. This lemon pound cake comes together easily with some quick tips and simple ingredients. You bet we’re enjoying it as a snack, dessert, and breakfast.
Ingredients you will need
Get all measurements, ingredients, and instructions in the printable version at the end of this post.
Ingredient Info and Substitution Suggestions
FLOUR – Properly measuring your flour is the key to success when it comes to baking. To do so, measure your flour using the scoop and sweep method. Aerate the flour with a spoon, then scoop the flour into a measuring cup until it is slightly overflowing. Then, take the flat end of a butter knife and gently sweep it across the top to level it. Never scoop flour straight from the bag and do not tap the measuring cup to pack in the flour. Doing either of those two things is typically the main culprit for dry, dense baked goods – which we definitely don’t want.
LEMON – You will need two whole lemons to create this recipe. Sometimes it’s even safer to grab 3 just in case one of the lemons doesn’t yield enough juice. Fresh is best, I wouldn’t recommend bottled lemon juice. A microplane grater works really well for zesting the lemon and a handheld lemon squeezer does wonders for juicing. If you really want to take the lemon flavor further, you can substitute the vanilla extract with lemon extract.
EGGS – Be sure your eggs are at room temperature before beginning.
BUTTER – Unsalted butter lets you control the amount of salt that goes into your recipe. This should also be at room temperature before beginning. Slice it and allow it to rest on the counter for 30-40 minutes to help bring it to room temp faster.
SOUR CREAM – The sour cream lends a lot of moisture to this cake. You want the sour cream to be at room temperature before beginning, doing so will help avoid a lumpy batter.
ICING – This is a simple glaze made with sifted powdered sugar, lemon juice, and heavy cream. If desired, you can easily add a teaspoon or two of lemon zest to the icing.
How to Make Lemon Pound Cake
These step by step photos and instructions are here to help you visualize how to make this recipe. You can Jump to Recipe to get the printable version of this recipe, complete with measurements and instructions at the bottom.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and spray an 8×4 inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and lemon zest; set aside.
- Using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment beat the butter until creamy, about 1 minute.
- Add the sugar and beat for 2 minutes until creamed, scraping down the sides of the bowl.
- Turn the mixer down to low speed and slowly add the eggs one at a time. Turn off the mixer.
- Add the sour cream, vanilla extract, and lemon juice. Beat on medium speed until combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Slowly add in the flour mixture and mix until just combined. Avoid overmixing the batter.
- Evenly spread the batter in the greased loaf pan and bake for 50-65 minutes.
- Set the cake on a cooling rack and allow it to cool completely before icing.
- Add all of the icing ingredients to a medium size mixing bowl and whisk until thick and pourable.
- Pour the glaze over the top of the cake. Let the cake sit for about 30 minutes to 1 hour to allow the glaze to set. Serve and enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions & Expert Tips
Leftover lemon pound cake can be stored in an airtight container or wrapped in plastic wrap at room temperature for up to 7 days.
Yes, pound cake freezes well. To do so, wrap the cake or leftover slices a couple of times in plastic wrap and store in an air-tight container or large ziptop bag. Freeze for up to 3 months and thaw overnight on the countertop before serving.
The main culprit for crumbly or chewy lemon pound cake is due to overmixing the batter after adding the eggs. You only want to mix until it’s combined. Another reason for dense, dry, or crumbly cake is over-measuring the flour. It’s important to properly measure flour for the best possible outcome – use the scoop and sweep method to do so.
Serving Suggestions
Lemon pound cake makes a citrusy sweet snack, dessert, or breakfast cake alongside a cup of coffee or tea. Feel free to mix in a couple of dashes of lemon zest to the icing if desired! Serve at room temperature.
More Lemon Recipes
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Lemon Pound Cake
IMPORTANT – There are often Frequently Asked Questions within the blog post that you may find helpful. Simply scroll back up to read them!
Print It Rate ItIngredients
Lemon Loaf
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour spooned into a measuring cup and leveled off with a knife
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 Tablespoon lemon zest
- 1 cup unsalted butter two sticks, at room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs at room temperature
- ½ cup sour cream at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 lemon juiced
Icing
- 1 cup powdered sugar sifted
- 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 Tablespoon heavy whipping cream
Things You’ll Need
- Stand mixer or hand mixer
Before You Begin
- Ensure all ingredients are at room temperature before you begin.
- You will need two whole lemons to create this recipe. Sometimes it’s even safer to grab 3 just in case one of the lemons doesn’t yield enough juice. Fresh is best, I wouldn’t recommend bottled lemon juice. A microplane grater works really well for zesting the lemon and a handheld lemon squeezer does wonders for juicing. If you really want to take the lemon flavor further, you can substitute the vanilla extract with lemon extract.
- Properly measuring your flour is the key to success when it comes to baking. To do so, measure your flour using the scoop and sweep method. Aerate the flour with a spoon, then scoop the flour into a measuring cup until it is slightly overflowing. Then, take the flat end of a butter knife and gently sweep it across the top to level it. Never scoop flour straight from the bag and do not tap the measuring cup to pack in the flour. Doing either of those two things is typically the main culprit for dry, dense baked goods – which we definitely don’t want.
- STORING – Leftover lemon pound cake can be stored in an airtight container or wrapped in plastic wrap at room temperature for up to 7 days.
- FREEZING – Wrap the fully cooled cake or leftover slices a couple of times in plastic wrap and store in an air-tight container or large ziptop bag. Freeze for up to 3 months and thaw overnight on the countertop before serving.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and spray an 8×4 inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and lemon zest; set aside.
- Using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment beat the butter until creamy, about 1 minute.
- Add the sugar and beat for 2 minutes until creamed, scraping down the sides of the bowl.
- Turn the mixer down to low speed and slowly add the eggs one at a time. Turn off the mixer.
- Add the sour cream, vanilla extract, and lemon juice. Beat on medium speed until combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.TIP – The mixture may look curdled before adding the flour to the batter. This is normal and it will smooth itself out after you mix in the flour.
- Slowly add in the flour mixture and mix until just combined. Avoid overmixing the batter.
- Evenly spread the batter in the greased loaf pan and bake for 50-65 minutes.
- Set the cake on a cooling rack and allow it to cool completely before icing.
For The Icing
- Add all of the icing ingredients to a medium size mixing bowl and whisk until thick and pourable.
- Pour the glaze over the top of the cake. Let the cake sit for about 30 minutes to 1 hour to allow the glaze to set. Serve and enjoy!
Nutrition
Lindsay Formaro
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