Lemon Pound Cake Recipe - Easy Dessert Recipes (2024)

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This simple lemon pound cake recipe is bursting full of fresh flavors and is so easy to make. Perfect to serve as a dessert or enjoy with a hot cup of coffee.

Lemon Pound Cake Recipe - Easy Dessert Recipes (1)

Easy Lemon Pound Cake Recipe

Sometimes, simplicity is best when it comes to desserts, and this classic pound cake recipe hits just the right spot.

Bursting with fresh lemon flavor, this pound cake is perfectly moist and is a great go to recipe when you don’t have hours to spare.

Be sure to check out my chocolate strawberry cupcakes and devil’s food cake!

Why You’ll Love this Lemon Pound Cake:

  • Quick and Easy: Pound cakes are made with just a few ingredients and are super quick to make before they get baked in the oven.
  • Fresh Flavors: Bursting with lemon flavor, this is a great cake to serve for Easter and throughout the summer.
  • Make Ahead: Because pound cakes are so moist, they have a long shelf life and can easily be enjoyed all week long.
Lemon Pound Cake Recipe - Easy Dessert Recipes (2)

Lemon Pound Cake Recipe - Easy Dessert Recipes (3)

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How to Make Lemon Pound Cake from Scratch

Be sure to see the recipe card below for full ingredients & instructions!

  1. Whisk together the dry ingredients.
  2. Mix together the sugar, butter and vanilla. Whisk in the eggs.
  3. Mix the flour into the eggs with the lemon juice and peel.
  4. Pour into a tin and bake.
  5. Top with a lemon glaze.
Lemon Pound Cake Recipe - Easy Dessert Recipes (5)
Lemon Pound Cake Recipe - Easy Dessert Recipes (6)

Why is it called pound cake?

Recipes for pound cake date all the way back to the 1700s. These traditional recipes called for 1 pound each of sugar, flour, butter, and eggs. The ratios for modern-day pound cakes have changed a little, but it is still a very simple (and delicious!) recipe.

How long does lemon pound cake keep?

Once your lemon cake has fully cooled, transfer it to an airtight container. It will keep well for 3 days at room temperature and up to 1 week in the refrigerator. Because there is a high butter content in this cake, it won’t dry out as quickly.

Can I freeze lemon pound cake?

Yes! Pound cakes freeze really well. I prefer to freeze them without the frosting for the best results. Make sure the cake is cooled completely before wrapping securely in plastic wrap or foil and placing in a Ziplock bag or airtight container. Frozen cakes are best enjoyed within 3 months, though will still be safe to eat after 4 or 5 months of being frozen. Thaw at room temperature.

Lemon Pound Cake Recipe - Easy Dessert Recipes (7)
Lemon Pound Cake Recipe - Easy Dessert Recipes (8)

Recipe Tips and Tricks

  • For my glaze, I used 1 cup of powdered sugar, and 2 tablespoons of lemon juice. Whisk together and glaze before it hardens. You can use any glaze or frosting you like best.
  • For quickness and ease, use a stand or electric hand mixer to make the cake batter. You can do it by hand, but make sure that everything is well combined.
  • Use room temperature ingredients to make this recipe. They will combine more easily and result in a more even texture throughout the cake.
Lemon Pound Cake Recipe - Easy Dessert Recipes (9)

This lemon pound cake is truly bursting with vibrant flavors. It’s a great go to cake recipe with simple ingredients, and the results are seriously yummy!

More Lemon Recipes We Love

If you make this recipe be sure to leave us a comment or rating. Enjoy!

Lemon Pound Cake Recipe - Easy Dessert Recipes (10)

4.50 from 10 votes

Lemon Pound Cake Recipe

This simple lemon pound cake recipe is bursting full of fresh flavors and is so easy to make. Perfect to serve as a dessert or enjoy with a hot cup of coffee.

Prep: 10 minutes minutes

Cook: 1 hour hour 5 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes

Servings: 8 people

Lemon Pound Cake Recipe - Easy Dessert Recipes (11)

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Ingredients

  • cups all-purpose flour 180 grams
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder 4 grams
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 cup granulated sugar 200 grams
  • cup butter 151 grams, room temperature (1⅓ sticks)
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract 8 grams
  • 3 large eggs 150 grams, room temperature and whisked
  • 3 tablespoons lemon juice 42 grams
  • 2 tablespoons lemon zest 12 grams

For the Glaze

  • 1 cup powdered sugar 113 grams
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice 28 grams

Equipment

  • 9×5-inch Loaf Pan

  • Kitchen Scale (optional)

  • Hand Mixer

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 325°F. Spray a 9×5-inch loaf pan with nonstick spray. Set aside.

  • In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

    1½ cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon kosher salt

  • In a large mixing bowl, with a hand mixer, beat together the sugar, butter, and vanilla until creamy. Add the eggs and mix for 30-60 seconds.

    1 cup granulated sugar, ⅔ cup butter, 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract, 3 large eggs

  • Slowly add in the flour mixture, lemon juice, and lemon zest, mixing until well combined.

    3 tablespoons lemon juice, 2 tablespoons lemon zest

  • Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake 60-65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with moist crumbs.

  • Make the glaze: Stir together the powdered sugar and lemon juice until a runny glaze forms. Thin with water if needed or thicken with additional powdered sugar.

    1 cup powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons lemon juice

  • Drizzle the cake with the glaze and let set.

Notes

  • For quickness and ease, use a stand or electric hand mixer to make the cake batter. You can do it by hand, but make sure that everything is well combined.
  • Use room temperature ingredients to make this recipe. They will combine more easily and result in a more even texture throughout the cake.

