Lemon Pound Cake
Lemon Pound Cake topped with lemon glaze is a great dessert or snack cake that’s so easy to make. The cake is bursting with lemon flavor and has a lightly spongy, moist crumb. Enjoy a slice or two for dessert or enjoy a slice as a snack with a cup of coffee or tea.
I just love lemon desserts, especially during the spring and summer when the weather is warm. This lemon pound cake is always a favorite – a must-make every year at our house.
And this cake is all about the lemon flavor! No bland slices of cake here – I use lemon zest to flavor the pound cake and a sweet lemon glaze adds another punch of flavor. It really is the best dessert if you love lemon like I do.
Of course, it’s not my only favorite – I also love to make my lemon layer cake, too! But, this pound cake recipe I’m sharing today is just a little easier – the perfect treat when you’re craving a bright citrus flavor.
Table of Contents
Ingredients
- All-purpose flour
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Lemon zest
- Softened butter
- Granulated sugar
- Large eggs at room temperature
- Vanilla extract
- Sour milk at room temperature
- Sifted powdered sugar
- Fresh lemon juice
- Cream or milk
To make sour milk, place 1/2 tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice in a bowl. Add 1/2 cup of milk and let it sit for 15 to 20 minutes and then stir it. Or, you can use the same amount of buttermilk if you don’t want to make the sour milk.
Room temperature ingredients are easier to mix so you don’t end up overmixing the batter. So be sure to leave the eggs and butter out before you make the cake.
How to Make the Cake
In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt and lemon zest.
Cream the butter and sugar in large bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.
Add the eggs one at a time and beat well between each addition. Beat in the vanilla and then alternately add the flour and sour milk while mixing. Scrape the sides of the bowl as needed.
Pour the cake batter into a prepared loaf pan and bake the pound cake at 325°F for 50 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Cool the cake in the pan for 10 minutes or so and then transfer it to a cooling rack to cool completely.
While the cake cools you can make the glaze. Combine the powdered sugar, lemon juice, and cream in a bowl until smooth. If it’s too thick, thin it with more cream. If it’s too thin, add some powdered sugar.
Drizzle the glaze over the lemon pound cake.
How to store the cake
If you glaze the pound cake then it should be refrigerated. Wrap well in foil, let the glaze set before wrapping or place in an airtight container. This will keep it from drying out. It will keep for up to 5-7 days in the fridge.
If it is unglazed then it can be stored at room temperature wrapped well in plastic and stored in an airtight container. It will keep for 2-3 days at room temperature.
Can you freeze lemon pound cake?
Yes, pound cakes freezer really well! Once you’ve baked the cake, allow it to completely cool at room temperature. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap (a few layers are best) and freeze it. It will keep for up to 3 months in the freezer.
You can also slice the cake first into individual slices and wrap them for freezing. This is nice when you want cake but don’t need the whole cake. Just leave the slice out at room temperature for a bit to thaw it and then enjoy.
When you want to serve it, let it thaw at room temperature and then add the lemon glaze for serving.
What’s the secret to a moist pound cake?
For this recipe, sour milk is the secret. Acid breaks down the gluten in the flour creating a very tender, moist crumb. Buttermilk and sour cream also do this in cake recipes.
Also, it’s important to not overbake the cake, which can dry it out.
Doesn’t a slice of this lemon pound cake sound so good? I know you’ll love it – it’s my favorite lemon pound cake recipe. Enjoy!
More Cake Recipes
Glazed Lemon Pound Cake
Ingredients
- 1½ cup all purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 pinch salt
- zest of 1 lemon
- ½ cup butter (soft)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs (room temperature)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ½ cup sour milk* (room temperature)
*to ½ cup measurement add ½ tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice and top with milk. Let sit 15-20 minutes stir to combine.
LEMON GLAZE
- 1 cup powdered/icing sugar (sifted)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1-2 tablespoons cream (or milk)
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 325F (165C). Grease and flour a 8 inch loaf pan.
- In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt and lemon zest.
- In the mixing bowl cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy (approximately 3 minutes), add an egg one at a time beating between each, beat in the vanilla. Alternately add the flour mixture and the sour milk. Beat well.
- Pour into the greased loaf pan. Bake for approximately 50-60 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Let cool 10-15 minutes in the pan then move to a wire rack to cool completely. Drizzle or spread with lemon glaze. Enjoy!
FOR THE GLAZE
- In a medium bowl mix together the powdered sugar, lemon juice and cream or milk until smooth and at desired thickness. If too thin add more powdered sugar if too thin more cream or milk.