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Lemon Pound Cake
Flavored with lemon zest and lemon juice — and drizzled with a tart lemon glaze — this is the ultimate pound cake for lemon lovers!
This is the ultimate pound cake for lemon lovers. I add lemon zest and lemon juice to the batter, which lightly perfume the cake with lemon. Then, while the cake is still warm from the oven, I douse it with lemon syrup to further enhance the lemon flavor. Finally, I drizzle the cake with a tart lemon glaze, which adds a pop of intense lemon flavor to every bite.
This lemon pound cake keeps well for days — in fact, it’s best made a day ahead of time. It freezes well, too. Many thanks to my longtime reader Karen Tannenbaum for inspiring this recipe.
What You’ll Need To Make Lemon Pound Cake
How To Make Lemon Pound Cake
Start by zesting and juicing your lemons. And be sure you zest the lemons first, otherwise it will be impossible once they are juiced. The best tool for zesting is a rasp grater but any fine grater will do.
Combine the flour, salt, and baking soda in a mixing bowl. I always add dry ingredients in little piles so I don’t forget what I’ve already added.
Whisk and set aside.
In a separate bowl or measuring cup, combine the buttermilk, lemon juice and lemon zest. Set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Beat in the eggs one at a time.
With the mixer on low speed, gradually alternate adding the flour mixture and buttermilk mixture to the batter.
It’s important to add these ingredients gradually because the butter base of the cake does not absorb a lot of liquid easily. If you rush it, the batter may separate, which will cause your cake to be heavy.
Transfer the cake batter to the prepared bundt pan and smooth with a rubber spatula. As you can see in the photo below, to prep the pan, I grease it with vegetable shortening and then dust with sugar. It works beautifully and leaves no floury residue on the outside of the cake.
Bake the cake for 65 to 75 minutes, until golden brown and a cake tester comes out clean.
Let the cake cool in the pan for about ten minutes. Meanwhile, make the syrup. Combine the water and sugar in a small saucepan and bring to a boil, then stir in the lemon juice.
Invert the cake onto a wire rack. (Note: be sure to pop the cake out of the pan after ten minutes, as cooling too long in the pan will cause the cake to stick.) Slip a piece of parchment paper, aluminum foil, or paper towels underneath for easy clean-up.
Gradually brush the cake with the syrup, allowing it to soak in as you go. Try not to rush — some of the syrup will drip off but you want the cake to absorb as much as possible.
Leave the cake to cool completely, about one hour, before glazing. To make the glaze, combine the confectioners’ sugar and lemon juice in a small bowl. Stir until well combined. Add more confectioners’ sugar or lemon juice if necessary to make a thick but pourable glaze.
Once the cake is cool, drizzle the syrup over top, letting it drip down the sides.
Let the glaze set, then serve.
How To Freeze Lemon Pound Cake
The cake can be frozen without the glaze for up to 3 months. After it is completely cooled, double-wrap it securely with aluminum foil or plastic freezer wrap, or place it in heavy-duty freezer bag. Thaw the overnight on the countertop before serving. (Add the syrup before the cake is frozen and add the glaze after the cake is thawed.)
You May Also Like
- Glazed Lemon Poppy Seed Cake
- Warm Lemon Pudding Cakes
- Lemon Meringue Pie
- Kentucky Butter Cake
- Luscious Lemon Bars
Lemon Pound Cake
Flavored with lemon zest and lemon juice — and drizzled with a tart lemon glaze — this is the ultimate pound cake for lemon lovers!
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 3 cups all purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off with a knife
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup buttermilk (low fat is fine)
- 2 tablespoons grated lemon zest, packed (see note)
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened
- 2-1/4 cups granulated sugar, plus more for the pan
- 3 large eggs
For the Syrup
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1-1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
For the Glaze
- 1 cup confectioners' sugar
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F and set an oven rack in the middle position.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
- In another bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, lemon zest and lemon juice. Set aside.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or beaters), cream the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then beat in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl again.
- With the mixer on low speed, beat in one-quarter of the flour mixture, then one-third of the buttermilk mixture. Beat in another quarter of the flour, then another third of the buttermilk mixture. Repeat with another quarter of the flour and the remaining buttermilk mixture. Finally, beat in the remaining flour mixture. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, and give a quick mix to make sure all of the ingredients are well incorporated.
- (See note below before completing this step.) Thoroughly grease a 10-inch Bundt pan with nonstick cooking spray or vegetable shortening, making sure to get into all the crevices. Coat the greased pan generously with granulated sugar, making sure the entire surface of the pan is evenly coated.
- Spoon the thick batter into the prepared Bundt pan and smooth with a rubber spatula. Bake for 65 to 75 minutes, or until the cake is golden and a tester comes out clean.
- Set the cake on a cooling rack. Carefully run an offset spatula or table knife around the edges of your pan, between the pan and the cake, to loosen the cake from the pan (don't forget the center tube). Cool the cake in the pan for ten minutes. (Set a timer because if it stays in the pan too long, it may stick.)
- Meanwhile, make the syrup. Combine the water and sugar in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon juice.
- Invert the warm cake onto a rack. Slip a large piece of parchment paper, aluminum foil, or paper towels under the rack for easy clean-up. Gradually brush the hot syrup over the cake, letting it soak in (a little syrup will drip off, but try not to rush so that most of it is absorbed). Allow the cake to cool completely, about one hour.
- When the cake is cool, carefully transfer it to a serving platter. To make the glaze: in a medium bowl, whisk together the confectioners' sugar and lemon juice. Add more confectioners' sugar or lemon juice as necessary to make a thick but pourable glaze (it should be a little thicker than you'd think, about the consistency of molasses or honey). Spoon the glaze over the top of the cake, letting it drip down the sides.
- Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The cake can be frozen (without the glaze) for up to 3 months. After it is completely cooled, double-wrap it securely with aluminum foil or plastic freezer wrap, or place it in heavy-duty freezer bag. Thaw overnight on the countertop before serving. (Add the syrup before the cake is frozen and add the glaze after the cake is thawed.)
- Note: You'll need 4 to 5 large lemons for the entire recipe.
- Note: As the recipe indicates, I grease the Bundt pan with vegetable shortening and then dust it with sugar. It has always worked beautifully for me, but a number of readers have mentioned problems with the cake sticking. If you’d prefer to use a different method, treat the pan by generously coating it with butter and then dusting it with flour, or use a nonstick baking spray with flour like Pam with Flour or Baker’s Joy. Also, make sure your Bundt pan is still in good shape and has all of its nonstick coating. If not, it may be time for a new one. I really like this one. Also, it's best not to use a Bundt pan with an intricate design for this cake, as they are more prone to sticking.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (16 servings)
- Serving size: 1 slice
- Calories: 313
- Fat: 7g
- Saturated fat: 4g
- Carbohydrates: 59g
- Sugar: 40g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 4g
- Sodium: 143mg
- Cholesterol: 51mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Hi there,
Thank you for your recipe.
I changed buttermilk by almond milk + lemon juice and butter by oil.
And the result is just perfect 🙂
Sorry if it’s a silly question but I’m trying to figure out what size cake pan I need for this recipe, I know you say 25x9cm but I can’t seem to find that size when searching in Google.
Thanks
Jackie
Hi Jackie, Sorry you’re having a problem finding it online. Maybe it’s helpful to know that it’s a 10-inch (12 cup capacity) bundt pan. Here’s one that’s very similar to the one I have.
I just made this delicious cake today. Absolutely fantastic. I do all my baking from scratch and was thrilled with how good this is. It has just enough lemon taste and extremely moist. Thank you, so much for the recipe.
This is the best recipe ever. I have made this pound cake many times and everyone loves it. I enjoy baking so each cake has come out perfect every time. I have made two in the past week and have shared the recipe with others.
Made this today, and it was absolutely fantastic. The cake was so moist, and it had just enough lemon flavour. Will definitely be making this recipe again!
Didn’t even get around to making the syrup and glaze and was still delicious! Made the cake exactly as written except used margarine as didn’t have enough butter.
Sadly, I join the group who’s cake stuck to the pan. I made repairs so not a loss, just not pretty. The taste and texture is delicious. I question taking it from the pan after only 10 minutes of cooling. I haven’t done that with other pound cakes I’ve made and they have been intact. I will experiment next time, otherwise great recipe.
My local stores are out of buttermilk. Can soured milk be substituted and if so, do you recommend using lemon juice or vinegar in the milk?
Sure, Kelley – both lemon juice and vinegar will work.
Easy recipe and love all the step by steps with attention to detail. Like reminding us to scrape around the sides and even the tube which I always forget with a Bundt pan. I sprayed and dusted with sugar and mine came out really easily! My tree grows huge, juicy lemons so I only needed 1.5 for this recipe. Thank you for my new go-to lemon pound cake recipe!
This is my new favorite cake recipe! Made it three times already
Hi Jenn, I made this for my mums birthday and it came out so so well. Thanks for the recipe.
My search is over. I finally found perfect lemon pound cake recipe. Delish!
I baked this to take to work. I followed the recipe as is and it turned out great! I used the shortening and sugar method and it didn’t stick. Looked so pretty. Everyone loved it. I will make it again!
Hi, Jenn, I love your recipes and have used many of them many times, but this one was a fail for me. My bundt pan is new and non-stick, I used generous veg shortening and dusted the pan with sugar, followed the instructions exactly but the darn thing would not leave the pan. I patched it together near my kitchen sink, but all was not lost until it slipped of my cooling rack onto the floor when I moved back to the island. My husband who was in another room wondered why he didn’t hear me crying — it made laugh. All the best and thanks for your great recipes.
Awww… so sorry Cindy, but glad you were able to laugh about it! Sounds like you did everything right including a new bundt pan, but you may find some helpful tips in this article.
Baked this cake about two weeks ago. Me and my family loved it so much baked a second one today. I’m not a baker and typically don’t make cakes by scratch. This recipe makes me never want to buy boxed cake again. Delicious.
First off, I am not a baker. With that being said, I was attracted to Jenn’s recipes because of the explanation of various ingredients, especially her tips shared from erroneous trials. I thank you for being brave and selfless for sharing not only your journey and detail with each recipe, but also explaining what works best for you! There are not many people who could provide such detail and finesse. It’s so easy to be negative, and I’m sorry that you have to endure such remarks! Ok…let me get off my high horse 😂…I tried three of your recipes so far. I read thoroughly and took into consideration your tips and how to handle each ingredient. I ran and bought a hand mixer for $20, a mixing bowl set and spatulas. Overall? ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS! I gifted some to my friends and they couldn’t believe that I baked it! (Really shows you that I am not the baker!) Each oven is different, each baking tool is made with different material. With that in mind, I stayed within your guideline of time frames and checked it every 5 minutes thereafter. This cake is my favorite. I popped it right out of the pan. I used the butter stick to grease the pan, and sprinkled sugar. I rolled the pan around to evenly coat it. I used the exact ingredients (no margarine here!) and made sure not to over mix once I added the eggs. (In a previous recipe you stated over mixed eggs create a tough cake) My co-workers asked me to make it again and said they would even purchase these cakes! Thank you, Jenn. You really created a masterpiece of baked goods 🥰
Thanks so much for your very sweet words, Mia — glad you enjoyed this! 💗
Just made this DELICIOUS lemon pound cake out of boredom and to bump my Vit C-Ha!. It turned out perfectly moist. Some tips:
-Used the metric directions for scale measurements
-Generous spray of Bakers Joy and then dusted the bundt pan with sugar
-Used whole buttermilk and packed the lemon zest in the measuring spoon
-Baked in two small bundt pans for about 55 min- then used a Therapen instant-read thermometer and took out at an internal reading of 208 degrees
-Doubled the glaze to accommodate for the edge drips
Hi, I’m just wondering why there’s no vanilla called for in this recipe? Curious because it’s usually a staple ingredient for cakes.
Hi Ciara, I honestly don’t remember the reason behind not using vanilla, but I suspect I thought it had enough flavor without it. If you’d like to add a little though, that would be fine. 🙂
Jenn- I’ve done all these steps and I’ve cooked the cake well over and 1.5 hr at 325 degrees and my cake looks still like liquid. What in the world could I have done wrong ? I’m very irritated and this is a first attempt at a scratch cake not a box. I did plain flour, the baking soda and salt as well. Just so stumped and after A lot of effort on my part would like to know what in the tarnation I did wrong? Help desperately wanting to have this beautiful cake. I did taste the batter it was scrupulous.
Hi Mandy, so sorry to hear you had a problem with this! It sounds like you may have made a measuring error as the cake should definitely have been fully baked at that point. How did it end up turning out?
Yummy. No buttermilk so I used 1 T white vinegar and whole milk t make a cup. Also mixed in a container of lemon yogurt just because. All went well a beautiful pound cake…thank you
I made this recipe over the weekend. My brother and I ate almost the entire cake. It was delicious. I gave away the balance to church friends and they gave rave reviews as well. I definitely plan to make it again. Thank you.
I made this once as is, and it was absolutely delicious. The next time I made it I added a cup of blueberries, and that was a huge hit with everyone. Thank you so much for sharing this. It’s so popular that I’m being asked to bring it to every gathering.
I just made this for my daughter’s birthday and it was fantastic! My new favorite cake! I used butter to grease the pan, spread with a pastry brush to get in all the nooks, and a generous coating of sugar. The cake didn’t stick at all. I love the little crunchy coating the sugar provides and the lemony syrup and glaze complements the cake perfectly. I will make this may times!! Thank you!
I LOVE Lemon in just about everything and I was excited to find this recipe. HOWEVER, after making it and following the instructions to the letter (including the purchase of buttermilk in lieu of a milk/vinegar substitution) I will NEVER make this recipe again!! This pound cake was extremely DRY and lacked the typical lusciousness of a pound cake. In fact, I threw more than half of it out because when taking a bite, and after chewing it, I ‘exhaled’ crumbs!! Even the drizzle looked weak and MY cake looks EXACTLY like the one pictured – including the same Bundt pan!! You really MISSED the MARK on this recipe!!
Hi Anita, I’m sorry this recipe was such a fail for you! Dryness is usually caused by measuring the flour incorrectly. Did you use the spoon and level method to measure the flour? Even a few extra ounces can make a big difference. This article/video explains it nicely.
I tried it today. It’s really good. Only I would like it better if it was a bit less sweet. But overall, it’s a reliable recipe. I did’t finish off with the icing part. Nevertheless it was still good. Thanks for sharing.
wow, take it easy. It’s just a cake
Hi Jenn,
I made this pound cake for a church meeting. (Check my review on the lemon squares – they were for the same meeting). This recipe was easy to make and the instructions easy to follow. I took the whole cake sliced to the meeting on a lovely platter and waited to see how it would fair against all the other delicious looking morsels. It took a few beats, but then the cake started to move. People were going back for seconds and were taking slices home. I enjoyed a slice at the meeting with a cup of tea. It was extremely delicious with just the right amount of sweetness and tartness from the lemons. I took a piece home for my husband and fortunately he, too, was able to experience it’s deliciousness. (He had it before our daughter got home – see Lemon Square review.) This recipe is a keeper and will certainly be made again!
Fabulous and simple. Although I did a few steps out of order and I was out of confection sugar, it was still great tasting. Have a lemon tree that was abundant with lemons so searching for that recipe that would use as many as possible. But we couldn’t wait for it to cool, and ate it warm with the syrup. SO good!! Definitely will try this again.
Can this recipe be halved? If so what kind of pan would you use?
Sure, Debbi — You can bake it in an 8-1/2 by 4-1/2-inch loaf pan. It should take about 45 minutes plus or minus to bake, so keep an eye on it. Enjoy!
Would I be able to make this without an electric mixer? I don’t have one and want it to still taste good!
Hi Madeline, do you have a handheld mixer? A mixer is important for this one but a handheld version will work. You will just need to increase the speed a little.
This was an absolutely fabulous recipe! I added lemon emulsions to kick it up a notch and a little vanilla but this was perfect! No problem with coating the pan with butter and sugar either. Nice variation from butter/ flour.
Just took this ‘cake’ out of the oven–let it rest, and ran a butter knife and plastic spatula around the edges….what a disaster!! Looks aweful! I don’t care how it tastes….
So sorry you weren’t happy with this, CJ — did the cake stick to the pan?
I just discovered this recipe through google search and it sounds like exactly what I have been looking for. Thank you very much for sharing this and your instructions are so great. I will be signing up for your newsletter if you have one. Have a happy day!
This is the 2nd time I’ve made this cake and it was phenomenal both times. This recipe is a keeper!! Thank you so much <3
the actual cake itself is moist, delicious, and lemony. the only problem i encountered was that the cake wanted to stick to the pan, and by the time i got most of it out, it was rather deformed. overall, i would totally recommend this cake. the thing i would change is rubbing the pan with butter (definitely not with crisco!) and then sprinkling flour on that.
Did I miss what temp this should be baked at? And are you using confectioner’d )powdered sugar to dust the bundt pan or granulated sugar?
Thank you!
Hi Judy, the cake should be baked at 325°F/165°C. And the pan should be dusted with granulated sugar. Hope that helps and that you enjoy!
Excellent recipe! It came out just right. Everyone loved it! Thank you!
Fantastic recipe! I made this when craving some lemon cake and it did not disappoint! The flavour and texture also got better after a day or so. I have friends coming over for dinner tomorrow and will be making this today in all it’s delicious lemony glory! Am tempted to try this with lime as well.
Thank you for the wonderful recipe 🙂
Made this Lemon Pound Cake a week ago and oh my goodness what a delicious cake it is. This is our favourite cake and have made lots of recipes but this recipe is the ultimate its absolutely delicious with such freshness even after a week and the balance of lemon is perfect and looks impressive too. Thankyou so much this is definately a keeper recipe for me
Such a delicious, moist lemon pound cake. I followed the recipe step by step and was thrilled with the outcome. The crust was amazing (I used Crisco shortening and sugar). It came out of the pan beautifully after leaving it for the suggested 10 minutes. Look forward to using many more recipes from Jenn!
I have made this recipe twice now going exactly by the directions … did use Crisco to grease the Bundt cake pan and scattered with sugar just as if it were flour. Once again, it came out very close to perfect -I failed to spread the Crisco enough in one small spot. This cake is one of the best desserts I’ve ever made!
Didn’t turn out! What a mess! At least it tasted alright, but what a waste of worthy ingredients…
Used shortening and flour in Bundt pan. Followed Recipe as described. The cake is WOW GOOD!
Hi
Lemon pound cake…
I wish to make this recipe
Here in England we usually put a sugar called Caster sugar in the batter of our cakes which is finer than granulated sugar. Will it make a difference in sweetness or taste if I used either sugar.
Thankyou for your help
Debbie
Hi Debbie, for best results, I’d stick with granulated sugar here. Hope you enjoy!
Why is the syrup applied and a glaze? What does this do to the cake. If the cake is made in advance ( Thursday for Saturday consumption) Do you sugar and glaze on Thursday or wait? Thanks!
The syrup helps to add moisture to the cake and the glaze is there for more lemony flavor (and it makes the cake look pretty). And you can do both the syrup and glaze on Thursday. The cake keeps well for several days. Enjoy!
Is there any way I can add blueberries to this?
Hi Diego, Yes, I think you could add blueberries to this but bear in mind that (depending on how tart/sweet your blueberries are) the cake may be quite tart. And I’d toss the blueberries with a tablespoon of the flour mixture beforehand so they don’t sink in the batter. Please LMK how it turns out if you try it!
Really enjoyed this! I followed the recipe exactly except that I floured and sugared the pan. The cake slid out beautifully. The top – aka bottom – was pretty domed and not flat, but my oven is a little wonky. Nice lemon flavor, and of course the glaze is delightful. Took it to a friend’s house and they really liked it as well.
Tried this recipe twice and twice it failed. Maybe my pan is the problem, but after the first batch stuck to the pan so horribly I tasted it and thought it didn’t have enough lemon juice in it. I added more lemon juice the second go around. Definitely don’t think dusting the pan in sugar was a good idea, made it stick even more.
Hi Joelle, Sorry to hear you had a problem with this sticking! Is your bundt pan several years old? If so, the non-stick quality may not be at its best so it may be time to replace it. I really like this Nordic Ware one.
The best pound cake ever!! So moist couldn’t wait to try it! I followed the recipe exactly! 65 minutes to bake!
If you don’t have buttermilk on hand you Can make your own: 1 decreased the milk by 1 tablespoon and added 1 tablespoon of lemon juice from a bottle. Worked great!
My cake stuck a bit and was dry. Tasted good but it was a lot of work, not sure if I’ll try again. Any pointers? I used cake flour instead of regular, could that have been the problem? And I won’t dust pan with sugar next time.
Hi Susan, So sorry you had trouble with the cake. Cake flour and all-purpose are not interchangeable – I suspect that’s what caused both issues.
