Sweet, lemony, and moist, this Lemon Pound Cake comes together in a few simple steps. Bursting with bright lemon flavors, this dessert is perfect for any occassion.
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.
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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.