Lemon Pound Cake
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Calling all lemon lovers! This lemon pound cake is moist, buttery and has a tender crumb. Made with fresh lemon zest, and lemon juice it’s packed with lemon flavor. After baking in a bundt pan, this cake gets drizzled with an easy lemon glaze.
I’m a tad obsessed around here with pound cakes. Like my sour cream pound cake , this decadent chocolate pound cake, or summery peach cobbler pound cake, and my fresh blueberry pound cake or strawberry pound cake. And my favorite one to date might be the Sock It to Me Cake with a ribbon of pecans and cinnamon in the middle!
There’s something so wonderfully simple and comforting about a pound cake. I also love that a pound cake can be baked in a bundt cake so no fussy cake layers or frosting to contend with. And I absolutely can’t get enough of lemon desserts. Like my lemon cookies (my most popular recipe on the blog!) and my easy lemon blueberry bread made in a loaf pan.
For this lemon pound cake recipe, I wanted it to have lots of lemon flavor so I used both lemon zest and lemon juice in the cake. You will need about two lemons for this cake, but not all lemons are equal so I always grab three in case one of them isn’t all that juicy!
You will use the zest of about two lemons in the cake, and then the juice of the two lemons in the cake and in the glaze. That way there’s no wasted lemon in the making of this cake.
I love serving this lemon sour cream pound cake with fresh berries and a dollop of whipped cream for the best Spring dessert.
See Also:
- If you love cranberries, you have to try my Cranberry Cheesecake Bars! With a graham cracker crust, creamy cheesecake filling, fresh cranberry swirl, and a crumble topping, these bars are the perfect make-ahead dessert for the holidays!
- Layered with fresh strawberries and homemade whipped cream this vanilla sponge cake is a beautiful cake to make any time of year!
- If you’re looking for a showstopping cake, this Milk Bar cake is the perfect dessert to make for a birthday!
- Calling all peanut butter lovers with this super easy peanut butter cream cheese frosting to use on all your favorite cake recipes!
- This easy vanilla cupcake recipe uses melted butter so it comes together in minutes and no mixer is needed!
- When it’s summertime then you have to make these S’mores cupcakes with toasted meringue frosting and graham cracker bottom!
- Get a mixing bowl and make the easiest cake ever! This Tornado cake recipe (aka do nothing cake) made with crushed pineapple, coconut, and pecans!
Table of contents
Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Perfect any time dessert – I love a bundt cake for any occasion! I love serving it for afternoon tea, brunch, or (my favorite) during the summer!
- Bake in bundt pan or loaf pan – I love baking this lemon sour cream pound cake recipe in my bundt pan but you can also bake this in two loaf pans.
- Great make ahead dessert – You can make this lemon pound cake recipe day before, ready to be served when guests arrive. Or freeze for later for when you need a great last minute dessert!
Ingredients Needed
- All-Purpose Flour
- Salt
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Sour cream – I recommend using full-fat sour cream for maximum richness and fat content. If you don’t have sour cream, a full-fat Greek yogurt would be a good substitution.
- Vanilla extract
- Lemons (both lemon juice and zest) – I used two lemons for this cake but not all lemons provide the same amount of juice. I use the lemon juice in both the cake and the glaze. And the zest of both lemons (about 2 Tablespoons) is used in the cake. I recommend using fresh lemon juice for the best flavor.
- Unsalted butter – I always prefer baking with unsalted butter vs. salted butter as different brands have varying amounts of salt. If you only have salted butter then I would reduce the amount of salt.
- Granulated sugar
- Eggs -Use room temperature eggs
- Confectioners sugar (for the glaze) – If you have run out make your own homemade powdered sugar!
How To Make Lemon Pound Cake
In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and baking soda. Stir in the salt. Set aside.
Heather’s From Scratch Baking Tip
You want to make sure to not over-measure your flour. Stir your flour first in the bag then spoon into your measuring cup. Do NOT pack it down into the cup or you will end up with way too much flour causing your cake to be dry and dense. For best accuracy, I recommend weighing your flour and using a kitchen scale.
In a second small bowl, stir together the sour cream, lemon juice, lemon zest and vanilla. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer (or a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment), cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes on medium high speed.
Add the eggs one at a time, scraping down the mixing bowl well after each addition and mix until blended.
Heather’s From Scratch Baking Tip
You want room temperature eggs going into the bowl or it could cause your butter mixture to seize up and curdle. I place my eggs in a bowl of warm water for 10 minutes before using them. If you mixture does still break, it will smooth back out once the flour mixture has been added.
Add the dry ingredients and sour cream mixture alternately to butter-sugar-egg mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture until uniformly incorporated- do not overmix.
Why Do You Need To Alternate The Ingredients?
Alternating the ingredients an adding the flour and sour cream in gradually can help with not overmixing. Over-mixing will result in too much gluten being formed (the structure-building protein in the flour) that can result in a tough, chewy cake instead of a soft, tender one.
Grease and flour one 12-cup capacity bundt cake pan Pour batter into pan.
Greasing Your Bundt Pan
I wait until the end to grease my bundt pan because it can slip down the sides if you grease it too early. I prefer to use either shortening and then dust with a coating of flour. Or I prefer using a nonstick cooking spray with flour in it, like Baker’s Joy. It’s my go to spray for bundt cakes! I do NOT recommend using butter as it can actually make your cake stick MORE. Oil-based sprays or vegetable shortening is best!
Bake in a preheated 350°F degrees oven for approximately 50-60 minutes, until top is golden brown and when the cake is done when a toothpick or skewer inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then invert on to a cooling rack. Dust with confectioners sugar before serving.