Made this yesterday for the first time and it came out amazing, beautiful crumb, perfect balance with the lemon taste. I followed the recipe but put some leftover zest in the glaze. Next time, and there will be a next time, I’d just sprinkle a little zest on top of the glaze. I used “Everbake Vegetable Oil Food Release”, bought at King Arthur Flour, coated it with granulated sugar, used a small offset spatula when it came out of the oven and ten minutes later it slid right out of the pan. Thanks for this recipe, it’s a keeper!
Made this today for a family gathering and it was wonderful. Dusting the pan with sugar after greasing it really gave the outer part a nice texture. I love lemon so I added lemon zest to the glaze as well. Great recipe!
I’m going to try it tonight. I will add some lemon zest tho’
To test for doneness, remember that water turns to steam at 211 degrees which, as you can imagine, starts to dry out a cake. I’ve been using an instant-read thermometer to test for doneness, and always take the cake out of the oven at about 207-208 degrees. Be sure to only insert the TIP OF THERMOMETER TO THE CENTER OF THE CAKE! If the tip touches metal the reading will be way too high. Measure approximately 1/2 way in from the edge to the center as well as 1/2 deep so you are right in the center. Also, test temperature about 10-15 minutes before the stated cooking time. This works well. Also, the cake starts to pull away from the top edge of the pan a tiny bit it is most likely done. So, with that, I’m off to the kitchen.
I made this cake today and just like others I had trouble getting the cake out of the pan. I sprayed the pan very well with cooking spray. Even though the cake isn’t very pretty, it is very tasty. I think it may be time for a new bundt pan.
Oh my Lord! Had a bunch of lemons so decided to make this cake…I just had to give some away to my neighbours because I CAN’T STOP EATING IT!!! Sooo easy to make and so good. Made it exactly as listed, but I had no buttermilk so soured some milk with lemon juice for a few minutes and it worked well. This cake is moist, light, perfectly lemony and the crunch on the outside crust from the sugar takes it to another level. Jen, you are the boss!!!
Do you think this recipe will work in mini loaf pans? I’m thinking about making it for a baby shower and want small pieces.
Definitely, Anita – you’ll just need to reduce the baking time.
I made this cake for the first time last night. It is DELICIOUS! YES, will DEFINITELY be making it again (and again…and again….)…
So moist and delicious!! Perfect amount of lemon flavor without being overpowering. This recipe made me not fear pound cakes! I had never made one before and this recipe was so easy to follow.
Can I try using orange instead of lemon?
Hi Joyce, I think lemon provides a bit more zing, but some readers have commented they’ve made this with orange and have been happy with the result. Please LMK what you think if you try it! 🙂
Can you use Meyer Lemons for this recipe? Any substitutions that need to be made if using Meyer lemons??
Yes, MK, Meyer lemons will work here with no adjustments necessary. Enjoy!
Will this recipe work if I only have three lemons?
Hi Beth, I suspect you won’t be able to get enough zest and juice from just 3 lemons — sorry!
I’ve made it twice – it is the best recipe!!! I’ll make it today!!
I’m using a tube pan and I always use parchment at the bottom on the tube. Should this method work as well?
Sure, Lynn, that should work. Enjoy!
I absolutely love this cake recipe. Is the best cake recipe I’ve come across so far. My family loves the lemon flavor. This is my go-to lemon cake recipe from now on. Thank you!
Best lemon cake ever!! I’ve never actually made a homemade cake, well one from scratch anyway, but my family loves lemon bunt cake and really wanted me to make them one so I went to searching for the perfect recipe and this is it! Followed your directions and it turned out absolutely delicious and beautiful.. thank you can’t wait to try some of your other cake recipes..
I made the recipe and it turned out excellent. I followed the great tips, especially for preparation of the pan and removing the cake, and the cake was easy to remove. I did place the cooling rack with the parchment paper on top and inverted the cake and voila! Thanks!!!
I’ve been making cakes consistently for the last few years and this by far is my favorite cake. I followed the recipe to the tee! I normally coat my pan with an non stick spray and flour this time I used the Pam Perfect Release and sugar to coat my Bundt pan the cake came out effortlessly and beautiful. I’ll be saving this recipe for the future.
Has anyone tried using gf flour?
Yes! I’ve had great results using the King Arthur one to one gf mix. Took it to work and the ladies who had the regular flour cake six months prior, couldn’t tell a difference when I made it gluten free. I plan on making this cake again in two weeks, which will make it my sixth time. It’s a love at first bite every time!
This lemon pound cake is delicious!! I’ve never been a lemon pound cake fan, but this is now my favorite. Question: Like some other reviewers, it stuck to the pan. I want to use the sugar method, but I need some guidance. I was so careful with the sugar. But no worries, my family will enjoy it! I made another one, this time using flour instead of sugar. It came out perfect…but it lacks that wonderful crunchy crust. So, I’m determined to get it right. I’m going to use shortening this time instead of baking spray, as suggested by another reviewer. But I need suggestions for the best method to “dust” the pan with granulated sugar. I used a fine sifter, but I still couldn’t get the sugar evenly sifted. It ended up too heavily covered in the bottom of the pan, which is where the cake stuck. I couldn’t shake the excess off, because it mixed in with the spray cooking oil. I’m hoping shortening will work better. Can you send a pic of what your pan looks like after you’ve dusted it so that I’ll have an idea of how much sugar is needed? And please tell me what “dusting” method you used. Thanks for this wonderful cake recipe!
Hi Sharon, I don’t use a particularly high-tech method to coat the pan with sugar. Basically I take a few pinches of sugar, sprinkle it in the pan, and shake until it’s coded. If you found that the flour method works best for you, I’d honestly just stick with that. If you’d like a crunchier outer layer, instead of using the syrup from this cake, you could swap it with the syrup from my Kentucky butter cake. It will give it a similar crunchy coding. Hope that helps!
Hi, Can i skip the glaze & add only the syrup? Thanks
Sure, Sujata, that should be fine.
This is the best recipe!! The texture was perfect. I was afraid about adding all that syrup but it was perfect and made the cake so moist. Sugaring the pan almost caramelized the The outside of the cake so it didn’t get soggy. The glaze was a perfect finish. I had my first batch of lemons from my lemon tree and had no idea what to do with them. This was the best way to showcase the flavor. THANK YOU fir sharing such a great recipe.
PSA – always proofread before posting, haha!
Excellent!!! I followed everything as written, except I divided the batter into a mini loaf pan of 8 and a regular cupcake pan of 6. The cupcakes took about 20 minutes while the mini loaves took 30 minutes. Golden brown on the edges!
I ran out of granulated sugar so I couldn’t do the syrup but I don’t think it needs it – the glaze is a perfect addition to the sweet cake.
I’m excited to try a loaf next time 🙂
Side note: I zested and juiced 5 lemons, but I still had 3/4 cup of juice left and a 1/4 cup of zest left afterwards. So you probably don’t need that much at once!
Thank you for this wonderful recipe!
The best lemon cake I’ve ever eaten
Excellent!!!!! I did grease the pan with butter and dusted it with granulated sugar and had no problem whatsoever getting the cake to release. And that was even using a bundt pan that is at least 15 years old 🙂 With my oven, the cake was done in 60 minutes. Perfection 🙂 I am thrilled! Thank you, Jenn, for a terrific recipe!
Can I use GF flour?
Hi Yari, I’ve never made this with gluten-free flour, but a number of readers have commented that they have and have been happy with the results. Hope that helps!
Wonderfully moist! I did not add the glaze on my bundt cake and it still tasted heavenly. Plan to make it again!!
Can i leave out the syrup and just use the glaze.
I wouldn’t recommend it, Renda – I’d be concerned the cake would be dry without it.
Followed recipe exactly except I buttered and floured my bundt pan. GREAT recipe. Will be my go to lemon bundt cake / loaf pound cake from now on. It was a hit with the 3 adults, one teenager and an 11 year old tonight. Loved it 😁
This recipe produced a dry cake. I recommend adding one more egg, tsp of baking powder and less time in the oven.
I’ve made this cake at least 6 times, mostly for my work office. Never once has it been dry, and it’s always gotten hit reviews from coworkers. I follow the recipe exactly. It says to bake for 65-75 minutes, and I bake for 70 minutes exactly. I’m not sure why some reviewers have different experiences, but I think it might have a lot to do with the quality of ingredients – butter being a big one. Some brands of butter are high quality (higher fat) while others have more water content, this might be an issue?
Thank you for the tip. Mine tasted amazing but was also very dry.
This recipe was fabulous! I made it for Thanksgiving, this lemon pound cake was the best I have ever tasted! All my guest and family member’s came back for seconds and thirds! Also, instead of the glaze in this recipe, I used a cream cheese glaze.
This cake came out amazing and beautiful! I used nonstick spray and sugar coating. This recipe totally won thanksgiving and it came out of my complexly patterned bundt pan beautifully.
The sugar on the pan instead of the flour was a disaster! I baked this to take to Thanksgiving dinner and it looks absolutely awful! Not a happy baker!
Excellent!!!
We make this cake always for birthdays as request by our kids, it always turns out wonderful. But did it not have lemon zest in the frosting?
That’s correct — it just has lemon juice — no zest. Glad your kids like it! 🙂
Can I replace the all purpose flour with cake flour? If so, should I omit any of the other ingredients?
Hi Teresa, Cake flour might work here but I’d be hesitant to recommend it w/o trying it first. Sorry!
I tried it with cake flour and it was fine.
Great lemon flavor but it broke coming out of the pan. Haven’t had that happen in 50 years. Next time I’ll use solid Crisco to grease the pan, then sugar it.
Is this 2 cups and a 1/4 of sugar
Yes 🙂
Just wanted to leave my review for this Amazing Lemon Cake! This is my third time making it and it has always been delicious! Thank you for taking the time out to help people that don’t know how to cook or bake how to! You are a Amazing Cook!!
God bless you
P.S I will do better at leaving my reviews!
Love Tarasia
💕
I made this cake and I absolutely love it. I followed the exact recipe and it turned out perfectly. This is a cake I will make over and over again. This is well worth 5 stars!!!!
Can I use some corn flour instead?
I wouldn’t recommend it here – I’m sorry!
Dang it! I followed the recipe exactly and was very generous with my buttering and sugaring of my *brand new* bundt pan, but it still stuck and only half of the cake came out. I let it rest about 12 minutes, inverted it, nothing, so I loosened it carefully with a spatula, still wouldn’t come out, and then only the top half came out and the other half was stuck as all get out. The cake tastes DELICIOUS, but shame on me for not having a backup plan because now I have nothing to present to my mom tomorrow on her birthday. Lesson learned for me: stick to the butter and flour method. I can see how the sugar is very neat with the “crust” but it’s just too risky I think.
Sorry to leave a negative review. Followed recipe exactly. After 50 minutes the top was already brown and on testing the inside was cooked. Despite pan being very well prepared (good Nordic ware pan) and cooling the cake for 10mins before turning out, it broke up badly. Poured on the syrup and ate some of the broken bits but found the cake to be excessively sweet. The texture was good though. The cake is needed for a party tomorrow so I’m now going to make my usual lemon drizzle cake.
This cake is perfection! It has a delicate crumb that is difficult to get without using cake flour. It’s not too sweet, moist and light with a hint of lemon in the cake and a more tart lemon flavor in the glaze. I think this might be the first cake I have ever made that didn’t call for vanilla. I’m curious if you tried it with vanilla when you were perfecting it and if so, why did you choose to leave it out?
Glad you liked the cake, Elise! I don’t recall the reason behind not using vanilla in it. I suspect I thought it had enough flavor without it. If you’d like to add a bit though, that would be fine. 🙂
I used this cake recipe, didn’t change a thing, and it turned out perfectly! My husband loved it!! It wasn’t too sweet. It was moist and full of flavor! The trick with the sugar coated pan was genius! Gave the crust this amazing crunch! The next day, after the flavors had settled and matured, this cake was sooo good! It’s a great cake for beginners. Very easy to understand, step-by-step directions. I can’t understand how anyone could make a mistake with this simple but delicious cake.
Directions were excellent. Nothing subtle about the lemon flavor in this cake. Super delicious!
Great cake
Second time using this recipe and I love it! I’m so glad I found this :).. Will definitely be looking at other recipes on here!
Gorgeous
My friend made this and shared a taste with me, and I absolutely loved it! Today, I made the cake and it was good, but not great, I think because I left it in the oven just a little too long, although well within estimated time, so it developed a crust that resisted absorbing the syrup. I will make this again, but begin checking for doneness earlier. Fabulous cake. Thank you so much.
use a tooth pick and poke a bunch of holes for the syrup!
I found this wonderful recipe on Pinterest and was blown away at just how delicious it was . I prepared it for my sister’s birthday yesterday and allowed it to cool while we went out for a movie . When we came back ; the cake was incredibly easy to take out of the pan and glaze . We all kept raving about the added sugar in the bundt cake pan and how it gave a a sweet crunchy crust . This cake is definitely one for my recipe arsenal . Thanks for sharing !
Thank you for sharing this recipe!!! This is the best lemon cake recipe that I’ve ever made. Just the right sweetness and the lemon is not overpowering. The cake came out of the Bundt pan easily. And it’s so moist and light. Surely will make it again !
Hi Jenn! I’ve tried this recipe for the second time in form of layer cake (4 layers of 6 inch). It was for my best friend’s birthday and it turned out great! I reduced the amount of sugar to 320 gr, add more lemon juice and brush each layer with lemon syrup since I found out the amount of sugar was way too sweet for me on my first trial.
Perfect amount of lemon and very moist
I’ve made this cake many, many times and it’s always a big hit. I’m also a fan of orange and chocolate. Do you think it would turn out if I replaced the lemons with oranges? Would the amount of sugar need to be reduced? Would you have any suggestions as far as a chocolate glaze recipe?
So glad you like this, Barb! I think lemon provides a little more zing, but a few readers have commented that they’ve made this with orange (without any other modifications) and have been happy with the result. I don’t have a recipe of my own for a chocolate glaze, but this one looks good and gets positive ratings. (Keep in mind that I haven’t made it myself.) Hope that helps (and I’ve love to hear how it turns out if you try with these tweaks)! 🙂
Thank Jenn! I’ll let you know when I give it a try.
Very light and so good. Definitely making this again.
I’m sorry but this cake was not good at all. The taste was more or less good, but the structure was too heavy. It was too dry also. I think it’s necessary to reduce the flour amount.
I’ve made this recipe a million times and I LOVE the way it has turned out every time. If you want a more lemony taste add more lemon juice to buttermilk mixture
I don’t have a Bundt pan but want to make this recipe in a loaf pan, how would I do that please?
Hi Jade, You can make this in two loaf pans — you’ll need two 8-1/2 by 4-1/2-inch pans. They should take about 45 minutes plus or minus to bake, so keep an eye on them. Enjoy!
Hello… mine turned out orange? Like a pumpkin cake and I didn’t not deviate? Help!
How strange – I’ve never heard of this coming out orange! Are you able to send me a picture? If so, send it to [email protected].
The flavor of this cake was fantastic and a huge hit with the family! This recipe is definitely a new favorite.
The cake stuck to the pan but that’s nothing that more butter and flour can’t fix!
Try using USA Pan bakeware. Can order on Amazon. I have bought a lot of their pans for baking. I never need to spray pans first. Even browning and cleans SOOOO easily!
My cake stuck to the bundt pan. Never happened before with other recipes.
I think taking it out of the pan after 10 minutes is too soon. Cake was still steaming. Too hot. And my oven cooked it in 55 minutes. But taste and texture are fine.
I am not a pro baker but decided to give this a try yesterday. Followed everything else except for the sugar. Got it reduced to 380 yet still found it too sweet. If I reduce further to 300 or 250, will it affect anything else? Also, my cake didn’t completely bake even after adding on a further 10 mins at the end. I live in Malaysia. Is there a difference because of our weather? Hope to hear from you…
Hi Dionne, You can get away with reducing the sugar by about a quarter or so, so I wouldn’t go any lower than about 320 grams. Any more than that, and it will start to impact the texture. Not sure why the cake didn’t fully bake even with some extra time tacked onto the end. Did you make any other adjustments to the recipe? Or might your oven temperature be a little off? Here are some tips for checking your oven temperature for accuracy. Hope that helps!
Made this cake a day ago….absolutely delicious!!!! Didn’t change a thing and it was perfect! Great Job Jenn!!! Your site is now my favorite go to for recipes!!!
Also I added lemon vest to the icing -nice addition
This is a very wonderful lemon cake – very moist. I made and used a little bit more icing then they suggested and it was loved by all!!! Definitely a keeper!
GF/DF is Delicious Too: I am the cake baker for my office, but oh my, so many dietary restrictions! I made this cake gluten and dairy free (not vegan). Replaced the flour with Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 (I’ve tried all the GF flours and this is hands-down the best: https://www.bobsredmill.com/gluten-free-1-to-1-baking-flour.html). Replaced the butter with Earth Balance and the buttermilk with unsweetened almond milk. It was perfect, super moist and DELICIOUS. Everyone passed it around for seconds and thirds. Then I made it according to your recipe and it too was super delicious. What a winner recipe!
I made this recipe for the first time today for my husbands 71st. Birthday. I followed all the instructions almost. I included the sugar with the dry ingredients by mistake instead of adding it to the butter mixture.Do you think that is why it stuck to the pan?I prepared the bundt pan per your instructions. I baked it for 65 minutes. I am sure it will taste great and I plan to make it again. Thank you Jenn
Hi Madeleine, While I’m not sure that adding the sugar with the dry ingredients would make the cake stick, I do think it would bake up differently and that may have had an impact. If you try it again (putting the sugar in at the correct time) and find that it still sticks, it may be time for a new Bundt pan as the nonstick coating can eventually wear off. Hope that helps!
This is a fantastic recipe! This was my first attempt at a pound cake and I found this while searching for a lemon cake with glaze for my son’s request for his 7th birthday cake. I made it (nearly) following directions the first time, only slightly increasing the lemon juice. The second time I omitted the wonderful glaze and used the cake with syrup for strawberry shortcake. Wow! The combination of lemon and strawberries was pure summer bliss. I love the crust on the outside from sugaring the pan. I love everything about this cake! I think this will be the new official birthday cake for all my children. Thank you!
I made it but I think I added my flour mixture too fast it’s heavy but tastes awesome the sugar added a nice flavor to the crust when I powdered the bunt pan good advice. The color of the inside of cake was on the white side. I would make again.
I just made this cake, AMAZING!!!
Properly good pound cake. Baked to the exact recipe and instructions. Moist and tender. Baked in an Aga so only took 45 mins to bake to perfection. Came out of the tin beautifully, in fact didn’t really need to run a knife round the edges. Took a pic but don’t see a way to upload.
Absolutely delicious!!! Will certainly be making this again😋
Made this cake last week. Since it is just me and my husband I cut the recipe in half and used a loaf pan. All I can say is it was the bomb! Best lemon pound cake I every had. Moist, flavorful and delicious. The cake had a wonderful lemon flavor without being in your face lemon. The glaze added a nice pop of lemon flavor. Followed the recipe exactly, just added a little zest the the glaze. My husband asked me to be sure to make this again. Thanks for the recipe.
I made this recipe for the family and everyone love it. So lemony, so tasty! I will definitely make it again.
Can you make individual lemon bundt cakes with this recipe. Thanks
Sure, Nancy, that will work. Enjoy!
You will never need another lemon cake recipe after you bake this one. I’ve baked this twice now and People RAVE about it. Even my “I only have chocolate for dessert” friends love this cake. The instructions Jenn provides are perfect. Just follow along and you can’t go wrong. I’ve prepared the pan both with crisco/sugar and butter/sugar and I think the crisco version released a tiny bit easier than the butter version but both versions gave great results. The sugar makes a lovely crust so I totally recommend it. Thank you, Jenn!
Try using USA Pan bakeware. Can order on Amazon. I have bought a lot of their pans for baking. Never spray pans first. Even browning and cleans SOOOO easily!
Hi Jenn,
What cooking time would you recommend if I wanted to make it in a loaf pan?
Thanks,
Lynda
Hi Lynda, I’d start checking around 40 to 45 minutes.
I just made this delicious cake for the second time. I had made it for a family picnic where it was a big hit. I made it tonight as a gift for a person who went out of her way to be helpful. I had never made a pound cake before. Thank you for is recipe!
Hi Jenn,
I have not made this cake yet. But I need help. Just wondering, if I am unable to get buttermilk, am I able to add regular milk instead instead and how much?
Also if I were to use regular milk, can I use baking powder instead of baking soda? Pls help. Thx
Hi Angeline, You can actually make your own buttermilk. See how here. Hope you enjoy the cake!
