Lemon Pound Cake

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

Prep Time15

Cook Time55

Total Time1 10

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Lemon Pound Cake Recipe

Servings:

Calories: 264kcal

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