Lemon Pound Cake
This Lemon Pound Cake recipe is a classic dessert that’s super easy to make for any occasion, especially family get-togethers, holidays, and birthdays!
What is Pound Cake?
A lemon pound cake is one of those classic baking recipes I believe every home chef needs in their recipe book! Dating back to the 1700s, it originally got its name because the recipe called for a pound each of flour, sugar, butter, and eggs.
As you can imagine, that was a dense cake. As time progressed through the centuries, classic pound cake has evolved into a recipe more like this one that still calls for one pound of butter and good amounts of flour and sugar.
Even though it seems like the amount of ingredients in this cake would weigh it down or cause it not to rise, something magical happens in the baking process and results in an airy, fluffy cake that’s the perfect combination of sweet and tart.
I like to drizzle this Lemon Pound Cake with a powdered sugar glaze and serve with fresh berries, but freshly whipped cream or even vanilla ice cream would also be delicious! This Lemon Pound Cake recipe is a classic dessert that’s super easy to make for any occasion like family get-togethers holidays (especially Easter and Christmas), and birthdays!
How to Make Lemon Pound Cake:
- Preheat your oven to 300ºF, and grease a 10-inch tube pan. Set aside. Then, cream together your room temperature unsalted butter with the sugar until creamy and smooth.
- Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well until incorporated after each addition.
- Add the flour to the butter mixture, alternating with the heavy cream, beginning and ending with flour. (Tip for cakes: you always want to start with the dry ingredients and end with the dry ingredients when alternating with the wet ingredients.) Mix just until combined after each addition. It’s OK to see some streaks of flour.
- Remove the mixing bowl from the stand mixer, and mix in the lemon juice, lemon zest, and lemon extract by hand.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared tube pan, and bake for 1 hour and 40 minutes. The cake is finished when a bamboo skewer inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few crumbs.
- Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 15 minutes before inverting the pan on a wire rack to cool completely. Drizzle with the powdered sugar glaze, serve by the slice, and enjoy!
Tips and Variations:
- Flour: All-purpose flour can be substituted in place of cake flour or a mixture of the two can be used. All-purpose flour will yield a slightly lighter cake. I don’t recommend using self-rising flour since it contains leaveners and this cake doesn’t use leaveners.
- Heavy Whipping Cream: Heavy cream, buttermilk, or even whole milk can be used in place of heavy whipping cream. If whole milk is used, the cake will be slightly drier in texture since the fat content is lower.
- Pans: This can be made in a 10 or 12 cup Bundt pan or 2 (9 x 5-inch) loaf pan. If using loaf pans, adjust the bake time slightly and cool a few minutes less. Check the cake and cook longer only if needed.
- Extracts: If you’d prefer to not use lemon extract, leave it out and add extra lemon zest. For a slightly different flavor try adding vanilla extract or almond extract.
- Room Temperature Ingredients: The refrigerated ingredients work best if they’ve had time to set out for 30 minutes or so, and come up to room temperature a bit.
- Removing the Cake from the Pan: Make sure the pan is well greased before adding the batter. After the cake bakes, allow it to rest in the pan for about 15 minutes before inverting the pan onto a wire rack. Don’t try to pry the cake loose. Sometimes it takes a few minutes to release, since there are still some warm areas. If needed, gently run a butter knife around the edge of the pan if the cake doesn’t release after several minutes.
- Don’t Overmix: Don’t overmix the ingredients; otherwise the cake can become tough and dense.
Storage Recommendations:
Room temperature: Store this cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. However, DO NOT add the glaze if you’re going to store it at room temperature. The glaze has dairy which needs to be refrigerated.
Refrigerator: The cake and glaze can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Just be aware that the cake firms up quite a bit due to the butter. It’s best served slightly warmed, so microwave it for 15 to 20 seconds to soften it before enjoying.
Freezer: To freeze the baked cake, wrap it in plastic wrap then wrap it a second time in aluminum foil. It will stay good in the freezer for up to 2 months. Allow it to thaw overnight in the refrigerator then set out at room temperature before serving.
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Ingredients
Cake
- 1 pound unsalted butter, softened
- 3 cups granulated sugar
- 6 large eggs, room temperature
- 4 cups cake flour
- ½ cup heavy whipping cream, room temperature
- ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons lemon zest
- 2 teaspoons lemon extract
- ½ teaspoon salt
Optional Glaze
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 1 ½ tablespoons milk, or heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
For the Cake:
- Preheat the oven to 300ºF, and grease a 10-inch tube pan. Set aside.
- Cream the butter and sugar together on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.1 pound unsalted butter3 cups granulated sugar
- Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.6 large eggs
- Add the flour to the butter mixture, alternating with the heavy cream, beginning and ending with flour. Mix just until combined after each addition.4 cups cake flour½ cup heavy whipping cream
- Stir in the lemon juice, lemon zest, lemon extract, and salt.¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice2 tablespoons lemon zest2 teaspoons lemon extract½ teaspoon salt
- Transfer the batter to the prepared tube pan, and bake for 1 hour and 40 minutes. The cake is finished when a bamboo skewer inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few crumbs.
- Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 15 minutes before inverting the pan on a wire rack to cool completely.
For the Glaze:
- In a medium bowl, combine the powdered sugar, milk, butter, almond extract, and vanilla. Add additional milk to reach the desired consistency.1 ½ cups powdered sugar1 ½ tablespoons milk1 tablespoon unsalted butter½ teaspoon almond extract½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Drizzle the glaze over the cake.
- Slice and serve with fresh berries or whipped cream.
- Please see the post for various storage options.