Amazing! I used fat free buttermilk (only thing at store) and it was delicious! Lemon flavor is so evident. I served with small scoop of vanilla bean ice-cream. Scrumptious!
I have not made this cake yet. One of the reasons is unless I am having a crowd, I would prefer to make a smaller cake or to at least have directions to make this in loaf pans which I know is not as attractive, but if I made that cake for a small dinner party, it would be a lot of leftovers and guess who would eat them…….me! Can I safely make this in two loaf pans and if so, how long do I bake for? Thanks and your recipes are………..magnifique.
So glad you like the recipes, Cathy! 🙂 You can definitely make this in two loaf pans — you’ll need two 8-1/2 by 4-1/2 loaf pans. They should take about 45 minutes plus or minus to bake, so keep an eye on them. Enjoy!
I used a loaf pan and this recipe made 2 loaves! I made one with the glaze and one without, and my boyfriend literally ate an entire loaf himself. This was my first time making a pound cake from scratch and I’m glad that I came across this recipe- thank you so much!
I have studied dozens of lemon pound cake recipes. Can you tell me why some call for baking powder and salt and others do not. And, how do you get that sugary, crispy texture on the top? That’s what my new son-in-law says is the best part and I have never been able to achieve it. Thanks
Hi Judy, Baking soda needs acidic ingredients (like the buttermilk in this recipe) to activate, whereas baking powder needs only liquid to activate it, so it’s used in recipes that don’t contain acidic ingredients. Hope that clarifies!
I choose your cake tonight off the internet. I always fail with lemon anything. But girl your recipe has redeemed my baking skills. I used Bakers Joy and sugar in my pan and let it sit 10 minutes just like you said. It popped out all perfect and brown. I used the
sugar water lemon and just as you said Take Your Time and every dropped brushed on. Thank you for a great cake. Do you have a German chocolate recipe that’s my next cake tomorrow night. thanks bmc
Glad you enjoyed it, Julia! I don’t have a proven German Chocolate Cake recipe – I’m sorry! I will add it to my list of recipes to potentially develop. 🙂
Thank you!
I followed your recipe to a T and this is the best lemon dessert I’ve ever baked. I am saving this forever.
Ouch!
Should not have sugared the bundt pan. Despite the cake easily being released after baking the sugar was burnt in a less than 65 minute bake time. The oven is a Bertazoni model and needs to be set between 310F and 350F as there is no setting for 325F.
The bundt pan was well coated and brand new.
If I make the recipe again it will be minus the sugar coating. So not happy as it is/was to be a gift.
Sigh…
Hi Carol, So sorry you had trouble with the cake sticking. Did you by chance let it cool in the pan longer than 10 minutes? Did you use granulated sugar?
Used granulated sugar evenly distributed about and set the timer for ten minutes.
The cake released easily.
The issue was how the sugar and the baking spray carmelized beyond a brown hue.
Hi Carol, Good to know. Next time, I’d reduce the baking time by a bit. And regarding the sugar caramelizing and playing a part, next time, I’d use a different method to treat the pan. I’d generously coat it with butter and then dust it with flour, or use a nonstick baking spray with flour like Pam with Flour or Baker’s Joy. Hope that helps!
Alas Jenn a baking spray with flour was used and I shortened the baking time too.
The cake itself was perfect but that bundt pan is most probably the culprit here.
Thanks for the input.
Glad we (hopefully) got to the bottom of it!
Just made pickles and Baba ganoush from your wonderful recipes and the pickle smell takes me back to Olinsky’s supermarket and the enticing aroma of barrel pickles.
I also frequently make you recipe for sour cream chocolate chip bundt cake but substitute mini chips. It somehow infuses a richer more chocolate-y biteful!
I use USA Pan bakeware. Can order on Amazon. I have bought a lot of their pans for baking. Never spray pans first. Even browning and cleans SOOOO easily!
awesome cake!!!! delicious ! my husband told me ” I will never get a lemon pound cake at Starbucks”
Hi Jenn, I will be using Meyer lemons … will the measurements be the same as that of regular lemons? Thank you!
I haven’t made this with Meyer lemons but, yes, I suspect the measurements should be the same. Hope you enjoy!
Super cake!!! One problem was the cake didn’t come out of the pan but that was my fault for under greasing it… I decided to turn the cake into a yummy trifle!! The cake is very moist and the sugar on the outside gives it an awesome crust! I recommend just doing 65 minutes for baking. 10/10 recommend
Amazing!!
Hi jenn do you have a recipe chocolate bundt cake.
The icing you make for lemon bundt cake can i add color ?.I want to make for babyshower.
Hi Fanny, Sorry – I don’t have a proven recipe for a chocolate bundt cake. I have this one that has chocolate chips, though, if that will do. Also, I’m not sure how the glaze for this cake will take food coloring as I’ve never tried it, but I think it will work – please let me know how it turns out if you try it!
Hi jenn
I want to make the lemon bundt cake but glaze more thicker i do not want all the glaze on all sides and i want just lines then put flowers on it for the baby shower .
Hi Fanny, If you want to make the glaze thicker, you can add more confectioners’ sugar. Hope everyone enjoys!
Hi!
I am interested in making this lemon cake, but I don’t have a bundt cake pan. Would it be ok to use a regular pan?
Sure, Sweta. I’d use two 8-in round pans or two 8×4-in loaf pans. The cook time will be less so you’ll need to keep an eye on it.
This sounds delicious – am planning on making for July 4th with a side of berries. How do you think it would work with a layer of lemon curd in the middle?
Thx
Sure – hope you enjoy!
Hello Jenn,
I made this last Sunday for a get together with my cousins from China. They originally didn’t want to try it (they don’t like sweets much). They tried it and loved it. Even kept the 3 leftover slices. It was a hit. I made a cream cheese frosting with lemon zest to serve on the side.
I’ve made this cake several times and LOVE it! A friend gave me fresh blueberries yesterday. I want to add some to it, but do I need to tweak the recipe? If not how much blueberries would you suggest adding? Thank you in advance.
So glad you like the cake! I do think you could add blueberries but keep in mind that the cake will be very tart. To balance it, you could serve it with sweetened whipped cream. Also, I’d toss the blueberries with a tablespoon of the flour mixture beforehand so they don’t sink in the batter. I’d love to hear how it turns out with blueberries!
I’ve baked this quite a few times now and it is one of my most favourite recipe. My family and friends loves this cake. It is not overly sweet, and has just right amount of lemon, which is what I love about this recipe.
QUESTION:
This is the most delicious and pretty lemon cake I’ve ever made HOWEVER please help me figure out how to keep it intact between glazing and transferring it to the serving plate. It did fine coming out of the pan. I glazed it on the cooling rack and all was good. Then I tried to lift it with a large spatula and my hands to the cake stand and it split apart in two places. I had to slice it and then reconstruct it on the serving platter for drizzling with the syrup. Again, it got rave reviews, even though I was a bit embarrassed about the presentation.
You could try adding the syrup right on the serving plate if that’s easier. Hope that helps!
Hi Jenn!
Thank you for sharing your recipe. Just wondering if this recipe is suitable to be baked as cupcake?
I haven’t made this cake into cupcakes, but I think it would work. I’d suggest the same temp and start checking for doneness at about 18 minutes. Hope you enjoy!
Will this turn out the same if I were to use an angel food cake baking pan?
Yes. 🙂 Enjoy!
Thank you for your quick response. I just asked you a few more questions but I asked on the wrong cake. It was the lemon poppyseed pound cake🤭. I’m making this pound cake for an event tomorrow evening. I’m going to make it tonight ahead of time.
Should I brush on the glaze after it’s done or wait till tomorrow? How should I store it tonight to keep it moist? Thanks
Hi Rose, I’d go ahead and glaze it now but either way will work just fine. You don’t need to worry about it staying moist; it keeps well for days. I usually store it in a cake dome at room temperature; you could also store it in the fridge, just be sure to bring to room temperature before serving.
AMAZING recipe!! My whole family LOVED this cake. Perfect balance of lemon and sugar. SUPER moist and not dense at all. Three of us managed it eat it all in three days!
Amazing recipe! Loved the cake even without the icing.
This recipe is a keeper! Everyone loved it. I made the glaze with the tsp of melted butter & I added a bit of lemon zest. Fantastic!
I made this for the first time yesterday and served it to dinner guests last night. I followed the recipe to a “T” with all steps except for the glaze. I added approximately 4 oz of cream cheese to further thicken the glaze without having to add add’l powdered sugar. The cake was AMAZING! I’ve tried many different lemon flavored desserts over the years and this one is the best. It retains the tartness without being overly sweet. I used half the batter for a loaf pan and the other 1/2 was poured into mini bundt cake molds. I actually preferred the texture of the bundt cakes to the loaf cake. The smaller mold created a slightly crunchy texture to the cake. After adding the lemon syrup and glaze the result was a fabulous crispy exterior with an incredibly moist interior. Will be making this again, soon!
My family loved this cake! Very easy to make! I really like lemon so I added 1 tsp lemon extract just before mixing was done. It was a hit!!
This is a seriously delicious cake! Wow. The flavour is wonderful. The texture is so soft. It’s perfect. I made it for our Sunday dinner and it’s gone. I find myself wanting to make it for next Sunday as well. Thanks for the fabulous recipe!
Hi Jenn!
So I’ve made this bad boy a couple times and I always come on here to follow everything word for word as I’m making it.
However this time I realized… there were some differences… or wait, am I crazy? Have I made so many of Jenns recipes that I’m forgetting which one was which way?
Well, the sugar in the Bundt pan threw me off and made me check if I was looking at the right recipe! Regardless, I followed the instructions on that and the cake literally flew out before I could turn it the whole way! Thankfully I caught it in time! So yeah, I’m a big fan of that little sugar trick. Winner!
However, in making the final glaze I felt like it just wasn’t right… not as good as the other times I’ve made it… so in going through some comments, someone mentioned the difference as well… and that’s when I knew: I’m not that crazy after all! Things have changed on here 😂!
Anyways, long story short: could we have the alternative method of how to make the more “complex” glaze? This glaze tastes very “grainy” or “dusty”… I don’t know how to describe it. I put more lemon juice but then it just became too thin. I would love to keep the current baking method for the actual cake but if possible have the “older” version of the glaze! Pretty please with a lemon slice on top!!?
Ha! Sorry for the confusion, Celeste! The old glaze had the same amount of Confectioners’ sugar and lemon juice but it also contained a teaspoon of melted butter and a teaspoon of lemon zest. For what it’s worth, glazes often do taste a little chalky if you taste them right away, but that flavor goes away once they set. That said, a little butter never hurts! Hope that helps 😊
You’re the best! Thank you!!
This cake was amazing. I followed the directions exactly and it turned out perfect. Everyone loved it. It was so pretty. I filled the center with raspberries and blueberries. Looked pretty and tasted great together. The outside was crisp and the inside was moist. AMAZING. Thank you.
My family and friends love this recipe, it is not overly sweet or lemony, just perfectly right.
I will bake it again.
OMGoodness, What have I done. It is lemon season and had a bunch. I thought I was going to make a lemon pie, then my Daughter asked for lemon pound cake. I’ve never made one before. Thank goodness I decided to try this receipt. Absolutely THE BEST! My daughter took some to work, her dad was going to take some to work ( that didn’t work out so well, he ate the pieces). I made one for my grandsons bake sale, they sold it in slices. I get many requests from parents at school, my daughters co workers and of course my daughters father is asking me to make more when he’s away at work (asking me to save him from himself 😊)
Thank You Thank You Thank You!!!!!!
Absolutely delicious!!
This cake has a nice, strong lemon flavor-just what I was looking for! I made it for Easter, and it is now a family favorite!
Had Easter dinner at my daughters. She made your creamy mushroom soup and cheese and onion dip. I Made your lemon pound cake. It was lovely. Great lemon flavour. However, the cake was very crumbly. I didn’t get that wonderful dense moist pound cake consistency. I’m not sure if I over beat the batter or what or maybe that crumble is normal. Your input would be appreciated. We loved our Once Upon A Chef dinner.
Hi Joanne, I’m happy to help troubleshoot. Did you by chance make any substitutions?
Like several others, mine was a disaster. Followed the recipe to a “T”. Let it sit 10 minutes out of the oven. Couldn’t get it to release out of the pan. It finally came out…well the top half, after many firm taps to the pan. It appears the sugar caramelized and made the cake batter stick to the pan. I couldn’t bring it to the annual Easter brunch.
Hi Ramona, So sorry you had trouble with sticking. I know how frustrating that is! You may have a sticky build-up on your pan. Nordic Ware recommends scrubbing your Bundt with Dawn Erasing Dish Foam (it’s found near the dish soap at most supermarkets) to remove any sticky residue. They also recommend using shortening to grease the pan instead of nonstick cooking spray, as the latter can cause a build-up over time that causes sticking. You might also try a baking spray, like Baker’s Joy, instead of the greasing/sugaring method.
The best way to get a bundt out is to butter the pan generously, then flour it. I think you are right that the sugar sort of caramelized thus the trouble.
Lemony, moist and delicious! Because I have had trouble with Bundt pans in the past, I coated my Bundt with Baker’s Joy (without sugar) and had no trouble inverting it. The cake was golden and fully baked after 65 minutes. I limited the sugar to 2 cups and skipped the icing this time. I’d love to try this cake with whipped cream and strawberries, and I may in the next 2 days. 🙂
I love the change to using sugar for the pan! Mine slid right out!
Was there a change in the icing, too? I swear it used to use butter as well….
Ive made this 5 or 6 times! Its always a hit!!!
Yes, that’s right Jenika – I simplified the icing a bit too. Glad the sugar coating worked for you!
Here’s the deal about Jenn’s recipes: I can count on them. I have a tiny kitchen, I’m an older cook, and I’m cranky about spending a ton of time with a recipe that disappoints.
I just made the Lemon Pound Cake for Sunday’s Easter dinner, and it’s so lemony, not too sweet (yep, I made a small sample on the side for me and my husband—yum!) It’s gonna be a big hit after our roast lamb entree! One small problem: the ingredients list called for reserve flour to prepare the pan, but the recipe said to use granulated sugar. For insurance, I did both (to make sure the sugar didn’t burn) and it turned out perfectly. Slid right out after the ten-minute wait. Beautiful!
Also made the chocolate-dipped macaroons, which are fabulous! Thanks, Jenn–love every recipe I’ve tried so far!
This looks amazing, but is it possible to make it in a loaf pan?
Yep, you’ll need two 8-1/2 by 4-1/2 loaf pans. 🙂
How about a mini loaf pan? I want to make a few of these and share them.
Sure, Stacey. You’ll need to reduce the baking time but it will work.
This cake was delicious!! I followed the recipe as is and the cake was moist, flavor was great and the whole family loved it…even my husband with the mindset “if it isn’t chocolate, it isn’t worth it!” There isn’t a single recipe I’ve tried of yours that wasn’t perfect! Thanks for sharing all your knowledge!
I needed a recipe for a carry in brunch and I thought this looked like a winner. I used the metric measurements and a scale, and followed the directions as closely as possible. I didn’t have a bundt pan, so I split the batter between two large, 9 x 5 loaf pans. They ended up baking the same amount of time, about 65 minutes. I brushed the loaves with the lemon syrup, but didn’t add the lemon glaze; I wanted something a little less sweet to serve as a breakfast cake. The loaves came out beautifully and the texture of the cake is wonderful, light and moist. I definitely recommend waiting until the cake is completely cooled before cutting. We got impatient and cut into the warm, sticky cake, which made it harder to cut neatly and we made a mess, but it was delicious. So, two thumbs up! In the future, if I use loaf pans, I think I will opt for the slightly smaller pans, maybe 8 1/2 x 4, so that the loaves bake a little taller. The whole family loved it!
Any tips on baking with a silicone bundt pan. I baked for the full 75 mins, but it’s still wet inside 😢
Hi Jillian, I don’t usually recommend silicone for baking as it is a poor heat conductor, which can interfere with leavening and cause overbrowning/underbaking. This time, I’d just keep the cake in the oven until it looks set and done. Fingers crossed!
It set finally and I took it out of the form, unfortunately the sugar carmelized and the top stuck to the pan. It tastes amazing, but this bundt excuse of a pan is going back to my sister 🤣😂 I also put it on a rack on top of a cookie sheet in the oven, so that could’ve been a contributor too. I just didn’t want it to get all cracked up since the silicone is so flexible. I may try again another day with flour, sans cookie sheet. Thank you!!
My grandmother would definitely approve of this lemon cake! Growing up, my grandmother’s go-to dessert was lemon cake so this cake filled me with delicious memories of her. I was a bit worried that this would be overly sweet with the three lemon and sugar steps, but it was perfect and surprisingly light. I served it with fresh strawberries. What a perfect springtime cake! The only thing I will try differently next time is to sprinkle powdered sugar and lemon zest over the top of the cake rather than the final glaze only because I do love the look of a dusted bundt cake. I would highly recommend this cake!
This is a wonderful cake. It is tender and moist, and my husband and I both loved it. Just to be sure, we went back for a second slice. I didnt glaze it, as I will be freezing slices. While on his second slice, I heard my husband say, “this is a keeper”. Making your Thai chicken salad tonight . Thanks for all the wonderful recipes. You make us all look like chefs.
💕
Followed recipe exactly as given including rest time and using sugar to dust bundt pan after generously spraying with Pam. Really wished I had gone with my intuition and used flour instead like I usually do. The sugar made the cake stick terribly in a pan I have used faithfully over and over in which a cake has never been ruined before like this one was.
The cake tasted very good, however, and was very fresh with a delightful crumb.
I will try it again using the same exact recipe but I will never use sugar to dust a pan again.
So sorry you had trouble with sticking, Julie. Did you by chance let it cool in the pan longer than 10 minutes? Did you use granulated sugar?
I buttered and floured the pan the pan the second time I made it and it still stuck terribly. This cake is delicious but I will not spend all of this time to make it again.
I have made this cake many times without the syrup and it is delicious! Have passed this recipe along with numerous others to relatives. Everything and I mean everything that I have made from your site is so simple to make and tastes so so good…main reason why I purchased your cookbook was to give something back to you after receiving so many free delicious recipes from you. Thanks!
❤️
The cake had a nice texture, moist and fluffy. The instructions were very clear – thank you. I found that it was really, really too sweet, though. I didn’t even do the glaze as the cake itself even without the syrup was too sweet- and this is after I had reduced the amount of sugar in the cake by a 1/4 as I do with most recipes as they are all generally too sweet. I might try making this again (and might try it with orange) but will substantially cut down the sugar.
Love this recipe- have yet to be disappointed by anything I’ve tried on your site! Thanks! -Celestina H
Hi Jenn, is this pound cake moist or dry? I know a lot of pound cakes are on the drier side, so I typically don’t like them.
Hi Serena, It’s quite moist, thanks to the syrup. Hope you enjoy it if you try it. 🙂
This is one of the easiest and best tasting cakes to make. Buttermilk gives it such a tang with the lemon and it really just melts in your mouth. I have made it several times and it is always the first cake to disappear at potlucks.
This was my first attempt at a pound cake. The instructions were easy to follow and the cake was delicious! I love lemon and this was perfect. Since my family is small, I ended up cutting the cake into individual slices and freezing them. So nice to pull one piece out of the freezer, pop it into the microwave for a few seconds and enjoy it with a nice cup of tea.
If you like lemon, make this cake. You won’t be sorry!
I made this yesterday and it was delicious. I don’t have a stand mixer, but still achieved a great texture to the cake. The glaze was so good I ended up making a little extra because my kids like their treats sweet! Would definitely make again. Looks beautiful on the platter, too.
Awesome. Used Meyer lemons and everyone raved about it!
This is absolutely delicious. My Daddy was a HUGE fan of lemon pound cake and he would have LOVED this. I love that I can freeze it! The only thing I did differently was that I left out the lemon zest… citrus zest of all kinds is just too bitter for me. I add a little more lemon juice instead. Five Stars!
Over many years I have tried so many lemon cakes and lemon breads. This Lemon Pound Cake is by far the very best I have ever experienced. I have 15 friends who will agree. I got the recipe in yesterday’s email, made it last night and served at a luncheon this afternoon. Most everyone left today with Jen’s name in their phone-they’re going to order her cookbook and sign-up for email. EVERY recipe that I have made from Jen’s blog or cookbook have all be 5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️. Thanks again Jen! Oh, forgot to mention that I made it exactly as called for in the recipe…
I followed this recipe exactly, including how to prepare the pan. Something I read on King Arthur flour’s blog suggested that you spray the pan and then prep it with sugar just prior to baking, because otherwise the Pam spray can pool in the bottom. I did use the kind of baking spray that includes a little bit of flour in it, Aldi sells a knock off version of that. the blog also suggested letting rest in the pan for five minutes after baking, then invert in the pan over a rack and letting it rest upside down for another five minutes, before finally trying to unmold it. This follows Jenn’s advice of 10 minutes, and the sugar should still be wet which should allow it to unstick very nicely. Great recipe as always!!
