Lemon Pound Cake

Name: Lemon Pound Cake
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 70 min
Ingredients: 1½ cups all-purpose flour, (spooned and leveled); 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, (spooned and leveled); 3 teaspoons baking powder; 1 cup granulated sugar; 1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest; ½ cup salted sweet cream butter, (softened); ¼ cup vegetable oil; ¼ cup sour cream, (room temperature); ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice; 1½ teaspoons pure lemon extract; 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract; 3 extra large eggs, (room temperature); 2 to 3 drops yellow gel food color; 1 cup powdered sugar, (sifted); 2½ tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice; 1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest

For a light, citrusy indulgent treat, you can’t go wrong with making a lemon pound cake topped with a delicious lemon glaze!

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Table of Contents

Lemon Pound Cake Ingredients
Substitutions And Additions
How To Make This Lemon Pound Cake Recipe
How To Serve
Storage
More Recipes You’ll Love
JUMP TO RECIPE

Nothing says comfort like a piece of rich, moist lemon pound cake. This flavorful old-fashioned treat has been enjoyed for generations, and there’s nothing quite like biting into the smooth, buttery texture and tart lemon glaze that’s bursting with citrusy goodness!

Lemon Pound Cake Ingredients

Lemon Pound Cake raw ingredients that are labeled

Lemon pound cake is an explosion of tangy and sweet flavors in a single bite.

With a moist and dense texture, this cake is a perfect combination of sour lemon and sweet sugar, topped with a zesty lemon glaze.

You’ll need:

For The Lemon Pound Cake:

1½ cups + 1 tablespoon of all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
3 teaspoons of baking powder
1 cup of granulated sugar
1 tablespoon of fresh lemon zest
½ cup of salted sweet cream butter, softened
¼ cup of vegetable oil
¼ cup of sour cream, room temperature
¼ cup of freshly squeezed lemon juice
1½ teaspoons of pure lemon extract
1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract
3 extra-large eggs, room temperature
2-3 drops of yellow gel food color

For The Glaze:

1 cup of powdered sugar, sifted
2½ tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon of fresh lemon zest

Substitutions And Additions

LEMON JUICE: You can substitute bottled lemon juice for the fresh lemon juice in this lemon cake, but fresh is always better tasting.

SOUR CREAM: You can substitute plain Greek yogurt for the sour cream in this homemade lemon pound cake recipe.

VANILLA EXTRACT: While vanilla extract is a classic flavor, you can get creative and experiment with other extracts to add unique twists to your pound cake. Almond extract, for example, will lend a deliciously nutty aroma, while coconut extract will infuse a tropical touch.

GLAZE: The glaze is a perfect opportunity to get creative. Instead of a traditional lemon glaze, you can try orange, lime, or even grapefruit glaze to play with different citrus flavors. You can also add a splash of your favorite liquor, such as bourbon or amaretto, to the glaze for a boozy touch.

How To Make This Lemon Pound Cake Recipe

It’s easy to whip up the cake batter for this pound cake before spreading it in a loaf pan and baking. Drizzle with the tasty glaze and dig in.

STEP ONE: Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line an 8½ x 4½-inch loaf pan with a parchment paper sling. Spray the loaf pan with baker’s spray (Baker’s Joy or a generic version). Set it aside.

STEP TWO: Add the flour and baking powder to a medium bowl. Whisk to combine. Set it aside.

STEP THREE: Add the granulated sugar and fresh lemon zest to a small mixing bowl. Stir to combine. Set it aside.

OUR RECIPE DEVELOPER SAYS

Remember to zest the lemons before slicing the lemons in half for juicing.

white sugar, and lemon zest added to a bowl

STEP FOUR: Using a stand mixer or a large bowl and a hand mixer on medium-high speed, beat the softened butter, vegetable oil, and sour cream for 1 to 1½ minutes until smooth.

STEP FIVE: Add the granulated sugar and lemon zest mixture, freshly squeezed lemon juice, lemon extract, and vanilla extract, and continue mixing until well combined.

white sugar and lemon zest mixture, lemon and vanilla extract, and lemon juice combined together

STEP SIX: Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each egg until no yellow streaks remain.

STEP SEVEN: Add the flour mixture and mix just until incorporated.

STEP EIGHT: Add 2 to 3 drops of the yellow gel food color and mix just until it is uniform in color. Pour batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 55 minutes to 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted comes away clean. Check the lemon pound cake at 50 minutes, depending on how quickly your oven bakes.

PRO TIP:

Oven temperatures vary and may need to be recalibrated periodically to ensure they are accurate. Make sure to check your cake at the lower end of the recommended baking time.

STEP NINE: Remove the loaf pan from the oven and allow the lemon pound cake to rest for 5 minutes.

STEP TEN: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place a cooling rack on top of the prepared baking sheet.

PRO TIP:

Placing the wire rack on top of a parchment paper-lined baking sheet makes cleaning up after you glaze the lemon pound cake much easier.

