I love the refreshing lemon flavor from this moist lemon pound cake. It’s so zesty and sweet that it’ll brighten up anyone’s day. As you add lemon zest and lemon juice into the batter and the glaze, every bite is bursting with bright lemon flavor.
This lemon loaf is as rich and satisfying as it is moist with a smooth, velvety crumb. Like a traditional pound cake, this lemon version is dense, but it doesn’t taste heavy! You will be fall in love with this recipe as it’s simple to make and perfect for any occasion. If you want to make another citrusy dessert that everyone will love, try my orange cake recipe, lemon tart recipe, or lemon blueberry cake recipe.
What You Need to Make This Recipe
Butter — make sure you bring the butter to room temperature so it will cream easily. Room temperature means it’s soft enough, so when you press into it, your finger leaves a dent, but not too soft that it’s greasy or oily. Also, make sure to use unsalted butter to ensure the cake doesn’t turn out too salty.
Lemon — you will need lemon juice and lemon zest. I recommend using freshly squeezed lemon juice for the best flavor for your pound cake. Fresh lemon juice has a brighter flavor than bottled lemon juice, so it’s worth the extra step of juicing a lemon.
Eggs — eggs assist the baking powder in helping the cake rise. As the eggs mix into the batter, they create air bubbles that expand in the oven, so the cake rises.
Milk — I recommend using whole milk for the best flavor. Do not substitute with water.
Powdered sugar — the sugar sweetens and thickens the glaze. If you do not have any on hand, see my post on how to make powdered sugar at home.
How to Make Lemon Pound Cake
1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
2. Cream the butter with sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Then beat in the lemon juice and zest.
3. Add the eggs one at a time, beating until well combined before adding the next one. Stop and scrape down the bowl as needed.
4. With the mixer on low, add in the flour mixture alternating with the milk.
5. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Bake for 65 to 70 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted into the center comes out clean.
6. In a medium bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, lemon juice, and milk until smooth to make the glaze. Drizzle over cooled pound cake before serving.
Pro Tips for Making This Recipe
- Avoid overmixing the pound cake batter as it’ll lead to a tough and rubbery cake.
- I highly recommend using a scale to measure your flour. However, if you don’t have a scale, be sure to fluff your flour with a spoon and then spoon it into your cups before leveling it off with a knife. This method is the best way to measure flour without overpacking the measuring cup. Too much flour will lead to a dense and dry pound cake.
- If you forgot to set out your eggs, quickly bring them to room temperature by placing them in a large bowl and covering them with warm tap water for 5 minutes. Room temperature eggs mix much more effortlessly into the batter.
- If your lemon has been in the fridge, bring it to room temperature and roll it on the counter to loosen the juices. This way, you get more juice out of the lemon.
- An average-sized fresh lemon will provide you with about 2 to 3 teaspoons of lemon zest and 3 tablespoons of lemon juice, so one lemon should be enough for the cake, but I recommend picking up two to be on the safe side. Plus, you need a tablespoon of lemon juice for the glaze!
- Tent the cake with foil for the final 15 minutes if the lemon pound cake is browning too quickly.
- It’s easier to zest a lemon before juicing, so be sure to zest first.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the secret to a moist pound cake?
To ensure the pound cake stays soft, avoid overmixing or overbaking the cake. Also, using milk instead of water helps keep the cake moist. Fat from the whole milk helps make the cake moist, so do not swap for water or low-fat milk. In addition to the milk, the eggs help the cake stay moist. Four eggs may seem like a lot, but due to the density of the cake, I do not recommend removing any eggs.
What can I do with too many fresh lemons?
Other than making this delicious lemon-flavored pound cake, you could also make my lemon cookies recipe, lemon poppy seed muffins recipe, lemon blueberry cake recipe, or lemon curd recipe.
How do I store leftovers?
If you have leftovers, store them at room temperature for up to 4 days in an airtight container. It will dry out if you simply wrap it loosely.
Can I freeze this?
This cake freezes wonderfully with or without the glaze. Wrap the cake with plastic wrap and then tin foil before freezing for up to 3 months. You can also freeze individual slices to pull them out as needed. Simply wrap them up individually in plastic and transfer the slices to a freezer-safe bag. Bring the cake to room temperature before enjoying it. Do not thaw frozen cake in the microwave or oven as it will dry out.
If you love this recipe try these out!
If you’ve tried this Lemon Pound Cake recipe, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!
Lemon Pound Cake
Video
Equipment
- Electric or stand mixer
- Mixing Bowls
- Loaf pan
- Parchment paper
- Wire cooling rack
Ingredients
Pound Cake:
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour (300g)
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature (227g)
- 1¼ cup sugar (250g)
- 4 large eggs room temperature
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
- ½ cup whole milk room temperature (120mL)
Glaze:
- 1 cup powdered sugar (120g)
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons whole milk
Instructions
For the Pound Cake:
- Preheat the oven to 350°. Lightly spray a 9x5-inch loaf pan with baking spray and line with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
- In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Gradually beat in the sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the lemon juice and zest. Add the eggs one at a time, beating until well combined before adding the next one. Stop and scrape down the bowl as needed.
- With the mixer on low, add in the flour mixture alternating with the milk. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan.
- Bake for 65 to 70 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Remove from the pan and let cool completely on a wire rack.
For the Glaze:
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, lemon juice, and milk until smooth. Drizzle over cooled pound cake before serving. Store any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
Notes
- Avoid overmixing the pound cake batter as it’ll lead to a tough and rubbery cake.
- I highly recommend using a scale to measure your flour. However, if you don’t have a scale, be sure to fluff your flour with a spoon and then spoon it into your cups before leveling it off with a knife. This method is the best way to measure flour without overpacking the measuring cup. Too much flour will lead to a dense and dry pound cake.
- If you forgot to set out your eggs, quickly bring them to room temperature by placing them in a large bowl and covering them with warm tap water for 5 minutes. Room temperature eggs mix much more effortlessly into the batter.
- If your lemon has been in the fridge, bring it to room temperature and roll it on the counter to loosen the juices. This way, you get more juice out of the lemon.
- An average-sized fresh lemon will provide you with about 2 to 3 teaspoons of lemon zest and 3 tablespoons of lemon juice, so one lemon should be enough for the cake, but I recommend picking up two to be on the safe side. Plus, you need a tablespoon of lemon juice for the glaze!
- Tent the cake with foil for the final 15 minutes if it is browning too quickly.
- It’s easier to zest a lemon before juicing, so be sure to zest first.