Hi Jenn,
Congratulations on your cookbook! I got one and love it! Great recipes, beautifully photographed, and such helpful tips.
Question: When you say to dust the sprayed pan with sugar, I’m assuming you mean powdered sugar? Or is it granulated? Thank you. Lin from Florida
So glad you like the cookbook, Lin! It is granulated sugar for the pan – I will clarify in the recipe. Thanks! 🙂
This cake recipe is spot on. No adjustments necessary. It is lemony and moist.
This is a great cake! Made exactly per recipe. No changes needed. First recipe of Jenn’s That I have made. Look forward to more recipes from Jenn.
I don’t have a stand mixer. I’m ok to use an electric hand mixer aren’t I?
Yep!
Delicious! Have made it several times. It doesn’t last long in our home.
I’ve made this several time the only thing I change is I add poppy seeds. It’s so delicious, my son-in-law compliments me every time 🙂
Let me start off by saying that I’m a sucker for anything lemon! I’m also a sucker for these giveaways, and would LOVE to win that gorgeous pink KitchenAid stand mixer! My KitchenAid has seen better days, but back to my review…
I was specifically looking for a lemon cake recipe on your blog & came across this one. I’m sort of a “recipe enhancer” kind of baker. Meaning that I take a recipe & tweak it to my liking. So while I used your recipe as a guide, here are the changes I made—I whipped up my own lemon curd and spread it on the middle half of the cake batter, then poured the rest of the batter over the top so that the middle of the cake had a nice, lemony surprise center. Instead of doing the lemon glaze, I made a coconut glaze. Then I sprinkled toasted coconut on the top of my cake. It turned out fabulous!
My favourite dish ( of many!) is the Lemon pound cake. It is a showstopper! and delicious…. loved by my whole family or dinner guests, this cake is on my “sure “ one for my next dinner party.
This recipe is my favorite way to use my abundant Meyer lemons! Moist and delicious.
Perfect as written!! Delicious and moist.
Cooking for my celiac grandson…have you ever tried this with GF flour? Thank you.
Personally, I’ve never made this with gluten-free flour, but a number of readers have commented that they have and have been happy with the results. Hope your grandson enjoys!
This looks wonderful. Can you bake this in two loaf pans? Is so, what size and what is the baking time? Thank you!
Yep – that will work – use two 8 x 4-inch loaf pans. It should take about 45 minutes plus or minus, so keep an eye on it. Enjoy!
This has to be the best lemon pound cake recipe I have come across. Everyone who has ever had it has loved it! The only thing I changed? Adding a little more powdered sugar. I prefer my icing a little thicker, but that’s just a personal preference.
I am a true Lemon Lover and have been since I was a young kid eating lemon slices with my fish! Love the Lemon Pound cake recipie! The buttermilk makes such a difference in the moistened and flavor! Only suggestion is to poke the top of the cake before pouring the Lemon syrup on top so that the lemony goodnes will be spread into the actual cake! Other than that, its perfect!
If you like lemon flavor, this is the cake for you. A really great tasting cake. Please do not use any artificial flavorings, only fresh lemons and juice. For problems with sticking to the pan, don’t use butter to grease the pan, as butter will often increase the likelihood of the cake sticking as the water in the butter boils away. Use the non-stick cooking spray as directed, or use Crisco, and then sprinkle the pan with the sugar, or lightly flour the pan using cake flour and shake out the excess. A beautiful, tasty cake which will delight anyone who loves the taste of lemon. Karen on April 11
I grow Myers lemons and am always trying new lemon desserts. This is the best lemon pound cake. Follow directions as stated – it’s perfect!
My favorite cakes are pound cakes. This was the perfect cake for my lemon loving family. The cake turned out delicious and disappeared very quickly once it was put out for eating. It is hard to wait a day to serve but well worth it once it was tasted. Everyone agrees this is a make again cake as I always hear if the family wants me to make it again.
This is our family’s favorite pound cake recipe. If I’m in a hurry, or do not have the lemons, I opt for this recipe with vanilla and we call it the buttermilk pound cake. Both are delicious!
Excellent cake! Took it to a church coffee hour and everyone loved it. Will definitely make it again
Is there a certain temperature which the cake should reach when it is ready? Thank you!
Hi Marisa, You really don’t need to measure the temperature of the cake, but if you’d prefer to check it that way, the cake is done when it reads 210°F on an instant-read thermometer. Hope you enjoy!
Very similar to King Arthur Flour Lemon Bundt. Superb. I have made in mini bunt and individual bunt as well.
Can a thin layer of seedless raspberry jam be placed in the center? If so, would that change the time for baking.
I think that would work without any changes to the baking time. I’d love to know how it turns out!
I made this for a brunch for 40 and it was a hit! I did cut back a little on the sugar using only 2 cups. Other than that made this exactly as written. I surrounded this lovely cake with fresh berries.
The cake tastes great, but it sunk in the middle and stuck in the pan. I was careful not to overbeat the batter once the eggs had been added and the oven was preheated, so I’m not sure what happened.
Hi Elizabeth, Sorry to hear you had some challenges with this! It’s possible that the cake sunk in the middle because it was underbaked. Next time I’d leave it in the oven for just a few minutes longer. And in terms of it getting stuck to the pan, did you spray the pan generously with non-stick spray and dust with flour? Or is your bundt pan several years old? If so the non-stick quality may not be at its best so it may be time for a new one. I really like this Nordic Ware one.
Hi Jenn,
I’m afraid it sank early in the baking process. The exterior and interior were a nice texture, if a bit dense, but not undercooked. I buttered and floured my very new pan, so I don’t think that was the problem. Thanks anyway.
Hi Elizabeth, Here are some other reasons that cakes sink during or after baking. I’d read through these to see if you can determine the culprit. After taking a peek at it, please let me know if I can help in any other way!
Jenn, see you used flour to coat the pan, but the instructions say to use granulated sugar which I feel is a mistake in the recipe. I say this because in the ingredients list is says flour and some extra for the pan. That is in conflict with the instructions. I have never made a cake where you grease and sugar the pan.
Hi Jim, Thank you for catching that. I used to prep the pan with flour but so many readers had issues with sticking, I retested the recipe using sugar and found that the cake released much more easily. It’s not as common to use sugar, but for some cakes it helps. It’s important to use granulated sugar (not powdered) and remove the cake from the pan after 10 minutes, otherwise it will stick. All that said, Bundt pans are finicky and if you have a method you like, I would stick with that. You can read more about prepping Bundt pans with sugar vs. flour here.
Hi Jenn, I was wondering if I could use this recipe to make mini muffins instead of using the bundt pan. If so, what would the baking time be? thank you
Hi Laurie, I haven’t made this into muffins, but I think you could. I would start checking them for doneness at 10 to 12 minutes. I’d love to hear how they turn out if you try it!
Wow! I can’t believe I made this. Everyone in my family was amazed, it was so delicious. Thank you, you made me a star.
Would my measurements need to change if I use cake flour instead of all-purpose?
Hi S, As a pound cake, it is a bit on the denser side. You could give it a try it with cake flour without any other adjustments. Keep in mind that I can’t guarantee that cake flour will give the cake enough structure to rise properly. I’d love to know how it turns out if you try it.
Amazing! I will be honest here, I love baking and bake a lot – we live in a small space and don’t have room for a stand mixer, this recipe was a bit of a challenge using beaters and a large bowl. I ended up splitting the batter into two large bowls to avoid over mixing/ making a huge mess. It worked well once I changed to this course! If you have the same problem, try this approach. The bake was perfect – I followed the time and temp exactly. This is my first pound cake in a larger bundt pan so I might just be naive, but there was SO much sugar in this recipe. I was nervous. I ended up not putting the syrup on or glazing. We made the glaze and tried one piece with it, but I think it was too much. You still get the lemon flavor without it! The cake was still very moist without then sugar syrup. And I agree it gets better as the days go on. I will absolutely be making this again. As always, thanks Jenn!
Can this be frozen?
Yep!
I have made this cake many times. It gets rave reviews from friends I serve it to. It’s the only desert my husband likes. The tart sweet taste is perfectly balanced. It’s like sunshine and summer together in a cake.
I live in a high altitude desert city so I had to make several adjustments to keep this cake from caving in. Jenn steered me to King Arthur flour’s website for high altitude baking. Thanks to these tips this cake turns out perfect every time. Jenn is quick to respond to email queries and genuinely cares. Her recipes are always wonderful.
Try this cake. It is worth it!
I made this tonight so far looks and smells delicious. The instruction s were very easy to follow. And cake came out delicious looking. I followed the recipe to the t.. Haven’t glazed it yet. Waiting on cake to to cool. And tomorrow or Tuesday, rather day after tomorrow im sure we will, all enjoy it. Will write after taste test has been done. Thank you for the recipe. I love lemon cake..4 stars because haven’t tasted it yet.
Why not taste the cake first before writing a review? Rating the recipe 4 stars just because you haven’t tasted the cake is unfair to the author.
The cake was perfection but it stuck to my really nice heavy nonstick bundt pan. I should have followed my instincts and used crisco or butter to grease the pan prior to flouring rather than spray.
A tasty cake. No complaints about the ingredients. My only recommendation would be to adjust the step by step section. It says to incorporate the buttermilk with the lemon but did not mention only a fraction of the lemon was to be used. The ingredients clarify this but I was not bouncing between the two as frequently and missed the part about fractioning out the lemon juice. If that can be added to the step by step photo section, it would help. Also mentioning oven temp and preheating earlier in the step by step section would be good. Thanks
I have made this cake twice and it is very good, moist and very lemony which I love.
Everyone that tries it likes it! I live in the south and we love bundt cakes down here especially lemon.
AMAZING cake!!! I added 1/2 cup poppy seeds, but otherwise baked as instructed. New favorite! Thanks, Jen. 😀
This was amazing!!!!!! New favorite
This recipe is brilliant. Followed the directions to the letter and the results were amazing. I had made this for a luncheon and everyone asked for a piece to take home. A homerun!!
A NEW FAVORITE! THIS is an excellent recipe that makes a delicious lemony cake with a fantastic crumb. Easy to make with clear concise instructions.
Delicious! My husband’s late grandmother used to make a lemon cake that had both syrup and glaze and he loved it-sadly, we do not have her recipe, so I was very happy to find this one. It turned out beautifully and is a lemon lover’s dream. The only thing I will change when I make it again is to apply the syrup while the cake is upside down so that it will be toward the bottom of the cake since the glaze is on top. This is only because of how my husband remembers his Grandma’s cake, which is having the syrup on the bottom.
Good idea! You can poke the cake like I suggested and you qont have any “unsightly” holes on top but still have the lemon syrup inside!
This is the exact Glazed Lemon cake recipe from The Silver Palate Cookbook. The glaze/syrup is from Jenn Segal. I prefer the original Lemon Icing from The Silver Palate.Why change perfection? Here it is.
1lb confectioners sugar
1 stick butter
3 tightly packed T. Grated Lemon zest
1/2 cup lemon juice
Cream sugar & butter thoroughly. Mix in lemon zest and juice and spread on warm cake.
So, if we’re rating Jenn’s Recipe, why don’t we just stick to that. If you want to start your own blog quoting recipes you love, it might be more fair to post them somewhere else. As for Jenns recipe, it’s a favorite with us!
Mine came out very tender and fluffy. Therefore, it fell apart completely when I tried to remove from bundt pan. It tastes great but can only be served to family who doesn’t care about the presentation. I did prepare the pan with Baker’s grease plus extra dusting of flour. I use Baker’s grease for chocolate cake in bundt pan and I can remove with no damage. I think my cake was just too fluffy?
It’s beautifully tender inside with a nice crust. I did wait 10 minutes before removing but it was still very hot. Next time I will wait 20 minutes before removing maybe.
Absolutely delicious! Came out perfect.
My cake is dry. I’m not an experienced baker. What did I do wrong?
Hi Kay, sorry to hear your cake turned out dry. Dryness is usually caused by overbaking or measuring the flour incorrectly. Did you use the spoon and level method to measure the flour? Here are some other reasons cakes may turn out dry and ways to avoid it. Hope that helps!
Delicious!
Hi Jenn – Instead of a bundt pan, can I split between two loaf pans? If so, what is the bake time?
Thanks.
Laura
Hi Laura, You can make this in two 8 x 4-inch loaf pans. It should take about 45 minutes plus or minus, so keep an eye on it. Enjoy!
Yep, this is the one! Perfect every time.
I made this cake today for my Church fellowship and everyone loved it. It definitely will be going into my personal cookbook.
Made this today for my father -in-laws birthday and it was a huge hit!!! Made it exactly to the recipe and turned out wonderful! Thanks for sharing!
Excellent pound cake! I made this recipe today in 5 mini disposable loaf pans. I followed the recipe exactly, filled each mini loaf pan 2/3 of the way with batter, and baked them at 325 for 45-55mins. I’m a beginner baker, so it took me a while to assemble, but the results were fantastic. I’m excited to give the mini loaf pans as gifts to our neighbors tomorrow as we ring in the New Year. Thank you for a great recipe!
I made recently made this cake during Christmas break . Followed the recipe as written , cake came out awesome. It was really moist , right balance of sweetness and lemony flavor . Thanks for the reciepe. Your blog is now my go to page for recipes.
I loved this cake! Very lemony & moist, what I was hoping for. I don’t like lemon cakes that barely taste of the lemon, not an issue here!
Excellent. I made this for a Christmas party with friends. Everyone loved it. It wasn’t too heavy and not at all dry as some previous pound cakes I have tried from different recipes were. I dusted the pan with sugar after spraying it as I read you suggested in a similar recipe. The cake came right out of the pan and it looked much better than when I have dusted with flour. Thank you for such a great recipe with so many helpful details.
This Lemon Buttermilk Pound Cake is super easy, super tasty, and a great way to use up buttermilk and lemon — two things I always seem to have on hand.
Everyone loved this cake! It is very moist with well balanced flavors.
I did everything step by step and baked at 325. By the 40 minute mark it was burning but still gooey inside?
Hi Kayla, Did you bake the cake on the center rack of your oven?
First attempt and it was amazing. Fanily loved it. So easy .
I have extremely large meyer lemons on my tree which I would love to use. Should I use only 2 instead of the 4 the recipe calls for? Thanks
Hi Beth, Lucky you! The number of lemons doesn’t really matter; I have that as a guide to let people know how many lemons they’d need to buy. Just use as many lemons as needed for the amounts of zest and juice the recipe requires. Hope you enjoy!
Best cake ever! It comes out perfect every time.
I have made this cake so many times. and each time my friends and family have enjoyed it. Thanks for sharing such a lovely cake.
This cake had great lemon flavor but was SO dense. I added fresh leavening agents and kept the mixing to a minimum after I added the flour mixture. I don’t know what I did wrong 🙁
Hi Kiara, This cake is definitely on the dense side. That said, did you spoon the flour into a measuring cup and level it off? Cakes can get overly dense is they contain too much flour.
Jenn, ensuring accurate flour by weighing eliminates the potential for heavy handing using cups. Perphaps you can provide cups and weight.
Hi Gillian, Many of my recipes (including this one) have metric conversions for the ingredients so you can see the weight by looking at those. To view them, scroll down to the recipe and immediately under the recipe title on the right side, you’ll see a little toggle. If you move it from “cup measures” to metric, you’ll see measurements that will work for you. Hope that helps!
Hi Jenn,
I want to make this as one of my desserts for Thanksgiving. Because of all of the cooking/baking jobs for this day, I was wondering if the cake would still be fresh for Thursday if I made it on Tuesday?
Thanks
Yes, Mary Beth – this cake keeps nicely for a few days. Enjoy!
I made this cake today. It came out very well. Since I had extra eggs , I added a few more. I also cooked it in a 10 inch springform pan and baked it a couple of extra minutes. Great lemon flavor. I would definitely make it again
Hi Jenn, I just made your amazing Lemon Buttermilk Pound Cake!! I could hardly wait for it to cool so I could taste it. Delicious, moist, perfect lemon flavor! You definitely have perfected it. I see you cookbook on my Christmas list. Thanks so much for sharing.
❤️
Has anyone tried making these in small disposable loaf pans to give as gifts? Any suggestions on how long to bake them? I’m thinking of giving them as little Christmas giveaways.
Tested and Perfected is right! Perfect lemony flavour, beautiful texture to the cake as well. It’s a hit with everyone who has tried it. Thanks Jenn, for another fabulous recipe.
Fabulous cake! I am celiac so use gluten free flour (King Arthur Measure For Measure) with same measurements and friends do not know it is GF.
I am also lactose intolerant so use Lactaid (milk) with 1 1/2 TBL cider vinegar to make the buttermilk which works great.
I have made this cake using mini bundt pan (6 minis) and fill 1/2 to top. Bake for 20-22 minutes. This will make 2 batches.
If I’m not using right away I Saran Wrap individually WITHOUT GLAZE and freeze in ziplocks. Freezes great! I’ve also put homemade blueberry sauce or raspberry sauce on top instead of glaze for different & delicious taste.
This lemon buttermilk cake was delicious! It was bursting with lemon flavor and moist. Made it twice last month.
Was beyond scrumptious!
I’d like to make this as a sheet cake so that I can cut it into shape (I’m make a 40 cake for a party). Any idea on a square tin size that this would work for?
You could use two 9-inch square pans and make the four from one and the zero from the other. It will take less time to bake – I’d start checking for doneness at about 40 minutes. Hope that helps!
I ended up doing it in a 10-inch square pan for 50 minutes. Worked perfectly and will make an excellent 4 (the 0 will be a different type of cake).
Made this tonight just trying to use up the remaining buttermilk. Excellent cake, moist and just the right amount of lemon flavour. The recipe itself is well written. Thank you!
I am new to your site, love to cook/bake, and this was the first recipe I tried. The cake was absolutely delicious! Rave reviews! The only change I made was to double the final glaze. Thank you so much for sharing your expertise! Looking forward to trying more of your recipes.
Made this yesterday and it is awesome! Did have a bit of sticking problem with a newer bundt pan, so read up on that. Fabulous lemony flavor and not heavy! I was hoping I wouldn’t like it, as it was a lot more work than I usually do on a dessert, but will definitely have to put this in my favorite recipes!
This cake is absolutely delicious! I will make it again but it stuck to the pan and I cannot figure out why. I used Bakers Joy cooking spray with flour but other than that, I followed the directions exactly. My bundt pan is a heavy dark gray Cooks brand (JC Penney) it’s nonstick and the coating looks fine. Do you have any idea what I might have done wrong?
Hi Kathy, Glad to hear you enjoyed the cake, but sorry to hear that it stuck to the pan! The Baker’s Joy Cooking Spray should be great for this. You mentioned that the non-stick surface looks okay on your bundt pan, but is it several years old? If so, it may be time for a new one. I really like this Nordic Ware one.
Dying to make this ! Have all the ingredients, but realized I only have a 9 cup bundt pan. Would half the batter work in that and maybe the rest in a loaf pan ?
Yes that would definitely work, Anne. Enjoy!
Amazing cake!! I usually add a teaspoon of organic vanilla extract, but not always. I just love vanilla & lemon together. I love all your reciepes! Thank you so much!
Can you please tell me the best way to keep this cake once made and, approximately, how many days will it remain ‘fresh’?
Thank you-enjoy all your recipes!
Hi Ann, I’d keep it in a cake dome on the countertop; it’ll keep well for about 3 days. Hope that helps!
Hi Jenn,
I just just imagine the uplifting lemony scent for this cake! It looks delicious! I’m fairly new to baking…if splitting the recipe into 2 loaf tins…which would be the best size to use? 8 x 4 x 2 1/2 in. (4 cups) OR 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 x 2 1/2 in. (6 cups) – I would also be attempting this recipe with gluten free flour. Thank you for sharing.
Hi Ruthie, The larger loaf pans should be perfect. Please lmk how it turns out!
Is it possible to make it with almond milk
Hi Ariana, Yes, I think it’s doable. I’d use this method for creating your own buttermilk (but use almond milk in place of the regular milk). I don’t think it will curdle like cow’s milk, but as long as you’re adding the acid of the lemon juice or vinegar, you should be good to go. Hope that helps!
After I spoon the batter into the bundt pan, I poke frozen blueberries about 1″ into the batter. The cake is absolutely PERFECT, and everyone requests it constantly. Thank you for this awesome recipe!
Would it be possible to use this recipe for cupcakes?
Hi Barbara, I haven’t made this cake into cupcakes, but I think it would work. I’d suggest the same temp and start checking for doneness at about 18 minutes. Hope you enjoy!