Glaze For Lemon Pound Cake
To give this lemon pound cake more bright lemon flavor I love making a tangy lemon glaze. It’s made with just three ingredients – powdered sugar, lemon juice, and a little vanilla extract.
I like the lemon glaze to be thick but still “drizzable” (not a word…but it should!) be. If your lemon glaze is too thick, you can a little more lemon juice. And if it’s too thin, add a little more powdered sugar.
Recipe Variations
- Make a cream cheese frosting. Instead of a glaze, make this an easy and ice the cooled cake with it instead!
- Dust with powdered sugar. You could always skip the glaze and give it a light dusting of powdered sugar before serving.
- Bake in a loaf pan – You could make in two 9×5-inch loaf pans instead. Fill loaf pan about 3/4 full. You will need to reduce the baking time slightly.
Storage Instructions
You can store this lemon sour cream pound cake at room temperature for up to 3 days, wrapped in either plastic wrap or tinfoil, or stored in an airtight container like a cake carrier. Make sure it’s completely cool before you store it.
You can also freeze this cake. Wrap the cake up in plastic wrap, then a layer of tinfoil and freeze for up to 3 months. Simply thaw at room temperature.
Recipe FAQ’s
Yes you can. Instead of baking in a bundt pan, divide the batter between two loaf pans and bake for about 40-45 minutes.
This is probably due to under-baking. Be sure to test the cake with a toothpick or skewer. You should not see any raw batter on it but just a few moist crumbs. I also like to press the top of the cake and it should bounce back. If it stays indented, then it’s not done and needs more time.
I think the secret to this old fashioned lemon pound cake being moist is the addition of sour cream. Sour cream adds wonderful richness and creates a moist, tender crumb that can’t be beat. Sour cream is one of the fattiest dairy products you can use so the extra fat content is going to make for a wonderfully rich, moist cake. Be sure to use full-fat sour cream for the best texture. I don’t recommend using a fat-free sour cream in this cake as it won’t provide that extra fat content.
I haven’t tested it with lemon extract, but yes you could replace the lemon juice and zest with extract. I prefer using real lemons for the fresh lemon flavor. Extract is very strong so I would start with 1 teaspoon and adjust as needed.
More Recipes To Try
If you’re craving more pound cake, try my peach cobbler pound cake or strawberry pound cake in the summer time!
Or try this lemon curd cake version from Entirely Elizabeth or this buttermilk pound cake from
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Lemon Pound Cake Recipe
Ingredients
For the cake
- 2 ½ cups (300 g) all purpose flour spooned and leveled
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup (227 g) sour cream room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 Tablespoons lemon zest
- 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 cup (2 sticks, 226 g) unsalted butter r softened
- 2 ¼ cups (450 g) granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs room temperature
For the lemon glaze
- 1 ½ cups (170 g) confectioners sugar
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Prep oven. Position a rack in the center of your oven and preheat to 350°F/177°C.
- Combine dry ingredients. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and baking soda. Stir in the salt. Set aside. 2 ½ cups (300 g) all purpose flour ½ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon baking powder ½ teaspoon baking soda
- Combine sour cream, lemon and vanilla. In a second small bowl, stir together the sour cream, lemon juice, lemon zest and vanilla. Set aside. 1 cup (227 g) sour cream 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 2 Tablespoons lemon zest 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
- Cream butter and sugar. In a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer (or a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment), cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes on medium high speed.
- Add eggs. Add the eggs one at a time, scraping down the mixing bowl well after each addition and mix until blended. 1 cup (2 sticks, 226 g) unsalted butter 2 ¼ cups (450 g) granulated sugar 4 large eggs
- Alternate dry mixture and sour cream. Add the flour mixture and sour cream mixture alternately to butter-sugar-egg mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture until uniformly incorporated- do not overmix.
- Bake. Grease and flour one 12-cup capacity bundt cake pan. (I like to use either shortening and flour or a cooking spray that includes flour). Pour batter into pan. Bake in a preheated 350°F degrees oven for approximately 50-55 minutes, until top is golden brown and when the cake is done when a toothpick or skewer inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then invert on to a cooling rack (You may need to loosen around the edges of the cake before inverting).
- Make glaze. In a small bowl, whisk together the glaze ingredients. Adjust consistency if needed. Pour over cooled cake before serving. 1 ½ cups (170 g) confectioners sugar 3 tablespoons lemon juice 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Video
Notes
- Pan size: Instead of baking in a bundt pan, divide the batter between two 9×5 loaf pans and bake for about 40-45 minutes.
- Storage: You can store this cake at room temperature for up to 3 days, wrapped in either plastic wrap or tinfoil. Make sure it’s completely cool before you store it.
- Freezing: Wrap the cake up in plastic wrap, then a layer of tinfoil and freeze for up to 3 months. Simply thaw at room temperature.
- Sour cream – I recommend using full-fat sour cream for maximum richness and fat content. If you don’t have sour cream, a full-fat Greek yogurt would be a good substitution.
- Lemons (both lemon juice and zest) – I used two lemons for this cake but not all lemons provide the same amount of juice so you may need an extra lemon.
- Unsalted butter – I always prefer baking with unsalted butter vs. salted butter as different brands have varying amounts of salt. If you only have salted butter then I would reduce the amount of salt
I want to make this cake for a special event but i cant get the instant pudding nor lemon. What lemon flavour can i substitute it with besides essence?
Hi Jasmine, thank you for asking! The lemon cake uses only fresh lemon juice and zest, no pudding or extract. For more lemon flavor, just add extra lemon zest!
This lemon pound cake was fantastic! I’m never buying the store bought mix again! Thank you!
Thanks so much, Ned! I’m so happy to hear that you enjoyed the lemon pound cake so much!