Straight-on image of a lemon sour cream cake slice on a white plate with sliced lemons in the background.

With a bright lemon flavor, this amazing lemon sour cream pound cake will fill your kitchen with enticing citrus aromas while it is baking.

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Prep Time20

Cook Time55

Total Time1 15

Servings

Front view of lemon sour cream cake slice with rich white frosting and bright texture.

This lemon sour cream cake is the kind of recipe you make once and remember forever. You’ll serve it for brunch, slice it cold from the fridge at midnight, and bring it to every gathering.

You’ll find the full ingredient list and instructions in the recipe card below. We’ve included all our notes to help you bake it with confidence, even if it’s your first time.

Lemon Sour Cream Cake Ingredients

Lemon Sour Cream Cake raw ingredients that are labeled

For The Cake:

1½ cups: granulated sugar and self-rising flour
½ cup: unsalted butter and sour cream
2 large eggs
⅓ cup of freshly squeezed lemon juice

For The Frosting:

3 cups of powdered sugar
¾ cup: sour cream and salted butter
1 tablespoon: fresh lemon zest and lemon juice

Ingredient Notes

Use room temperature eggs and sour cream – Cold ingredients don’t blend smoothly and can cause the batter to curdle. Leave them out for 30 minutes before baking.

This lemon cake can made without adding the frosting. Sprinkle it with confectioners’ sugar instead.

Tried and Tested Tips For The Perfect Sour Cream Cake

Cream the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Under-creamed = dense cake.

Add flour in batches and mix gently—just until you no longer see streaks. Overmixing toughens the cake.

Start checking the cake around 40 minutes. It is done when a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs—not totally clean, or it’s likely overbaked. Every oven runs differently, so use visual cues too: the top should be golden and set.

Storage Instructions

Store covered at room temperature for up to two days, or in the fridge for up to five days. Bring to room temp before serving for the best texture. The frosting firms up when cold but softens beautifully once it warms.

Lemon sour cream cake slice being lifted from a baking pan with a spatula.

More Lemon Cake Recipes

Lemon Sour Cream Pound Cake

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With a bright lemon flavor, this amazing lemon sour cream pound cake will fill your kitchen with enticing citrus aromas while it is baking.

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 55

Total Time 1 15

Servings

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Ingredients

Cake

1½ cups granulated sugar
½ cup unsalted butter, softened
2 large eggs, room temperature
½ cup sour cream
⅓ cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
1½ cups self-rising flour, spooned and leveled

Frosting

3 cups powdered sugar
¾ cup sour cream
¾ cup salted butter, softened
1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest, optional: additional for topping/garnish
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F and prepare an 8×8 baking pan with parchment paper or baking spray.
Add sugar and butter to a large mixing bowl and beat until creamy. Beat in eggs, sour cream, and lemon juice until combined.
Mix in flour in batches.
Pour and spread the cake batter into the prepared pan.
Bake in the preheated oven for 40 to 43 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean, then cool.
Prepare the frosting while cake cools. Add the frosting ingredients to a large mixing bowl and beat until creamy.
Spread the frosting evenly over the cooled cake.
Cut and serve.

Notes

If you’d like a firmer frosting, add an extra cup of powdered sugar, and chill before or after spreading it on the cake.
Make sure to mix only until the ingredients are combined. Overmixing will cause the cake to be dense and tough rather than light and fluffy.
Oven temperatures vary and may need to be recalibrated periodically to ensure they are accurate. Make sure to keep a close eye on your cake as the suggested baking time approaches.
If your frosting is ready before the cake is completely cool, put it in the fridge to keep it from getting too warm.

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!

Stephanie Keeping Publisher
Layne Kangas Marketing
Lexus Monroe Editorial Assistant

Lemon Sour Cream Cake