Hi Jenn,
Everyone loves this cake. I’m thinking of making it with poppy seeds because I have a friend who loves lemon poppy seed cakes. Would it work? And if so how much should I put in and are there any adjustments I need to make as a result? I’ll let you know how it turns out. 🙂
Hi Cherry, Sure you could add poppy seeds; I’d recommend about 1/4 cup. No other adjustments would be necessary. Please let me know how it turns out!
So I ended up making it twice. I accidentally put 1/2 a cup instead of a 1/4 cup of poppy seeds in the first. I think it turned out ok if a bit crunchy. LOL. I did take a picture of both but I don’t know how to send it to you. I think it turned out pretty good though.
Would love to see your photo, Cherry – send to my email [email protected].
Hi Jenn,
I just sent the email with the pictures from yesterday’s cake. I figured you wouldn’t want to see the one I messed up. LOL. The doctors love it.
Hi Jenn, Could I bake this cake in a 9×13 glass dish (Pyrex)? How long to bake & does the oven temp stay the same?
I noticed the list of ingredients doesn’t have Baking Powder. Was It left out in error, or just not used in this recipe? Please explain why it isn’t needed in this cake. Hope to hear from you soon as I would like to make this cake. Lemon cake is my favorite. Thanks, Linda M
Hi Linda, I’ve never made this in a 9 x 13″ pan but I think it would work. The oven temp can remain the same. You may need to lessen the baking time but I can’t say for sure. I’d start checking around 35 to 40 minutes. And regarding the baking powder, because the cake is made with buttermilk (which helps with the leavening), the baking powder isn’t needed here. Hope you enjoy the cake!
Hi. I wish to make this as a high stack of layer cakes. And add frozen blueberries to the batter. Would that work? How many round cakes of 7″ would this recipe yield approximately? Tia.
Vanita
Hi Vanita, You could turn this into a layer cake, but keep in mind that it will be more dense than your typical layer cake. I’ve never tried this, so I don’t know exactly how many round layers this will generate, but I suspect that it will be good for two 7-inch rounds. I’d love to hear how it turns out if you try it!
Awesome cake !!
Quite a bit of effort, but worth it in the end! Dense, lemony and decadent. Wondering about how to get Limoncello into this cake-maybe by subbing for the lemon juice in the glaze?
Hi, would love to make this but I don’t have a bundt pan. Would you recommend a different pan and if so, bake time?
Thank you!
Hi Barb, You can make this in an 8 x 4-inch loaf pan, but you’ll need to cut the recipe in half (or use two loaf pans). It should take about 45 minutes plus or minus, so keep an eye on it!
I need to make a three tier wedding cake; will this cake stand up to being stacked?
Hi Ellen, Yes I think it will work. 🙂
Can this cake be baked in loaf pans?
Hi Esther, You can make this in an 8 x 4-inch loaf pan, but you’ll need to cut the recipe in half (or use two loaf pans). It should take about 45 minutes give or take, so keep an eye on it!
Hi Jenn,
I was thrilled to find your recipe for my dad’s birthday celebration this evening. I followed the directions exactly, but my cake did not turn out well at all. When I took the cake out of the pan, the top of the cake stayed in the pan and the bottom half came out seperately. I’m afraid it’s to late to restart today but I might try this recipe again someday. How can I ensure that this will not happen again? The cake tastes great but I am sad it doesn’t look very presentable.
Hi Sarah, sorry to hear you had a problem with the cake sticking to the bundt pan! You may want to try one of two things– next time try using a baking spray with flour to treat the pan. Pam makes one that I like. If you still have issues with things sticking to it, it may be time for a new bundt pan. I love the Nordic Ware pan.
I have made this several times and everyone always loves it. The recipe is perfect as is!
This is the most fabulous cake!
It’s very lemon-y with a perfect balance of sweet to tart. It simply melts in your mouth. This cake is worth the time it takes to zest the lemons, a task I usually find daunting even with a zester. I strongly recommend first obtaining a citrus zester. And FYI: I preferred the cake I made with whole milk buttermilk (versus low-fat buttermilk).
Fabulous lemony cake with perfect moisture and crumb. Amazing with whipped cream and strawberries.
I have made this multiple times and everyone has absolutely loved it every single time! The lemon flavor is marvelous and it always turns out super moist.
I see that you said that you can make this ahead of time? Would you complete the whole process the day before or do some steps the day of? Thank you!
Hi Amy, I’d do the whole thing ahead and cross it off your list. 🙂
This was amazing! I had a family dinner and went straight to your site to complete my menu. I made three of your recipes for the first time-the asparagus with peas, caprese and this cake-something I’d only do with your recipes. All three were delicious! Thanks for making entertaining a whole lot easier!
So glad everything turned out, Amy! ❤️
I made this lemon pound cake and everything went well until I went to invert the pan and it would not come out. So I loosened the sides & middle and it came out partially with a lot of the pretty top floor as very stuck to the pan. I went out & bought a new bundt cake pan. Oil sprayed it & floured it. What the heck happened. I cooled it for 10 min. Like it said.
Cathy, I’m sorry to hear that you had the same problem with sticking twice! If you used a brand new pan the second time around and still had problems, I suspect you may not have pre-treated the pan thoroughly enough to prevent that outer coating from sticking. Also, you may want to treat the pan using a baking spray with flour. Pam makes one that I like. Hope that helps!
I have had a similar experience with brand new pans. They sometimes need “breaking in”… The second time u bake in it, it will come out clean if u have coated well with pam or butter and flour. Nothing wrong with the recipe in this case…
You can purchase a silicone bundt and cakes never stick.
Hi Mel, I made this cake recently and while I thought it was spot on others thought it was ab in t dense, would using cake flour instead of AP flour work? If so would any other ingredients need to be adjusted? Thanks Jerrie
WOW. My new favourite birthday cake. Made this recipe for a friend who wanted a lemon cake and the whole office loved it. Followed the recipe exactly and I would not change a thing. This lemon cake is so light and lemony it might make a chocolate lover change what kind of cake they want for their birthdays. Thank you!
Hi, will this recipe work well with Meyer Lemons, or would you recommend regular lemons? Thank you.
Hi Teresa, I haven’t used Meyer lemons in this recipe, but you definitely can. Hope you enjoy!
Just made this tonight and it is incredible. Perfect for a hot summer night. I love the texture. It’s not dense as some pound cakes can be. Great balance of sweetness and lemon flavor. Will certainly make this again and again. Another great recipe.
I made this last weekend and it was an absolute hit. My 2 year old has asked me to do it again for his birthday next week. For that party I plan on making cupcakes the adding a raspberry filling after they are baked. I’d love any suggestions you have (such as baking time).
Thanks for the great recipe, I’m looking through your site to find my next new favourite.
Glad you all enjoyed this and that your two year old wants it for his birthday! Glad you like this cake! I haven’t made it into cupcakes, but I think it would work. I’d suggest the same temp and start checking for doneness at about 18 minutes.
I also made cupcakes (for my 8 yr old nieces birthday) but I’m trying to decide if I should top with a glaze or make a lemon cheese cake frosting or what would you suggest?
Hi Laurie, a glaze would be nice here, but all kids like icing, so maybe you could go the route of a cream cheese frosting. 🙂
Made this and loved it. Could you leave out the lemon juice and zest in the batter recipe and just make a buttermilk pound cake?
Glad you liked it! Baking soda reacts with the lemon juice to help the cake rise in this recipe. Since this cake also has buttermilk (which also reacts with baking soda), I think you’d be okay leaving out the lemon juice and zest. But since I haven’t tried it (and cakes can be finicky), I can’t say for sure if it will rise quite as much. If you want a plain pound cake, you may want to try this one.
Worked without the lemon zest and lemon juice. Added extracts for flavor. Thanks!
Would this cake recipe be suitable for tiering, I’m planning a 2xlayer (6,8,10 inch) 3 tier wedding cake.
Hi Jerrie, because this is a pound cake, it’s a bit dense for a layer cake, but it will work. You will need more batter, but I’m not certain how much. Hope everyone enjoys!
I made up the recipe and my daughter thought it was a bit dense and since its for her wedding I wonder how/if the recipe can be modified. Would using cake flour instead of AP flour work? I like this recipe as a couple of others I tried tasted fine but were holey/ tunnels. Any suggestions?
Hi Jerrie, As a pound cake, it is a bit on the denser side. I think you could try it with cake flour w/o making any other adjustments. However, I can’t guarantee that cake flour will give the cake enough structure to rise properly. I’d love to know how it turns out if you give it a shot.
Awesome cake! One of the best recipes hands down. I served this to workers in my house. Everyone wanted more! Thank you for sharing this gem!
It says granulated sugar in the recipe. In the Uk we use granulated sugar mostly for hot drinks etc and Caster sugar for baking. Can you tell me what sugar i would be needing to use for this cake
Thankyou
Debbie
Hi Debbie, you’ll need granulated sugar for this cake. Hope you enjoy!
If making a day ahead, should I wait to glaze and ice the cake until a few hours before I’m going to serve it?
Hi Andrea, no need to wait; you can add the glaze and icing after it comes out of the oven. It keeps really well :).
I have two 6-cup bundt pans. Would that work or would I have batter left over?
Hi Cheryl, Yes, two 6-cup bundt pans would work here (with no adjustment to the ingredients and no batter left over). They will take less time to bake, but I’m not certain how long. I’d start checking at about 40 – 45 minutes. Enjoy!
I, and my whole family, LOVE this cake. The friends I have made it for also love it! It is so lemony and fresh tasting. It is like eating lemonade. Tonight is the 5th time I am making it. I make it exactly as your recipe states, but the past few times, I have made it in loaf pans and I cook them for 47 minutes. They are so good! THANK YOU! 🙂
Baking the lemony bundt now at 325º and it was in there for 65 minutes but when I did a tester it was still quite raw!!! I’ve left it in the oven for another 15minutes and it’s baked it pretty well. I’m leaving it another 5-8 because it was still slightly gooey….
What could I have done wrong? 😞
Regardless it gets 5 stars because the recipe itself is a winner but I wish I knew what I did wrong for the bundt not to bake within the allotted time.
Hi Celeste, Sorry to hear you had a problem with this! It definitely should’ve been done after the amount of time you baked it. Is there any possibility you made a measuring error? Another thought – have you checked your oven temp recently to see if it’s accurate? Here are some tips on how to do that.
I made this for mother’s day brunch and it was a HUGE hit! It turned out just perfectly. Thank you!
Y’all this is seriously the best pound cake recipe. I baked it for a party and everyone was eating their forks dang near. It was perfectly moist and not too dense. If you love lemon flavored desserts, but have it be just enough, youll love this
Hello, do I store it in the fridge or covered at room temp? Thank you
Hi Andrea, Room temp is fine. You can keep it in the fridge if you like, but make sure to bring it too room temp before serving. 🙂
This has been a big hit at our house. Just 3 of us, but it’s going fast. I used only the syrup, no glaze/frosting. I also used Meyer lemons, which turned out sort of floral, but not nearly lemony for me.
IF YOU MAKE ANY DESSERT ON THIS SITE, IT SHOULD BE THIS!!!!! I made this for my husbands potluck at work. One co worker told him he ate 3 slices and wrapped a fourth for his wife. Lol. Best recipe for lemon pound cake, hands down. Thanks Jen, you are my best kept secret. I’ll be going to get your book soon!
Hi I was curious if the cake could be left in the pan and then the glaze poured over?
Are you referring to a bundt pan? If so, I think it would be very challenging to serve the cake from it.
Yummy! It was so easy and came out great. Great lemon flavor. Just wondering if I used limes on the next one would it turn out fine? Also, I avoided baking for a long time and I love this recipe.
Hi Brian, so glad you enjoyed it! Yes, you can use lime here; it won’t have quite the same “pop” as the lemon, but it will work. I’d love to hear how it turns out with this tweak!
Excellent Recipe!! Turned out stunning and delicious!
I boiled the zested/juiced lemons for the syrup,…a bit of recycling I guess. Great recipe.
I made this last night – halved the sugar in the cake and omitted the glaze and it still was amazing. I brought half of it into work and everyone loved it. Thank you!
Baked this today and am so happy! It tastes amazing. I made it eggless ( making it for a gathering with food allergies) i used yogurt instead of buttermilk – everything – all measurements worked perfectly. Thank you for this recipe- yet to glaze it- will do so tomorrow.
After eating a slice of this cake, I will never go back to store bought. My husband said it was the best lemon pound cake he’s ever had. Thanks again Jen!
Hello,
I plan on making 2 loaf pans so I can freeze one. Would you go ahead and put on the glaze and then freeze, or leave it off? Always delicious!!
Thanks, Kristy
Hi Kristy, Glad you like it! It’s best if you add the glaze after defrosting. Enjoy!
Hi Jenn,
I made this and everyone loved it. I want to send some up to my friend (her parents are taking it up for me) and was wondering if I could bake them in those disposable small loaf pans you find in the supermarket? If so, how many do I need and how should I adjust the time and temp? I’m thinking I need around 10 of those pans? Oh and how far up do you think I should fill the pans? Thanks!
Hi Cherry, Sure, I think mini loaves would work here. I’ve never made this in mini loaf pans, so I can’t say for sure, but I suspect it should make 4 – 5 loaves. The oven temp should be the same – I’m not certain how long they’ll take to bake (so keep a close eye on them), but I would start checking them at about 35 minutes. I’d love to hear to hear how they turn out!
Hi Jenn,
The mini loaves turned out pretty good I think. My friend’s parents are heading up on Tuesday so we’ll see what they say. I ended up filling 6 tins around 2/3-3/4 full. Thankfully none spilled. Same temp but for my oven it took around 45-55 minutes. I started checking around 45 because it was still pretty pale and jiggly at 35. I did grease the tins but didn’t flour them since I wasn’t turning them out. I didn’t put the glaze on yet as I didn’t want them to get gooey.
Thanks so much for the follow-up, Cherry. Very helpful for me and other readers too – hope your friend enjoys!
Loved the recipe!! You made it so easy to follow, and complete. This was my first attempt at making a pound cake, or a glaze. Loved the buttery lemon taste. Just the right amount of lemon and sugar. Will be making this again for family and friends!
Hi Jenn, maybe I didn’t go far enough in the reviews so forgive me if I missed and you already answered this. Can I add poppy seeds? And or a hint of lavender blended into the sugar first? Have you tried this? Thanks!!
Hi Tammie, I haven’t added either, but yes, you can add both poppy seeds and lavender to the cake. One other reader commented that she added some lavender leaves to the flour and to the syrup as it boiled and was happy with the results. Hope you enjoy!
Another trip to Flavor Town, Jenn! Yummo! I made for my hubby bday last night and he loved it along with all our guests! I did process a Tablespoon of Lavender into the sugar first and added a Tablespoon of Poppyseeds and wished I would have done two of each. Seeds added fun texture and visual appeal. Couldn’t quite detect the Lavendar but didn’t want to go overboard. Next time I will double the glaze to drizzle a bit over each slice. Moist and rich lemon flavour. We loved it!!!
Hi Jenn,
10th one of these! Friends and family are turning me in a de facto baker! I’m not quite there yet 😋.
Sometimes when I make this it sinks in and others it does not. I think I’m doing everything the same? I am over mixing? Too much moisture?
Thanks
Hi Eric (the defacto baker ;), There are several potential reasons a cake may sink. Because it could be happening due to a variety of factors, I’d suggest skimming this article to see if there’s one issue that resonates with you. Hope it helps you get to the bottom of it!
I followed the directions to the letter. At 325F my cake was very under cooked at 65 minutes.
The flavor of this pound cake is great, very lemony. I will try again but may bump up the temperature from what’s called for.
Hi Cheryl,
You may want to double check that your oven temp is correct. I’ve made this 10 times without going past 60 minutes and it actually seems like I could stop at 55.
Cheers
eric
Thanks Eric, I am looking for a good oven thermometer to check.
Delicious. Made it exactly as written but in 2 loaf pans.
Question, will this recipe be in the new book?
Could I add fresh blueberries to the batter?
Glad you enjoyed it! This one will not be in the book (but I will have a delicious glazed pumpkin pound cake in there)! I do think you could add blueberries but keep in mind that the cake will be quite tart. Maybe serve it with sweetened whipped cream for balance? Also, I’d toss the blueberries with a tablespoon of the flour mixture beforehand to help them stay suspended in the batter.
I make pound cakes for my family every holiday. I generally rotate recipes. This one was AMAZING! I am going to make this over and over again. WINNER!
My family LOVES this cake. Perfect. Not a single thing to change.
This cake was my Easter dessert and my oh my how good it was. Shared with elderly neighbor and he raved over the taste. I love the tangy sweet/tart taste. Had a bit of a mixup making the cake but, all turned out well despite my goof up.
can I use a loaf pan?
Hi Kate, You can make this in an 8 x 4-inch loaf pan, but you’ll need to cut the recipe in half (or use two loaf pans). It should take about 45 minutes give or take, so keep an eye on it!
I made this Lemon Cake & it was perfect. I rate this 5 Stars!! I got so many comments on how good it was & asking when you going to fix another one.
I am not sure this amazing recipe needs more reviews! But here’s #681 5 star review! My 1st grader helped and this was our first bundt cake made despite having the cake pan 15 years. I zested 4 large lemons but needed juice from 2 of them. Thanks Jenn for another fabulous recipe!
Hi! I’m so excited to make this as cupcakes!! Up to where should I fill the wells?
Hi Lalis, I would fill the wells so they’re about 2/3 of the way full. Hope you enjoy!
I made it for my brother’s birthday! It’s too sweet for our taste particularly yet it does pair with sugarless coffee quite well. The instructions were easy to follow and the texture is wonderful! Besides being too sweet, the taste is very nice. It’s a solid recipe. The only substitution I made was to use plain yoghurt instead of buttermilk as I haven’t found a place that sells buttermilk where I live yet (Colombia). Will lessen the sugar next time and maybe make a bit more glaze.
I was looking at this recipe today and realized it’s pretty much identical to my recipe I’ve used throughout the years. Definitely the very best Lemon Pound Cake!
Does this need to be stored in the refrigerator after it’s glazed, or can it stay at room temp? Baking it tomorrow and delivering to friends for Easter Dinner.
Room temperature is perfectly fine. Have a great Easter!
Can this cake be frozen after glaze and frosting are put on it?
Hi Margaret, it freezes nicely, but it’s best if you add the glaze after defrosting.
Thanks so much! That’s what I’ll do.
I would like to suggest using sugar instead of flour to coat the Bundt pan (or any cake pans). I discovered this trick years ago. Sugar creates a smooth, sweet finish perfectly suited for baking cakes. I submitted this suggestion to Gourmet Magazine 20 years and received a $25 award. It actually makes icing cakes easier.
I’m 100% with you on that. I used to have flour kinda clump. Not too pretty. I use powdered sugar though.
Powdered sugar or granulated?
Thanks Jenn!
This has become a family regular. In fact, I’ve been threatened with banishment if I don’t make another one. I try to let em know I’ve made this at least 10 times! I’ve only made one change to this recipe. Instead of dusting the bundt with flour which sometimes clumps and isn’t very attractive. I have since switched to dusting with powdered sugar.
This delicious cake is always a hit and often requested by my coworkers for their birthdays! The lemon flavor is perfect anytime but it always makes me think of spring. 🍋🍋 I’ve already been asked to make it for the upcoming April birthdays. 😋
I made this today! It came out beautifully and I am thankful for the recipe, it was super easy and will be a keeper in my baking rotation 😋
Can you use cake flour instead
Hi Dedrah, for best results, I’d recommend sticking with the all-purpose flour.
Amazing recipe… My favorite dessert ever
I made this in a bundt cake before and it was perfect! Thank you for the recipe!But if I’m just using one loaf pan, would I use one or two eggs to half the recipe?
You’ll need 1.5 eggs. To get half an egg, what I do is beat one egg in a measuring cup and then discard half of it. Hope that helps!
This is an awesome recipe. I made a pound cake for the first time and it was perfect. I would love to send a picture of my creation to you.
Please do, Leena – I’d love to see! My email is [email protected].
I’ve made this cake twice now, and everyone always loves it! Can you make cupcakes with this recipe?
Thank you!
Hi Brooke, Glad you like this cake! I haven’t made it into cupcakes, but I think it would work. I’d suggest the same temp and start checking for doneness at about 18 minutes.
Would it be OK to use a 9.5 inch bundt pan?
Hi Leigh, It’s hard to say so best to measure by volume – this recipe requires a 12-cup Bundt. I wouldn’t use anything smaller or it’ll overflow.
I used meyer lemons and followed the recipe as written. My entire family was smitten with it!! This is one to pass down for generations to come. Looking forward to your new cookbook.