STEP ELEVEN: Use the parchment paper sling to remove the lemon pound cake from the pan and transfer it to a cooling rack. Allow the cake to cool completely. While the cake is cooling, make the simple glaze.

STEP TWELVE: Add the sifted powdered sugar to a medium-sized mixing bowl. Whisk in the fresh lemon zest and the freshly squeezed lemon juice. Continue whisking until the mixture is completely smooth. Drizzle the glaze over the top of the cake. Allow the glaze to dry for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing and serving.

How To Serve

Lemon lovers will delight in this soft lemony treat. Perfect for afternoon tea or an evening snack, this yummy cake could be served with a cold glass of iced tea or a warm mug of homemade hot chocolate.

Some other great options include adding fresh berries, whipped cream, or even some tangy lemon curd.

For an extra decadent touch, try serving your pound cake warm with a scoop of creamy vanilla ice cream.

Our lemon cobbler and lemon custard cake are two more refreshing lemon desserts to add to your recipe box.

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Storage

Let’s talk about how to store it to keep it fresh and delicious for as long as possible.

ON THE COUNTER: Store any leftover lemon pound cake in an airtight container for up to 4 days at room temperature.

IN THE FREEZER: You can freeze the unsliced lemon loaf cake for up to 1 month. Wrap in plastic wrap, then wrap in aluminum foil. Allow the lemon pound cake to thaw in the refrigerator overnight before slicing and serving.

overhead shot of slices of Lemon Pound Cake on a cutting board

Whether you’re hosting an outdoor picnic or simply looking to enjoy a sweet snack in the afternoon, we’ve got you covered with our delicious recipe for lemon pound cake. With a bright lemon flavor and simple tangy glaze, this cake will surely hit the spot.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Can I freeze this lemon cake?

You can freeze this moist cake for up to one month in the freezer as long as it is well-wrapped and stored in an airtight container.

Can I use bottled lemon juice for this lemon sour cream pound cake?

If at all possible, you should use fresh lemon juice in this classic pound cake. Bottled lemon juice will not give you the same rich lemony flavor.

How do I store this loaf cake?

We recommend keeping this lemon loaf on the counter rather than in the fridge, where it will dry out faster.

More Recipes You’ll Love

Lemon Pound Cake

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For a light, citrusy indulgent treat, you can’t go wrong with making a lemon pound cake topped with a delicious lemon glaze!

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 55

Total Time 1 10

Servings

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Ingredients

Lemon Pound Cake Batter

1½ cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest
½ cup salted sweet cream butter, softened
¼ cup vegetable oil
¼ cup sour cream, room temperature
¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1½ teaspoons pure lemon extract
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 extra large eggs, room temperature
2 to 3 drops yellow gel food color

Glaze

1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
2½ tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line an 8½ x 4½-inch loaf pan with a parchment paper sling. Spray the loaf pan with baker’s spray (Baker’s Joy or a generic version). Set it aside.
Add the flour and baking powder to a medium-sized mixing bowl. Whisk to combine. Set it aside.
Add the granulated sugar and fresh lemon zest to a small mixing bowl. Stir to combine. Set it aside.
Using a stand mixer or a large mixing bowl and a handheld mixer on medium-high speed, beat the softened butter, vegetable oil, and sour cream for 1 to 1½ minutes until smooth.
Add the granulated sugar and lemon zest mixture, freshly squeezed lemon juice, lemon extract, and vanilla extract, and continue mixing until well combined.
Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each egg until no yellow streaks remain.
Add the flour mixture and mix just until incorporated.
Add 2 to 3 drops of the yellow gel food color and mix just until it is uniform in color. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 55 minutes to 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted comes away clean. Check the lemon pound cake at 50 minutes, depending on how quickly your oven bakes.
Remove the loaf pan from the oven and allow the lemon pound cake to rest for 5 minutes.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place a cooling rack on top of the prepared baking sheet.
Use the parchment paper sling to remove the lemon pound cake from the pan and transfer it to a cooling rack. Allow the cake to cool completely. While the cake is cooling, make the lemon glaze.
Add the sifted powdered sugar to a medium-sized mixing bowl. Whisk in the fresh lemon zest and the freshly squeezed lemon juice. Continue whisking until the mixture is completely smooth. Drizzle the glaze over the top of the lemon pound cake. Allow the glaze to dry for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing and serving.

Notes

Remember to zest the lemons before slicing the lemons in half for juicing.
Oven temperatures vary and may need to be recalibrated periodically to ensure they are accurate. Make sure to check your cake at the lower end of the recommended baking time.
Placing the wire rack on top of a parchment paper-lined baking sheet makes cleaning up after you glaze the lemon pound cake much easier.

Nutrition

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Proudly Prepared by the Spaceships Kitchen

This recipe was developed, tested, cooked and photographed by the Spaceships Kitchen. From our dinner table to yours, we hope you think it's out of this world!