Storage:Store lemon pound cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, in the refrigerator for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Nutrition Facts

Lemon Pound Cake Recipe

Amount Per Serving (1 slice)

Calories 405Calories from Fat 153

% Daily Value*

Fat 17g26%

Saturated Fat 10g63%

Trans Fat 1g

Polyunsaturated Fat 1g

Monounsaturated Fat 5g

Cholesterol 102mg34%

Sodium 225mg10%

Potassium 67mg2%

Carbohydrates 59g20%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 40g44%

Protein 5g10%

Vitamin A 563IU11%

Vitamin C 6mg7%

Calcium 50mg5%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Author: Becky Hardin – Easy Dessert Recipes

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  1. Lemon Pound Cake Recipe - Easy Dessert Recipes (18)Ray says

    How do you measure the flour; do you scoop it or spoon it into the cup? Thank you.

    Reply

    • Lemon Pound Cake Recipe - Easy Dessert Recipes (19)Becky Hardin says

      We scoop and then level.

      Reply

  2. Lemon Pound Cake Recipe - Easy Dessert Recipes (20)Gloria says

    I Did not like this lemon pound cake recipe. This cake has TOO MANY HOLES!!!

    Reply

Lemon Pound Cake Recipe - Easy Dessert Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What happens if you put too much lemon juice in a cake? ›

Cutting too much lemon for a recipe can result in a dish that is excessively sour or acidic. This can overpower the other flavors and make the dish unbalanced.

How do you increase the flavor of lemon in a cake? ›

Add up to a few teaspoons of zest to your baked goods to provide background flavor notes. It can be used to boost the overall lemon profile of your bake or accent additional flavors, similar to vanilla extract. Add the zest to your recipe when called for or when adding the fat (butter, oil, etc.)

Why a cold oven is the secret to a better pound cake? ›

Starting your pound cake in a cold oven also impacts the texture of the cake. A longer bake time and lower temperature allows the leavening more time to work before the cake sets, resulting in a taller, fluffier cake.

What makes a pound cake heavy? ›

Store brands of sugar are often more finely ground than name brands, yielding more sugar per cup, which can cause the cake to fall. Store brands of butter may contain more liquid fat, and flours more hard wheat, making the cake heavy.

Can I use lemon juice instead of water in cake mix? ›

Incorporate citrus

Mix in 1 tablespoon of freshly grated orange, lime, grapefruit, or lemon zest. "For a citrus cake, also try using lemon juice or orange juice," says Waterson. Replace 1/8 cup of the water called for on the box with lemon or orange juice to amp up the flavor.

What does too much vinegar do to cake? ›

If too much vinegar is added to a recipe, it can make the dish overly sour and unbalanced in flavor. This can also make the texture of the dish unappetizing.

Why did my lemon pound cake fall? ›

This is because too much batter in one cake tin may result in the weight of the batter being too much for the cake to support, causing the cake to collapse and sink in the middle as it bakes. This is especially true for cake recipes which have a more softer, delicate structure to them, which many of my cake recipes do.

What Flavours compliment lemon? ›

Lemon: Pairs especially well with almond, apricot, basil, berries, black pepper, cardamom, cherry, citrus, coconut, hazelnut, ginger, mint, nectarine, peach, plum, prickly pear, rosemary, thyme, tropical fruit, and vanilla. For spirits, it mixes best with rum, vodka, and nut and orange liqueurs.

How do you make a cake taste richer? ›

Adding extra eggs when baking a cake brings out a lighter and richer flavor, making your dessert even more delicious! Baking tip #6: Adding a touch of vanilla extract, ¼ teaspoon to be exact, is all it takes to make your box cake taste better, even homemade.

Is it better to bake pound cake at 325 or 350? ›

A steady 325-350 degrees is ideal when it comes to baking pound cake. Position the pan in the middle of the oven, and rotate it once, halfway through the baking time, as it bakes to account for any hot spots.

Why do you put water in the oven when baking a pound cake? ›

Set aside a different pan filled with a few inches of water (this creates moisture in the oven and prevents the cake from drying out while baking).

Why does my pound cake fall when I take it out of the oven? ›

Too much air and your cake will collapse because it simply can't hold onto all that air. Overbeating can add too much additional air and/or large air bubbles which the cake can't support, causing it to collapse in the oven.

Can you overbeat a pound cake? ›

Be careful not to overbeat the butter-sugar mixture, especially on a hot day — you could rupture the air cells and cause the batter to be heavy.

Should you sift flour for a pound cake? ›

Sift: Sifting the flour into the batter makes the cake lighter. It also breaks up any large clumps of flour, making it easier to incorporate into the batter.

Can you over mix a pound cake? ›

It's important to not overmix the pound cake batter once you've added in the flour. Once the flour has been added gluten bonds will start to form and if you mix the batter too much your cake will end up tough and bready!

What to do if you add too much lemon juice? ›

Dilute with water: The simplest way to reduce the acidity of lemon juice is by diluting it with water. Gradually add water to the lemon juice until you reach your desired level of acidity. Add sugar or sweeteners: Adding sugar or other sweeteners to lemon juice can help balance out the acidity.

Does lemon juice affect cake batter? ›

Lemon juice naturally contains citric acid which quickly reacts with the base present in the baking powder producing CO2 and sodium citrate. This may lead to undesirable flavors and poor crust color due to lower pH of the product after baking.

What cancels out lemon flavor? ›

One of the easiest ways to cut the lemon taste is to balance it with sweetness. Adding a touch of sugar or sweetener can help neutralize the acidity and bring out the natural flavors of lemon. You can try adding a teaspoon of honey, agave syrup, or a sprinkle of powdered sugar to your lemon-infused dishes or drinks.

What happens if you add too much liquid to a cake? ›

Using too much liquid or sugar will overpower your dry ingredients, which help give your cake structure. And, yes, sugar is considered a wet ingredient since it turns into a liquid form when heated.

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