Wow! This is the most delicious, moist cake I have ever made. I am 53 and have made a lot of cakes and this one is now at the top of my list. Just delightful!
Made this cake to share with classmates during a presentation and it was a hit! I cut the sugar in the cake back to 1 1/2 cups without any negative effects–one woman in my class told me, a week later, that she still dreams about it.
I have made this before & it was great. Had a craving for it but didn’t have lemons on hand. I cheated & used lemon extract in the cake & in the glaze. Still came out awesome! Jenn, I love your recipes. My husband is getting me your cookbook for Easter. Thanks for doing what you do 🙂
Rebecca
This cake is a winner, I had to make two bundt cakes for a Cancer Dinner, when I was cleaning up I noticed a piece of my spatula had broken off, now what, which cake was it in? I made two more, couldn’t take a chance . All four turned out perfect and the piece of spatula was found too. Proven winner in the baking and serving.
I made this tonight for my family and it was a major hit! I’ve had other lemon pound cakes but none as moist or as tasty as this one. Thank you for posting a delicious recipe.
Can you use just a regular loaf pan instead of a bundt pan? This looks delicious! Can’t wait to make it!
Hi Izzy, You can make this in an 8 x 4-inch loaf pan, but you’ll need to cut the recipe in half (or use two loaf pans). It should take about 45 minutes give or take, so keep an eye on it!
Jenn,
Do you have a Lemon cookie recipe? Similar to a lemon sugar cookie, a little cake-y and chewy- nothing too specific 🙂
FYI- I preordered your cookbook- can’t wait!!!
Thanks!
Erica L.
Hi Erica, I don’t have a lemon cookie recipe – I’m sorry! If you’re having a hankering for something lemony and are open to something other than a cookie, you could try these lemon squares or Lemon Pudding Cakes. Hope you enjoy if you try either one!
This is DIVINE! In a time crunch, I skipped the syrup step and did a lemon cream cheese frosting on top. I have made this recipe over and over and you can’t go wrong. It’s always a hit!
This is my the BEST BEST 🍋 Buttermilk pound cake EVER! I’ve made NO changes and I change everything. I make this for friends on their rainy days. It’s like candy! I never realized the power of REAL lemons and how it ALL makes a difference and happiness 😂 FANTASTIC RECIPE!!! I want more 🍋 recipes PLEASE 🙏👏👏👏
I live at 5,000ft and baking with success in unpredictable. I love anything lemony and have tried so many lemon drizzle cake recipes, every one, a sink in the middle failure! Then bingo! This recipe in not only the one that works, it is truly scrumptious. Anyone who enjoys lemon should make this cake.
this cake was delicious and lemony. I wouldn’t change a thing!
I made this lemon buttermilk pound cake and it was delicious! I made my own buttermilk from 1 C room temp milk and a T. of lemon juice (you can use white vinegar). It worked just fine. I hope other subscribers will try this recipe!
Absolutely incredible recipe. I’ve made several variations of this cake, and this is by far the best. It needs no tweaking whatsoever, BUT, for any of my fellow Italians who grew up eating lemon ricotta jeanettes, adding 1/3 cup of ricotta cheese pretty much makes this the Italian lemon cake of your dreams.
HIGHLY recommended!
Kayla, I would like to try it with the 1/3 C. ricotta (Galbani!) When do you add the cheese? Does it change the texture measurably? Betsy S.
Hi! Preordered your book jenn, cannot wait! Was wondering if this lemon cake is on the sweeter side? I’m not a big fan of very sweet cakes and usually cut the sugar. Would that be appropriate for this pound cake?
Hi Farah, Thanks for your support with the cookbook! 🙂 While the cake has a lemony tartness, the syrup and the glaze definitely provide a nice balance of sweetness. You can get away with cutting the sugar a bit; but I wouldn’t cut it more than 1/4 – 1/2 cup at the most as any more than that and it will begin to impact the texture. Hope you enjoy!
This is the best pound cake you could every bake. Its moist, delicious and a crowd pleaser. Enjoy it with a cup of coffee…
For years my husband has bugged me to make lemon pound cake. He was always polite, but never “wowed”. After making your recipe and watching his face as he took the first bite, I can finally say “NAILED IT”. It is delicious, your recipe is straight forward, easy – can’t think of a better reason to drag my bundt pan out of the closet!!
I don’t have a standing mixer Can I use a hand held?
Sure, Marie. Enjoy!
This is an incredible recipe! I didn’t change anything and it was perfect. Lots of lemon flavor and wonderful texture.
I only have an electric hand mixer by Kitchen Aid. Can I make this cake with it? Looks fabulous!
Sure! It may take just a few minutes longer to with a hand mixer, but it will work perfectly fine. Hope you enjoy!
This is the best lemon cake! I’ve made it three times now, and it is always a hit. Even my husband adores it, and he usually doesn’t like things that don’t have chocolate. It seems like a lot of syrup to put on, but it isn’t. The recipe was perfect as written. Thanks!
I haven’t made this cake yet, all of the ingredients are sitting in my kitchen coming to room temperature. Has anyone every used a product called “Baker’s Joy” instead of the cooking spray/flour method to prepare your pan? Does it make a difference or work better? I will using a heavy non-stick covered aluminum with an intricate mold design, I want the cake to come out PICTURE PERFECT.
It should work, Brittany. Enjoy!
I only use Baker’s Joy and never have a sticking problem.
Hello Jenn,
Can you use pastry flour for this recipe?
I don’t recommend it, Regina – sorry!
Can you make this into a layer cake and add blueberries?
Hi Lisa, Yes, a layer cake will work. You may need to lessen the baking time but I can’t say for sure. I’d start checking around 35 to 40 minutes. And I think it would be fine to add blueberries. I’d love to hear how it turns out!
H Jenn
I made this cake twice. The first time it was perfect and delicious The second time when I brushed on the glaze, the bottom of the cake was very wet and broke off. Any ideas on what I did wrong the second time? Thank you for all of your wonderful recipes!!
Hi Maria, I know it’s so frustrating when you bake something perfectly and then it doesn’t come out that way the next time. It sounds like you possibly made a measuring error or underbaked the cake. I’d try it again.
Hi Jenn,
I was gifted with a bag of fresh-picked lemons a few days ago. The first thing I said was that I see a lemon pound cake in our future! I made this today and just had my first bite of it…WOW! Delicious and oh so lemony. It’s exactly what I had in mind. This is definitely a keeper for me. I made 2 loaf size cakes rather than a bundt so we could keep one and give the other away. Thanks for the great recipe.
P.S. I may be re-thinking the give-away plan. ;-D
Can I make cupcakes as I don’t have a bundt tin? Is confectioners sugar icing sugar? Thought about 16 minutes at what temperature?
Thanks
Hi Patrizia, I haven’t made this into cupcakes, but I think it would work. I’d suggest the same temp and start checking for doneness at about 18 minutes. And yes, confectioners’ sugar and icing sugar are the same thing. HOpe you enjoy!
Hi Jenn,
I have made this cake twice and took it to couple class at church. I had people asked me where did I buy it from and it never last long. This is the best Lemon cake that I have ever had. Thank you and I plan on buying your cook book when it comes out in April!
This is the best pound cake recipe I’ve ever made. I have a friend who told me she doesn’t like lemon cakes but…after tasting this she is hook line and sinker
Hi Jenn,
I have made this cake several times and I just love it! I need to make a cake for a kid’s club at our church and I need to cook for at least 100 and they don’t have any bundt pans. Could this cake be made in a sheet pan? They have lots of them and I wouldn’t need to buy any new pans. They pans they have are 17″ x 24″. Would this work or should I look for a different recipe?
Hi Karen, While I think, technically, it would work, I don’t know how long it would take in the oven, nor how much batter you’d need to fill each pan. Baking for such a large group, you may want to stick with a recipe that you’ve had proven success with.
Hello Jenn
Could poppy seeds be added to this cake? if so, what would be the amount?
Sure, I think it would work and I’d suggest about 1/4 cup. Hope you enjoy!
Hi Jenn,
When I make this glaze the sugar clumps. What am I doing wrong? I mix all the ingredients at once then stir with a fork. Am I missing something?
Hi Eric, Are you using confectioners’ sugar?
Hi
If I use this recipe for two 9 inch rounds, and use your frosting, do you think I can safely cover the cake in fondant? I want to use this for a birthday cake and I have a fondant design in mind.
Yes, Deb, I think it would work. Enjoy!
Lovely recipe! Batter is nice and light but heavy and rich on lemon flavor. First time I made it and I will make it again for sure. I think getting the glaze consistency just perfect is the key, especially to the presentation. Practice makes perfect!Make it! Go for it!! Thanks for awesome recipe.
I’ve made this cake several times now and it has been a hit every time. It has been one of THEE MOST REQUESTED CAKES. Thanks so much!!!
killer pound cake! I made this for Christmas day and it was delicious. I will make this again and again. You put together an amazing recipe!! Thank You.
Do you think I could make this two days ahead and ice it the day off and still have it taste as fresh? The cake didn’t last long enough to see if it was still fresh a couple days later:).
Hi Tara, Glad you enjoyed it. And, yes, two days ahead will be fine – it keeps well.
This cake definitely deserves a 5 star rating! I’ve tried many pound cakes over the years, but the texture of this cake reminded me of the cakes my grandmother used to make when I was a little girl. Hence, this recipe is a keeper. Thank you for the recipe. 🙂
Awesome recipe! I made this cake for Christmas, it was my first Lemon pound cake. The directions were great, I followed every step and the cake came out perfect. I received great compliments, my husband stated it tasted like the one his grandmother use to make
I made this recipe today and it was amazing. Was shocked since this was my first attempt at making a pound cake from scratch. Question, if I omit the lemon juice and zest, and add in vanilla extract, will it work? Does the lemon do anything for the cake besides the flavor?
Hi Thais, So glad it turned out well for you! In baking, baking soda is used to leaven cakes with acidic ingredients such as lemon juice, brown sugar, buttermilk, etc. Since this cake also has buttermilk, I think you’d be okay leaving out the lemon juice. But since I haven’t tried it (and cakes can be finicky), I can’t say for sure if it will rise quite as much.
Hello Jennifer, I have made this lemon pound cake 5 times in the span of a week. We all love it! The flavour is wonderful even though I have not been able to incorporate all the syrup into the cake. I have made it into a bundt form twice, and made it into loaf pans the other times. I have run into the same problem every single time – the cake cracks on top. I get a huge crater, all around it. I wish I could upload a picture and show you (maybe I could email it to you?!) – can you help me trouble shoot? I bake it at 325 F and I follow your instructions to the letter. Help would be appreciated. Thank you for another wonderful recipe!
Glad you’re enjoying it, Deniza! Please do send me a photo ([email protected]) and I can help troubleshoot.
The same thing happened to me, a big crater around the center. I wonder what I did wrong? I do live altitude so maybe I should have added a little extra flour?
Hi Rhonda, sorry to hear you had a problem with this! It could be that the cake was a bit undercooked. Also, I know that high altitude baking has its challenges but I’m not experienced with it, so I can’t say if it had an impact in this situation – I’m sorry! Here are some tips on high altitude baking that may shed some light.
I love making Bundt cakes. The shape is fun with the ridges and dripping glaze. So easy to slice evenly into perfect portions when sharing.
This lemon pound cake recipe is a winner. I don’t have a mixer with paddles but I managed with a wooden spoon and patience to make a light, beautiful cake just like the photo. What’s even more fantastic is I substituted gluten free flour.
I plan to share this cake with my favorite coworkers over Christmas week.
Then I’ll make another one for New Year’s week. Thank you for this recipe. The instructions and photos are so helpful.
EXCELLENT! The syrup and glaze really elevate this cake. Most pound cakes are a bit dense. This one is very light. Thank you for another great recipe.
I brought this cake to a work party and it was an absolute hit! Several people asked for the recipe. I absolutely love this cake. I’ve made it 3 times, followed the recipe exactly, and it has come out delicious each time. Thank you for sharing!
I have always used this as my go to pound cake recipe. Am feeling adventurous now. How can i modify this into a one pan coconut cake.
Hi Jackie, glad you like the cake! I think that shredded coconut would make a nice additon to the batter if you’d like to add it. You could also top the glaze with some.
Can the recipe be cut in half?
Yes, Teri, but you’ll need to use a different pan. To give you a sense, I’ve made a half-recipe in an 8 x 4-inch loaf pan and 9-inch cake pan and it took about 45 minutes. Hope that helps!
Thank you! It’s in the oven now. I ended up using the full recipe to make 4 mini bundt cakes and several cupcakes. Husband was like a little kid licking the batter of the mixer paddle! LOL
This cake was amazing, but I struggled to get a good “shell” on it. It popped out when I flipped it completely yellow and spongey. The browned outer layer was stuck to the pan and crumbly. I had to improvise with a 9” bundt springform pan and sticks of I can’t believe it’s not butter instead. Could this have caused the problem? Other than that, it tasted delicious! My family raved over it. I just can’t get it to look pretty.
Hi Samantha, I suspect that using the I Can’t Believe it’s Not Butter may have had an impact as butter plays a big part in the recipe. Also, you may not have pre-treated the pan thoroughly enough to prevent that outer coating from sticking. Hope that helps!
This cake is delicious! I made it as 10 mini bundt cakes instead of one larger cake, just reducing baking time to about 35 minutes, and it tastes like lemon madeleines – totally scrumptious.
This cake was really good when I made it the first time. I’m sure it was the right texture – I think bundt cakes are supposed to be kind of crumbly? Maybe? The one I made the first time seemed a little dry for my own liking so I actually added a packet of vanilla pudding mix when I made it the second time and I really liked it. It didn’t have a super strong vanilla taste which was fine, but it came out pretty moist. I was worried that the wet to dry ratio would be off so I added 1/4 cup more buttermilk which I’m not sure was necessary, but anyways long story long this was a great recipe! Thank you for sharing!
Great recipe! First time making a lemon cake, and definitely not the last. Even my picky eater (son) loved it. Although cake looked and tasted good, I’m wondering why it didn’t get the nice yellow lemon color? Can anyone tell me wha I didn’t wrong?
I don’t think you did anything wrong, Karina. The color does look very saturated in the photo but I think it’s just the lighting and reflection from the table.
This is my go-to recipe when i have company. It makes for a beautiful presentation and I have only received rave reviews and requests for the recipe. I’ve made this cake at least six times without any issue, but the last time I made it, I didn’t have buttermilk so I concocted a vinegar/milk mixture. The cake didn’t rise as it usually does. This time, it came out deflated, sort of like it puffed up quickly and then fell. I’m not sure if it’s was my recipe modification or not. I flipped it over (in was in a bundt pan) and poured the glaze on top. It wasn’t the prettiest, but it was presentable, and the texture was definitely denser. Do you think it was my homemade buttermilk?
I’m glad you like the cake. Hmmm…. the homemade buttermilk should work, but if that’s the only thing you changed, perhaps that caused the problem. Did you give the milk/vinegar mixture time to curdle?
Jenn, You’re going to love this. Last week we were having friends over for dinner. She is from Napoli and he is from India. They are serious food lovers, and as you know, it is such fun to cook for people who appreciate your efforts. Knowing how Italians LOVE their lemons, I decided to prepare an “Italian Meyer lemon cake.” I don’t know where I had found the recipe, but it was in my enormous pile of “things to try.” It required considerable work, expense, (had to find and buy Fiori di Sicilia), and time. I followed the recipe EXACTLY! I made it early in the morning — fortunately. After it was completely cooled, being concerned since it was something new, I cut into the cake only to find that the center of each slice looked like solidified jelly. It was disgusting, to say the least. The entire cake went directly into the trash. So here it is 1:30 PM, and I have no dessert for my dinner. I ran to the computer, dashed to your website and found your lemon bundt cake recipe. I dashed to the store, bought the buttermilk and more lemons, hurried home and made your cake; it was — OF COURSE– spectacular. My friends were so impressed; I even gave them part of the cake to take home. When I told my husband the whole story, he said, “Why didn’t you use her recipe in the first place? Everything you have ever made from her collection was good.” Duh. When will I learn? Once again, Jenn to the rescue. My three adult children are all cooks (as well as their spouses) and all are Jenn Segal fans. I have ordered your cookbook for myself and all three kids. Thank you, again, for making me look good.
I’m so happy it worked out, Susan – and thank you so much for supporting me! 💜
Can this cake be made using a hand mixer? I really would like to try out this recipe, but I don’t have a stand mixer.
Definitely!
My son and I made this together. We loved it. When I’m out of lemons, we still make it and the kids are happy
Fantastic!! Thanks, as always!
Loved the cake but mine was a little crumbly. Is this the consistency?
It really shouldn’t be crumbly – did you make any changes to the recipe?
This cake is amazing! The instructions were so simple. I didn’t have that overwhelming sensation that comes with a long ingredients recipe list. Thank you!
I’ve mixed lemon and rosemary in desserts before.. what do you think about adding about a tablespoon of finely chopped rosemary to this?
Hi Ashley, I think that may be a nice addition, but I’d suggest starting out with just a teaspoon. If you really like it, you can add a bit more the next time around.
HI
The easiest part should be the glaze but , oddly, the powdered sugar stayed clumpy and I never could get the correct thickness . Any ideas ? The melted butter was hot .. was that the problem ? Also, Cake never browned well and I have an excellent oven . Ideas?Thank you.
Hi Lisa, sorry you had a problem with the glaze; sounds like maybe you just needed to add more water. And this cake really doesn’t brown– it turns more of a golden color.
Try using a fork to mix the glaze.
Just made the lemon buttermilk pound cake for the third time. It is now one of my families favorites. I followed your recipes and instructions and had great results each time. Helpful hints to others besides hints you have given are:
-use King Arthur flour
– have butter, eggs and buttermilk at room temperature
-poke small holes with thin wooden skewer before glazing cakes
Thank you for such a wonderful recipe.
Jennie M
What temperature do you bake the cake on
Hi Gloria, the cake gets baked at 325°F. Enjoy!
Hafa Adai from GUAM!
This recipe looks delicious! I can’t wait to try it! I just made your Pumpkin Bread, fresh out of the oven! May I ask a question about this recipe? Any chance I can make just a simple pound cake without the lemon? I really want to use it for a Guam dish called Latiya 😊
Hi Ronica, Hope you enjoyed the pumpkin bread :). While I think you could make this cake without the lemon, it would impact other flavors of the cake (like the level of sweetness due to the lack of the tart lemon flavor). For best results, I would suggest using a true pound cake recipe. King Arthur has some options that look good.
This cake was amazing! It was moist and rich without being too sweet. Thank you for sharing the recipe 🙂
Looks delicious! Cant wait to try it this weekend. If i make it a day ahead, should i still add the syrup and glaze after it comes out of the oven? or should i do it right before the party the next day?
Yep – I’d add it when it comes out of the oven. No worries, it keeps really well :).
This recipe looks wonderful and I’m looking forward to making it. If I make the cake the day before I need it, should I cover it and keep it in the refrigerator for the next day or should I keep it at room temperature?
It will be fine at room temperature. Enjoy!
Do you think this recipe would work as cupcakes??
Yes, I think it would!
This cake is a sure- fire hit with all ages, and for any occasion. I’ve made it three times in the last two months and it gets rave reviews every time! The cake is even better the second day, as it’s more moist and the lemon flavored is slightly more intense. I will be making this often, as it’s a new family favorite.
Delicious!!!
My 15 yr old son saw this recipe and decided we needed to make it. It was delicious and a great deal of fun to make with my very tall son. Thank you for helping to bring delicious fun to our home
I’ve made this cake several times with great results. In addition, I use the icing recipe on other baked goods, as well. My preference is to always cut back on the sugar without altering the taste.
I’m making this tomorrow night for the first time to serve on Friday. Should I freeze or refrigerate it? What’s the best way to wrap/protect it for freezing or refrigeration?
Hi Kellee, This cake stays fresh for several days (around 4 plus or minus). No need to refrigerate or freeze– it will be fine for Friday if stored covered on the counter.
My only issue was the cake is not cool enough to invert it without tearing after ten minutes.
Can this be frozen?
Yes, it freezes nicely. I’d suggest adding the glaze after you defrost it, though.
I’m trying this recipie this week. I usually leave a pound cake in the pan thirty minutes before inverting. When I read ten minutes…I thought that was too soon. Thanks for the heads up!
best cake I have ever baked
Best cake I have ever baked says my friends at work!
I haven’t baked anything in about 15 years but I was craving a good homemade lemon pound cake when I stumbled upon this recipe. I had actually planned to use a different recipe but this one had so many good reviews, I went for it.
I must say, it is quite good. Looking back, I think I used the wrong size bundt pan and cooked it for about 5-10 minutes too long. I was a little disappointed and I thought it was a little dry….. at first. Jenn is right. As time goes by, it tastes better and better. The actual cake only has a faint taste of lemon. I’m not really a glaze fan so I only used the syrup. Still good. I said this would be the only one I make but I’ve got all that buttermilk left…. I hate to see it go to waste. Also… will use tube pain instead of bundt pan.
Would like to send you a pic …
Please do, Merriam! My email is [email protected].
Sent
Hope to hear from you soon
I didn’t receive anything, Merriam. Could you try again?
Do you prefer to make this cake the same day or is it more moist the next day?
Thank you!!
Hi Teri, Honestly it is delicious either way – whatever is most convenient.
Can I use a cake pan instead of bundt pan. I want to make a layered lemon cake, 2 layers, 9 x 13.
Hi Lily, Yes that will work. You may need to lessen the baking time but I can’t say for sure. I’d start checking around 35 to 40 minutes.
I am gonna try it tomorrow. I don’t have bundt pan can I make it in loaf pan or in 10 inch round pan ?
Hi Merriam, I have made this in loaf pans and it works beautifully — you’ll need two 8-1/2 by 4-1/2 inch pans.
Thanks a lot I will make it tomorrow and send you pics. Cheers
Xxx
I’ve made this cake many times now and every time it gets devoured and many compliments. The multi-step process is completely worth the time. I follow the recipe exactly and it has always been a success. I’m not even much of a lemon fan and I can’t help myself from going back for more. Delicious!
I loved how this turned out, my only question is, mine turned out a little dry, maybe it’s just my opinion though on what level of moisture a pound cake should have but wondering if I did something wrong? It was my first time ever baking a pound cake and I tried to read these instructions multiple times so as not to miss anything. Could I have added more butter or maybe a splash of vegetable oil?
Hi Tonni, This cake should be quite moist, especially because of the syrup brushed on after baking. You may have over-baked it.
Jennifer, this cake looks wonderful!
I’d like to make this for my daughter’s wedding and I have a question about how many times to make your recipe to get enough batter for the cake pans I’ll use. She wants lemon cake for two different layers; one 12″x2″ pan (removable bottom) and one 6″x3″ pan (springform). Thank you so much! Minda
Hi Minda, I’m guessing maybe you’d need to double the batter, but not completely certain. You may want to do a “practice run!”
This is one of the best cakes I have ever made! I followed the simple instructions and couldn’t be happier with the outcome.
I loved the sound of this and was so excited when I put it in oven – convinced it would be one of best things I ever made.
BUT….it went ALL over the sides of the pan and made a huge mess. Wondering if I did something wrong?
I could not get it to cook through but the parts on the edge of pan that did cook through were FANTASTIC.
Hi Nancy, sorry to hear about the mess! That definitely shouldn’t have happened. Is it possible you measured something incorrectly or used a smaller pan than called for? (It sounds like there was too much batter.)
I made this lemon poundcake and the taste is superb but my cake did not really rise much. I used a new box of baking soda and followed the recipe. I can not figure out why it did not rise much. The taste and texture of the cake is amazing. Please help!!!
Hi D, sorry to hear the cake didn’t rise much! If your baking soda is new, that’s obviously not the problem; I’m wondering if perhaps you measured something incorrectly. Did you use the spoon and level method for measuring the flour?
Hi! I’d like to make this for a picnic this weekend. My blueberry bushes are full of lovely berries, would it be ok to add some to the cake batter? Any changes I would need to make? Thank you!
Hi Rebekah, I think you could add some blueberries to the batter without making any changes. LMK how it turns out!
The cake is in the oven! I have a question about the glazing, it should be on a rack, but how do I get it off the rack and onto a plate, I don’t want to break it…is it okay to turn it over on a cardboard cake plate, put it on the rack and then glaze it? My friend made this and it was good enough to ask for the recipe.
Hi Teri, I use two wide metal spatulas to lift the cake off the rack – you can transfer it to a serving platter before adding the final glaze.
Thanks, the cake was outstanding!! I turned it over on the cardboard, glazed it, then scooted it on the serving plate, then iced it. It worked!
Can’t wait to make this recipe. Looks perfect for my lemon-loving friends. I have so many different Bundt pans these days, I just want to be SURE this was developed for a 12-cup pan. I was a little thrown off when you sited 10-inches because I also have a 10-cup Bundt pan.
Hi Kevyn, the recipe calls for 10-inch (12 cup capacity) bundt pan. Hope that clarifies– enjoy the cake!
I made this cake for my family this past 4th of July!!!! OMG they loved it!!! So moist and just the right amount of tartness!!!! I’m so in love with this cake that, I don’t even mind having to zest all of those lemons. I tried making it WITHOUT the lemon zest a week later…DONT DO THIS!!!! Especially if u love a real lemon tasting dessert! #ANewFave!!!
One of the best lemon pound cakes i have ever made
Its a big hit with my family
Perfect amount of lemon
Wouldnt change this recipe ever…
I have never ever ever EVER made a cake from scratch. Had a sudden huge craving while at grocery store and couldn’t find a box mix. Found your recipe while standing in the aisle and bought the ingredients. I can cook well when I put my mind to it, but I was worried because it was my first attempt and we live at 6k ft. But I totally went for it.
I, literally, cried when it was done. It was so fun to make and it was so perfect! Not too sweet. Flavor wasn’t too strong. Beautiful crust. I could tell my husband was so happy eating it. Thank you!
Yay ?!
My second time making it!!! Although I am one to look at a recipe and be immediately inclined to change it…I didn’t.. didn’t glaze it..don’t like it all that much, but paired it with a rhubarb and raspberry coulis and it was a hit! Thks
Any idea if this would be good with a gluten-free flour mix? My daughter likes lemon cake for her birthday and is on a gf diet. Thanks!
Hi Paige, I’ve never made this with gluten-free flour, but a number of readers have commented that they have and have been happy with the results. Hope your daughter enjoys!
This cake is delicious. Unfortunately, mine completely collapsed in the middle. Any ideas what we did wrong? My only guess is that we let the batter sit too long before putting into the oven.
Hi Lennie, That’s possible or it was undercooked. How long did you let it sit?
35-45 minutes?
Yes, Lennie, I think that’s what caused the problem. Cookies and scones are a tiny bit more flexible, but cakes should really be baked right after you’ve prepared the batter.
Loved the crispy edges and on top of the cake. My husband and I like it unfrosted. Will make again 🙂
Forgot to mention that I used key limes…can’t get the yellow lemons here in Playas Del Coco, Costa Rica
From the sounds of it this will be the cake I make for a main graduation open house cake! It’ll be accompanied by other small cakes. My niece loves lemon cake!
Questions: I am making the lemon cake tall(possibly 4 layers) either in a round 14 OR in a square 9 3/4….what temp and time would you suggest?
Buttercream preference…Do you think I need to also add lemon to the buttercream or leave the buttercream plain?
Thank you!
Hi Rashelle, I’d keep the temp the same and start checking around 30-35 minutes. As for the buttercream, I think plain with a touch of lemon zest would be nice!
Mmmm mmmmm mmmmmm!!! Best lemon pound cake I ever tasted. Made it earlier this week and took part of it for coworkers who cheered me on (yes yes, I did reference your website and the recipe) it’s so good with coffee at breakfast time. I think about this cake all the time and am fighting the urge to make it again soon. But I’m out of pound cake!!!
This recipe is so easy and it taste amazing. I made it without using the lemon zest as I had no lemons LOL and only used condensed lemon juice from the bottle. I added extra lemon and a little less milk but otherwise kept the recipe the same and it was so so so easy.
What temperature should it be baked on?
Hi Mellodee, The cake should be baked at 325°F. Hope you enjoy!
Hi – This cake has become a Father’s Day tradition in my home. My husband loves it. Could you recommend a favorite fresh blueberry compote recipe?
Cheers!
April
So glad the cake is part of your Father’s day every year! I have a blueberry syrup recipe here, but I suspect it may be a bit sweeter than what you’re looking for. This recipe from Epicurious looks good and gets positive reviews. (Keep in mind that I’ve never made this myself.)
This is a great recipe. My family prefers this type of cake over cakes with a lot of frosting. I was wondering if orange juice and zest could be used instead of lemon for anot her version?
Glad you like it. I think lemon provides a little more zing, but a few readers have commented that they’ve done this with orange and have been happy with the result.
I used this recipe to bake loaves for my professors on the last day of nursing school. I baked a loaf for myself, just to make sure it was good before giving some away. This lemon pound cake is amazing! I will definitely be using this recipe again.
A total hit!! Ty!!!
Stellar!
This cake is really yummy. It tastes surprisingly light even though it’s physically a hefty pound cake. The cake itself is very light on the lemon taste and most of the flavor comes from the syrup and glaze that’s spread on top. It wonderful after dinner or even for breakfast. Pair it up with milk or vanilla ice cream makes it a 10/10. Thank you for sharing all these wonderful recipes, Jenn! 🙂
Can I freeze this cake?
Yes, Deb, this cake freezes nicely. I’d suggest adding the glaze after you defrost it, though.
I absolutely loved this cake. Except for adding one pint of blue berries to the batter, I followed your directions to the letter. The end result was perfect. Another keeper, thanks for sharing.
Can I make this cake if I only have an electric hand mixer?
Hi Heidi, Sure, you may just need to adjust the speed up a bit. Hope you enjoy!
This cake is phenomenal. I’ve made it several times, and it’s always perfect.
I’d like to try making it in two loaf pans, do you think this would work? If yes, what modifications should I make? Thank you so much.
Glad you like it! I’ve made it in two 8 x 4-inch loaf pans and it takes about 45 minutes; no other modifications needed. Enjoy!
This is one of the best cakes I have made – so moist, lemony – all the family loved it.
Mine just came out of the oven and looks and smells delicious. One question- should all the syrup be used or just enough to cover the cake? It seems like a lot of syrup. Thank you!!
Hi Kara, Use it all 🙂
Great, thanks! It came out perfect. This cake is DIVINE!!
Will Myers lemons be better?
I haven’t used Meyer lemons here so I can’t say it would be better, but it will certainly be just as good. Enjoy the cake!
Best moist flavour cake ever!!
The perfect spring dessert! Moist & delicious – a crowd pleaser! (Be prepared for everyone to ask for the recipe)
I love lemon deserts, so I had to try this recipe. I made this for my Bunco group (a dice game played by 12 ladies ) and I couldn’t wait to taste it. Moreover, I couldn’t wait to hear what they thought of it. So here is what I heard in between their bites of cake: “Wow! ” “This is the best lemon pound cake!” “Did you really make this Isabella? ” “It’s soooo good!” It was a big hit! Wanna know what I thought? The lemon buttermilk pound cake was simply fabulous!
Hi,
Just wondering if the cake should be stored loosely covered or tightly covered?
Thanks!
Tightly- if you have a cake dome, use that, if not, foil would work just as well.
I’ve baked this for my family many times and they love it more and more every time I make it.
I made this pound cake for my birthday because everyone loves lemon in our house and I wanted something other than a usual cake. It turned out AMAZING! It has perfect amount of lemon, sweet, and moisture. I immediately got request on bringing it to future family functions. Just another time Jenn comes through!
Best lemon pound cake recipe ever! Easy and delicious! It’s a big hit whenever I make it. Sometimes I save time by buying freshly squeezed lemon juice and I usually make my own buttermilk. I follow the directions to a “T”- no need for alterations! The glaze is especially delicious!
I have made countless recipes for lemon pound cake. I have an overly-prolific lemon tree and am always trying to use lemons up. This is my FAVORITE lemon pound cake hands down. Tender, lemony, sweet, but not sickeningly so, moist & wonderful with berries & cream. Another winner!
I’ve made this cake twice. Absolutely love it. It is very moist and a great lemon taste. It rivals Starbuck’s lemon loaf!
This is amazing! The icing is just perfect with the rich lemon flavor!
Just made this and it’s fantastic!!
Is the syrup necessary for the cake?
It really is Crystal – sorry!
So easy, so classic. You can do all of these same things with orange as well.
Great Recipe! I used it to make muffins to go with strawberries and whipped cream. I also doubled the lemon zest and juice as I like mine with lots of lemon.
Perfect!
This recipe only confirmed my love for lemon. The sugar syrup makes it endlessly moist on the inside but it’s the icing that I find myself coming back for again and again.
It came out perfectly the first time, but the second time I felt was less successful (though it was demolished at the same speed).
Which leads me to my question. Sometimes my cake comes out perfect. Sometimes I find it’s a little dense and there are swiss cheese like air holes when you cut into it. How can I avoid that happening?
Hi Gayatri, I’m glad you like the cake. I’m wondering if maybe you over-mixed the flour and liquid ingredients when you made it the second time. That could cause some air bubbles. Or is there any possibility you didn’t thoroughly whisk the dry ingredients together? Or used baking powder instead of baking soda? Next time you make it, try tapping the pan on the counter a few times before putting it in the oven — this will force any air bubbles to the surface.
I wanted to give your lemon buttermilk pound cake a try even though I already had a very good lemon cake. I thought yours was just as good as the one I have been making. I think there was a slight difference in texture between the two. Yours was a little denser (it is a pound cake!) and my go to has a slightly finer crumb. But, I actually took your finishing glaze and added it to my other cake as it was missing one- and your glaze is fantastic! So, to sum up, this is a delicious lemon pound cake with a slightly dense but very moist crumb. And, the cake has fabulous lemon flavor.
I baked this cake today. It’s OK but honestly I used my go to pound cake recipe and used lemon extract rather than vanilla and it was just as good with a lot less work.
My “go to” pound cake. I overmixed the first time I baked this but learned my lesson and it is perfect. Thanks for the great cake recipe.
Can you substitute cake flour for all-purpose?
Unfortunately, I don’t think will work very well here– sorry!
I loved this recipe! I did use cake flour and it turned out very good. You just have to make the recommended adjustment for the difference.
If baked in two loaf pans, you mention 8×4 and 8.5 x 4.5 in numerous places. Which size would be correct? I like a nice high loaf and was hoping 8 x 4 would work without overflowing?
Thank you!
Hi Sandra, I think 8×4 will work fine. Enjoy!
I will be making the cake the day before I serve it. Should I also glaze it the day before or should I wait until the the day of serving.
You can top the cake with the glaze when you make it. Store it covered on your kitchen counter until you’re ready to serve. Enjoy!
Can I add poppy seeds (my son loves lemon poppy seed anything!) and, if yes, how much would you recommend?
Hi Patricia, I think it would work and I’d add about 1/4 cup. Hope you enjoy!
How long do I cook and at what temperature in a convection oven? Thank you!
Hi Laura, if you’re using the convection setting, the baking time would be about the same, but I’d reduce the temperature by 25°F.
Hi, I did a trial run of this cake today in anticipation of making it for Easter. The flavor is delicious, however it is very light and airy – so airy there are large holes in the top of my cake, about the same size in diameter as bamboo skewers. Did I whip my butter and sugar too much? I am using a Kitchen Aid and whipped them for 3 minutes. Thanks!
Hmmm, that is very strange! It doesn’t sound like you over-creamed the butter and sugar. But I’m wondering if you over-mixed the flour and liquid ingredients – that might cause some air bubbles. Or is it possible you didn’t thoroughly whisk the dry ingredients together? Or used baking powder instead of baking soda? Next time, try tapping the pan on the countertop a few times before placing it in the oven — this will force any air bubbles to the surface.
This sounds delicious. I need a limoncello cake recipe, but could probably just tweak the syrup and glaze for that. How do you think it would work in baby bundt pans, 1 cup capacity? Thanks!
Hi Kate, Yes, I think it would work in baby bundt pans. You’ll need to significantly reduce the baking time. Hope you enjoy!
How much baking powder should you use if you don’t have baking soda?
Hi, Baking powder and baking soda are not interchangeable– sorry!
Have you tried this as cupcakes?
Thanks
I haven’t Danielle but I think it would work just fine; check for doneness starting at 18 min.
Hi. I wondered if this would work in a 13×9 traybake pan, and if so what recommendations you would have for timing.
If not, what about a loaf tin? Any changes to timings there too. Thank you for such wonderful recipes, made your chocolate cake and it was delicious!
Hi Farouk, I would go with the loaf pans– it works nicely in two 8×4-inch loaf pans. No adjustments should be necessary. Enjoy!
Hello! How do I prevent the pound cake edges from getting hard and cracking?
Hi Alice, if you’re finding that the cake is getting too well done before it’s ready to come out of the oven, trying covering it with foil for the last 20 minutes of baking time. Hope that helps!
Just made today in two loaf pans. It’s delicious. Great lemony flavor and love the icing. Thank you for another great recipe!
Made this for my family exactly how it was written. What a hit. My family’s new favorite pound cake recipe. Thank you for sharing.
I JUST made this cake – followed recipe EXACTLY. It came out perfect! It’s a beautiful cake and SO delicious. It is the best Lemon Cake recipe I’ve ever made. Very, very lemony and my husband loved the tart glaze. Awesome
can I add fruit to this recipe (ie raspberries) in the batter or will that mess it up?
Hi Jessica, I think you could add some raspberries w/o messing it up. Please lmk how it turns out if you try it :).
Hi Jessica & Jenn,
First off, great recipe!! To Jessica’s question, I added about 7-8 strawberries (chopped) and it gives a nice fruity sweetness to the citrusy sweet lemon. I’m sure raspberries will do the same thing.
Thanks for another great recipe Jenn!
I made this cake in two 6 cup bundt pans. They were fantastic. They were the best pound cakes in aroma; taste and texture. Thank you for sharing.
I dont have a bundt pan, so i’m going to use a bread pan instead. Do i need to modify baking time? Would i need to use two bread pans maybe?
Hi Vera, Yes, you’d need two loaf pans. I’ve made it in two 8 x 4-inch loaf pans and it took about 45 minutes. Enjoy!
Outside was done at hour an 5 mins inside was liquidy had to bake 25mins more to get it done now the outside inch is hard. Used an angel food pan. This try was a waste 🙁
I live at 6200 elevation. Any high altitude suggestions?
Hi Claire, I’ve never baked at high altitude so I don’t have a lot of wisdom to share, but these tips may be helpful.
My best friend’s favorite flavor is lemon. I’ve made this cake many times, and each time it has been wonderful.
Warning: you won’t have many leftover!!!
Once, I’ve changed the lemon glaze to raspberry glaze, and it was delicious!
This is an excellent recipe. It stays moist for days. I’ve made it several times and it’s always a crowd pleaser.
I rarely comment on recipes I’ve tried but THIS cake was absolutely delicious! Definitely one I will keep in my file. I’ve been scouting for a pot luck friendly dessert that would not need refrigeration for an upcoming event. I gave this one a test run last night and am so glad I did. This was the winner!!! Now off to check out your other recipes! Thanks for sharing!!
I’ve made this cake 3 times already! My family requests it this often! The recipe is a keeper! Wow! Wow! Wow!
I did experiment with a few things: added a teaspoon of vanilla extract and 1/2 teasooon of lemon extract and a bit more lemon juice and lemon zest (we like it lemony), and also mixed flour in this manner: 2 cups of AP flour and 1 cup of cake flour. I might try to add a bit of Amaretto next time.
I think what makes a big difference in texture is the syrup, that is brushed over the baked cake. It makes the cake unbelievably moist, and it is not heavy, it stays airy, fluffy, and so light! It’s a delight!
Thank you very much!
I made this Poundcake a couple of days ago and I was so proud of myself. I’ve never made anything from scratch before in my life! It was the best!! I’ll be making this many times more.
Right now I have the cake in a cake saver on my counter. Is this ok or should I put it in the refrigerator? How long does it last at room temperature?
Thank you for your help and thanks for the wonderful recipe.
Susan
So glad you like the cake! It’ll stay fresh for several days (around 4 give or take) and yes, it should be stored covered on the counter, so you’re good to go.
Wow! Made this cake for a reunion and people were diving over one another for 2nds! It is absolutely delicious and I was never a lemon fan until now. I was wondering if it can be made in loaf pans (so I can keep one for myself!) and if so, would you know what size and cooking time? Thank you for such a wonderful recipe!
Hi Kate, so glad everyone enjoyed it! Yes, you can make it in loaf pans. I’ve made it in two 8 x 4-inch loaf pans and it took about 45 minutes.
Thank you so much! I’ve never been a baker (I hate following rules) but I have become one as a result of these recipes. I have made this twice now and everybody is suddenly my friend! I overworked the dough a bit the first time. It was still delicious but lesson learned. The second was amazing. I also made a bit more glaze and poured in the middle, chilled in fridge and they can add all the glaze they want!
How did you overwork the dough?
Hi Barbara, I used the dough hook in my stand mixer. I needed to stop about 5 minutes earlier! It made all the difference in the world. It became a lemon 3lb cake!
To Eric, dough hook is for yeasted bread dough, to develop the gluten. You want the paddle attachment. Have fun!
I prepared this cake for my son-in-law’s birthday in January. What a big hit! Loved by everyone. Although the process is involved, it is worth every step to the end product! It will become a favorite in our lemon-loving family.
Oh my oh my! The best lemon cake I have ever had. Period. So light and so very lemony. Not much else to say, except if you truly enjoy the fresh taste of lemon, you must try this cake.
I made this and loved it. It turned out perfect!! Your recipes are great . Just found this website a couple of weeks ago and have tried quite a few recipes. They have all be keepers. Thank you for sharing.
Wonderful recipe! Utterly delicious 🙂 Instead of making one cake, I divided the batter in 2 muffin trays (it made 24 muffins) and skipped the syrup and glaze… Mostly because I wanted to keep it simple and I wanted it to be easy to serve to children. Very moist in the inside and the top of each muffin had a beautiful golden and crunchy crust. I’ve baked them three times and they are always a big success. Thank you for this lovely recipe!
I made this cake for a friend and her family. I had the luxury of being able to use fresh lemons from our tree to use in the recipe. I got the most incredible raves from them. They told me that the lemon flavor shone through and it was delicious. I will caution you to be very careful when zesting the lemons. I zested part of my knuckle!
Better than Starbucks. Easy and delicious.
My husband and I love this cake! Such a great, fresh lemon taste. I made it in two 8X4 inch loaf pans, and it worked perfectly. Delicious!
I followed the recipe exactly and it turned out great. This was my first time baking a lemon cake from scratch and I’m so glad I tried this one. Thanks for sharing this!
Can this cake be baked in 2- 8″ round pans?
Yes, Rosanne, I think that would work. Hope you enjoy!
Hi Jenn,
Can I add poppy seed to this recipe? If yes, how much should I use?
Thanks.
Linda
I used this recipe and the cake was great!! Only question could I use all natural sugar instead of granulated sugar?? Wondering if the color of the cake would not be yellow as shown instead be a different color. Thanks for any insight. LLL in Ohio
Hi Larry, I think natural sugar will work, but that the cake will be a bit darker in color. (And glad you liked the cake!)
Well..I made this awesome cake the other night. Been having a craving for lemon pound cake, I glazed it and let it cool and thought I would wait and have it with coffee in the morning. Low and behold I get up make my coffee and no cake? Sleepy trying to figure out what the heck I see my cake holder on the floor..MY DOGS! Yep…they loved it! So it’s dog tested and approved. I have a second cake in the oven now. This time I’m hiding in the pantry.
Thanks for the recipe!!
omg, this cake must be a magnet for pets. I left mine on the counter to cool, and when I came back, my CAT had eaten a huge chunk out of it!
The best pound cake recipe only. Very easy recipe with simple ingredients!
I have now lost count of how many recipes of yours I have made and this one was no different. Every single time I make something of yours, savory or sweet, not exaggerating, someone has asked for the recipe. Thank you for sharing your many superb recipes so that others might do the same! Your site has become a staple resource for all my many hosting occasions! This cake turned out perfectly lemony and delicious.
Thank you so much for this recipe. We have a lemon tree and my husband is always bugging me to use our lemons and this was a perfect reason to do so! I made the mistake of cutting the sugar down to 1/2 based on some of the other reviewers and because of the additional syrup and glaze. I loved how it came out but my husband said it needed more sugar (not knowing I had reduced the amount) and I don’t think it would have come out too sweet if I would have followed the recipe as indicated, which I will do next time. It is not overly lemony either. Just the perfect balance. I will make this cake again for sure!
I just baked this today and I cut 1/4 of sugar and it turned out just right for me. The cake was moist and I can’t wait to share this to my friends . Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. Will absolutely do this again.
Rose, Vancouver , WA
Hello! I am planning to bake this but can I ask if I can use salted butter instead of unsalted butter?(:
Yes, Amy, I would just cut out some of the salt but not all of it. While it varies by brand, most salted butter has approximately 1/4 tsp. salt per stick, so you can reduce the salt in the recipe as needed. Enjoy!
LOVED IT!!! Can’t wait to try MORE of your recipes!! Thanks for sharing it☺
I’ve just made this yummy cake. I used a combination of lemon and lime though as it’s what I had on hand. I also cut the sugar back to just under 2cups. It is absolutely delicious!!!!!!
Such an amazing recipe! Halved it, baked it in a round pan (didn’t have a bundt cake pan) and it turned out fine. I also didn’t have enough lemons, so I added passionfruit juice to the syrup/glaze. So moist and amazing!
Is it okay to make the buttermilk myself and how can I do it?
Yes Estelle, you can definitely make buttermilk yourself; just add 1 Tbsp. lemon juice or white vinegar to 1 cup regular milk and let it stand for 5 to 10 minutes. Hope you enjoy the cake!
This was my first ever attempt at making a lemon cake. Heck, even a bundt cake for that matter. This is the best lemon cake I’ve ever had! It was a huge hit! 5 stars!
This cake made me a star today, I skipped the glaze because I wanted a plain looking cake to complement the chocolate and vanilla cupcakes ( also from here!!) I made. Everything was well balanced, I was especially pleased that it wasn’t too sweet. Thanks Jen for helping this student prepare an amazing dessert spread.
Do I need to make any adjustments if using a 10-cup bundt pan?
Hi Melinda, You’ll likely have a little too much batter. I’d fill the pan up halfway and bake any remaining batter in a muffin tin for cupcakes.
Dear Jenn, I made this cake last night and it was delicious. Next time I would like to twist it a little, substituing buttwemilk for coconut milk and adding shrered coconut. How much baking powder would I need? Any other adjustments should be made?? Thanks for your wonderful recipes and happy new year!
Hi Diana, I think it’s safe to add the shredded coconut but I’d stick with the buttermilk — unfortunately, I can’t say how much baking powder the recipe would need w/ coconut milk without testing it out first.
Can this be baked in a regular pound cake pan
Yes, Beverly, that should work just fine.
I love lemons and this cake has it all- perfect texture, right amount of sweetness and a wonderful level of tartness and lemon flavor. I thought it would be too sweet but it wasn’t. It has several steps so I would reserve this cake for special occasions when I feel up to the extra work but it is so worth it. Everyone loved it- literally not a crumb left. I am so glad I made this for Christmas! Thank you Jenn for an amazing recipe.
I’d like to booze this up with some vodka … anyone done this? … maybe sub for part of wet ingredients and also to the sauce?
What’s the temperature?
Hi Lou Ann, the cake gets baked at 325°F. Enjoy!
Will this cake freeze well without glaze of course
Hi Tonya, Yes it freezes well. Enjoy!
Just made this cake this weekend. Did the cake and the syrup portion of the recipe and then put it in the freezer. Today I let it come to room temperature and glazed it. It smells and looks lemony good!! It is being delivered to my hair dresser today, as lemon is her absolute favourite flavour and I am always on the lookout for new recipes to try for her. Plus it’s Christmas!
Thanks for another great recipe and merry Christmas.☺
I have baked this cake several times and it is a hit every time. My coworkers expect me to bring it to our holiday party and my mom always wants it as her birthday cake. It’s moist, lemony, and just awesome.
By the reviews , I really want to try making this recipe. However, Do I have to make this in a bundt pan? I want make a half sheet cake using this. Is that fine?
Hi Shay, No, you don’t need to use a bundt pan. It will work in smaller pans; just be sure to reduce the cooking time. To give you a sense, I have made a half-recipe in an 8 x 4-inch loaf pan and 9-inch cake pan and it took about 45 minutes.
Have you ever made it in a bundtlette or mini bundt pan? Just curious about how many it would make and/or how long they would need to bake — if anyone knows or I will just be winging it 🙂
Just saw someone asked about making the minis below and you need to know the size of them. I just looked, and each opening in the pan is 1 cup.
Hi Kelly, I’d start checking them at 25 to 30 minutes, but keep an eye on them. I suspect it will make about 10 minis. I’d love to hear how they turn out!
Hi Kelly, what size are the mini bundt pans?
I have a question regarding this recipe before I make it. I plan to make it for Christmas but was wondering why it does not have any baking powder in it. I have looked at a few other very similar recipes and they all have 1/2 t. baking soda plus 1 t. baking powder. Thanks for your help.
Hi Helane, Because the cake is made with buttermilk, which helps with the leavening, the baking powder isn’t needed here. Hope you enjoy the cake!
does the lemon zest dissolve in the lemon cake and in the frosting?
Hi Alice, The zest doesn’t really dissolve, but if you grate it finely (I use a rasp grater) you won’t notice anything other than the wonderful flavor.
OMG! I have not made this YET but as I am a huge lemon lover (even over chocolate) I just showed my mom this recipe and said I want it for my birthday…that’s all the way in March though so maybe I’ll need to make a “tester”. Thanks for another great recipe!
I love this cake but I have to make it for a friend in a 6 cup bundt cake pan, what would be the cooking time and would one recipe be enough for two 6 cup cakes?
Babette Mertel
Hi Babette, Glad you like the cake! Yes, two 6-cup bundt pans would work here (with no adjustment to the ingredients). They will take less time to bake, but I’m not certain how long. I’d start checking at about 40 – 45 minutes.
I made this last night and even after reading many of the reviews I was not prepared for how amazing this cake would be! Thank you for the easy to follow recipe, this has moved to the top of the list for my families requests.
This cake is the best. It is not overly sweet. I have made this several times. As a suggestion, serve the sauce on the side. Some folks like a lot and some not at all!
This is my favorite Lemon pound cake recipe and this recipe got me hooked up with Jennifer Segal food blog a year ago while I was looking for a lemony cake recipe, so I am particularly fond of it! I follow it step by step and the outcome is always great. When I have a dinner with friends or a fundraiser in my son’s school I do it and I know is going to be a hit! Thank you Jennifer!
I made this for Thanksgiving and my family loved it!
Where is the cream cheese that’s needed for the pound cake?
Hi Robin, this pound cake doesn’t require cream cheese! Hope you enjoy it if you try it.
The cake is the best lemon butter milk pound cake.. I ever made and tasted.. quick question.. can I use self rising flour I’m out of all purpose flour?
I don’t recommend it, Monique. Sorry!
Hi Jenn,
Thanks for the great recipe. Do you think I can reduce the butter to half cup and use the almond meal instead of all purpose flour?
Hi Ris, glad you like the recipes! I wouldn’t recommend reducing the butter here, and if you want to try almond meal instead of the all-purpose flour, I’d suggest starting out substituting only about 1/4 of the flour for the almond meal and see how you like the texture.
It turned out perfect the first time, however I decided to skip the frosting as the cake itself was very sweet. Maybe next time I can reduce the sugar instead.
Cooking time when using mini bundt pans?
Exactly what size are the bundt pans?
Thanks for another great recipe! I actually made a mistake: I halved the recipe but forgot to halve the lemon juice & zest quantities. I was a little worried but it actually turned out great, probably a bit more sour than it was supposed to but to me it was perfect that way, I’ll probably make it again the same way. The syrup kind of just soaked half an inch into the cake & I didn’t find it completely necessary. Still, I thought it was great & my grandma gave it a thumbs up!
This is the best lemon poundcake ever and I have made several! I have made it so many times and the reviews are always spectacular. I have prepared many of your recipes and I have never needed to make an adjustment. Thank you! Your website is a dream come true.
Thank you, Aileen. So glad you’re enjoying the recipes!
Just made this cake, all I can say is absolutely delicious!!! I have never made a homemade cake before, the directions were easy to follow and came out perfect. This is definitely a recipe I will continue to use, thanks soo much!
This looks wonderful! Does it need to be kept in the fridge or can it be left on counter a couple days?
Hi Kelly, you can store it (covered) on the counter. Hope you enjoy!
Can you add fresh cranberries ?
You could Dana, but I think the cake would be really tart!
Rarely do I find a recipe for lemon pound cake that calls for enough lemon. This recipe is the exception, as the bright lemon is the most forward flavor. The syrup keeps the cake perfectly moist as well. Great recipe!
Can’t wait to try this for a friend’s birthday. I live in Denver. Do you have any high altitude suggestions??
Yes, here are some tips you may find helpful. Hope your friend enjoys the cake!
Thank you! I made some minor high altitude changes, and the cake came out wonderfully. Everyone wants the recipe.
Omg! I followed the recipe exactly but it turned out to be a disaster! The cake didn’t form probably, I added 15 more minutes because it wasn’t done in 65 min but still. And it stuck to the pan even though I sprayed and floured as instructed. Don’t know what I did wrong! Nevertheless the cake was delicious!!! Very light and lemony! I was standing in my kitchen eating up bits and pieces, they were so good! I’m going to try again, hopefully it will turn out fine next time. Thank you!
Hmmm, not sure what went wrong Mic. Is it possible the batter wasn’t mixed thoroughly?
I don’t know, but I’m sure it’s my fault! The cake tastes very good, I’m eating it now as I type. 🙂 I put the crumbled cake in a bowl, serve it warm with lemon glaze drizzled on top. Fabulous! Thanks again for this wonderful recipe. I’m going to try your other recipes too.
Hi Jen I am planning to bake lemon blueberry cake for my son’s birthday next week and I am using Nordic Ware 10-15 cup capacity bundt pan.May I know is it possible to use this recipe by adding maybe 2 cups of blueberries please? Will the recipe work? Thank you and looking forward to hearing back from you. Thank you
Hi Azlinda, I do think you could add 2 cups of blueberries but keep in mind that the cake will be quite tart. Maybe serve it with sweetened whipped cream for balance? Also, I’d toss the blueberries with a tablespoon of the flour mixture beforehand to help them stay suspended in the batter.
After all the wonderful reviews, I’m getting ready to bake this cake for the first time. Regarding the syrup, I’m wondering if it would soak in better if poured over the cake while it’s cooling in the pan. Has anyone tried this? Years ago someone at work baked these unbelievable lemon cakes, and it seemed the syrup soaked up from the bottom of each slice.
I love the lemon buttermilk bundt cake. I did add more lemon juice My family loves lemons. I did not put the glaze on the cake. It was too thin. And too sweet. Overall I will make this recipe all the time. Thank you jenn. Please enter me in your drawing for the cookbook.
I made this for a birthday, and it was a hit!! The only thing is the syrup didn’t quite soak into the cake, even though I drizzled it on slowly, as instructed. So it was *almost* a huge mess! But all’s well that ends well, and it was delicious still!
Use a toothpick and poke holes in the cake before you put the syrup on, then it will absorb more❤️
I made this recipe but made it into mini-muffin size. My husband is fighting cancer and these little “bites” have tons of flavor that he can actually taste plus they give him much needed calories. I don’t glaze them as he takes his little bites with him in baggies so he can pop one in his mouth and not worry about having too much food since food isn’t interesting for him to look at or think about. Anything with citrus or chocolate and I have a “hit” with his taste buds.
I have made this cake many times and it is a favorite of my family. It turns out perfectly, and the fresh squeezed lemon shines through in the taste. One of the best cake recipes that I have ever made.
When baking this cake in two 8.5 b6 4.4 pans, how long will you bake it and do you use the same temperature?
Hi Mary Lou, No temperature adjustments are necessary and the loaves may take a bit less time to bake. I’d start checking at about 45 – 50 minutes. Enjoy!
I have made this cake many times and it is a favorite of my family. It turns out perfectly, and the fresh squeezed lemon shines through in the taste. One of the best cake recipes that I have ever made. Love it!
Well I’m not sure why you are naming this a Pound Cake. It is absolutely nothing like one. You must not be from the South. First it was not really that lemony nor was it that moist. But most of all it did not have the texture of a pound cake at all! I’ve made numerous pound cakes over the years and I know this was not one. I was truly disappointed as was making this for my family to celebrate my mother’s 90th birthday. I should have known better than to have used a recipe from the internet but I have moved and my recipes are in storage for the interim. I don’t know how this recipe received the reviews I read.
Robin, I am wondering what in the world did you bake!!! I am a true-blue southerner, and I know my pound cakes. This cake is a blue-ribbon winner! I baked this in a cake-off contest last summer in Pensacola, Florida, and it won FIRST PRIZE. Friends and family have been raving about this delightful cake every since, and those who have since baked it say it is now their go-to pound cake. I suggest you try baking this cake again, this time using the “right” recipe 🙂
Willa
This was my first lemon pound cake. It was absolutely delicious. My husband and I ate it in three days. It was soooo good! I want to make another one, but, I think I should wait or my waistline will suffer.
Thank you for a wonderful recipe.
This pound cake is great!!!! I reduced a little bit sugar and butter, and let the syrup out but included poppy seeds in the batter and glaze. I used a bundt pan type Heritage. I got, in addition, 7 small cupcakes.
Thanks for sharing your recipe.
Is the butter for the glaze one tsp or one tbsp?
One teaspoon :).
To bake this cake in a loaf pan would it fit in one or two. Thank for your help .
Hi Dal, It bakes up beautifully in two 8.5 x 4.5-inch loaf pans.
This recipe is delicious and easy to make. I used pam baking spray and the cake popped right out. The second time I made it I omitted the glaze but still delicious. Rave reviews!
Can this cake be made as a layer cake?
Hi Barbara, While I think you could get probably away with it, this cake is heavier and more dense than your typical layer cake, so it may be a bit heavy (but still tasty).
So you think I should cook it at 325 or 350. At 350 it should cook in 30 to 35 minutes I believe, but not sure at 325
Hi Babette, I would stick with what the recipe suggests and bake it at 325. I would start checking it for doneness at about 40 minutes.
Hi. I just modify this cake so I can use it for layer cake with lemon curd filling. I only used 2 cups of sugar instead of
2 and 1/4 cup. I added 1and 1/2 Tbsp poppy seed too. Anyways:
1 tsp baking soda instead of 1/2 tsp.
1/2 tsp baking powder.
2 tsp vanilla
It took 50 minutes to baked. I poked it with bamboo stick and pour the sugar syrup with 1/2 tsp vanilla on top. rest it for 15 minutes before inverted the cake on the pan. The result is amazing! Crumbly, soft and very delicious. I will use it for wedding cake 🙂
Try poking holes in the cake before inverting, pouring your syrup over the holes so that more gets inside of the cake, wait a while, then invert it. Save a little to spread over the top after inverting it. This makes it a little dry.
Can I leave out the salt and use oleo?
Hi, I’ve never tried this with oleo/margarine, but another reader used margarine with success, so I think it’s worth a try. Regarding the salt, I may suggest cutting it back, but not completely omitting it. Hope you enjoy!
Oops! I baked it at 350, 10 minutes less that the recipe. It looks and smells wonderful, I hope it’s not dry. Today is my husband’s birthday and this was his request. My fingers are crossed!!
What is the cooking temperature for
baking this lemon cake?
The cake gets baked at 325°F. Hope you enjoy!
I plan to make this cake next week. It sounds incredible and I love the fact that a (to me) artificially tasting extract isn’t used. My question is if I make it the day before I serve it should I wait until the day of to put the glaze on?
You can add the glaze when you make the cake and store it covered on your kitchen counter until you’re ready to serve it. Hope you enjoy!
Excellent and the cake came out soo good in my first try.thank you soo much for sharing the wonderful recipe which was exactly similar with lemon pound cake from shop.Quite a surprise 🙂
Can you give measurements to half this?
So glad you enjoyed it Anitha! And you just need to cut all the ingredients in half if you’d like to halve the recipe.
Hello I want to make this cake it sounds amazing , however I have a 10″ round cake pan with the hole in the middle can u tell me how to alternate this recipe to fit my pan.
Love to bake Mitzi Donaldaon
Hi Mitzi, a 10″ tube pan should work just fine with no changes needed. Enjoy!
Absolutely best recipe! I’ve made several of your recipes and they always turn out perfect! Very trustworthy blog. Not trying to bash other cooking bloggers, but I’ve tried others recipes and they have come out horrible. Keep up the good work! 🙂
This is the best pound cake I ever made/ate. Rave reviews from everyone
Hello, can I omit the salt if I am using salted butter?
Yes, that should work. While it varies by brand, most salted butter has approximately 1/4 tsp. salt per stick and the cake calls for 1/2 tsp, so the math works out perfectly. Enjoy!
This cake was so moist and delicious the day it was baked. However the next day it was so dry it was almost inedible. Any ideas (was not stored in the refrigerator)
Hmmm, did you have it covered?
I’ve made this cake three times so far and it is the best lemon pound cake I’ve ever made! I’ve made it for others and they’ve had nothing but good things to say. The only adjustments I’ve made is adding a tsp of vanilla and changing how I grease the pan (butter shortening and flour.) The lemon flavor is so… well, lemony! Thank you for posting this!
Hi, I am planning to halve the recipe. How would the baking time differ in that case
Thanks,
Sri
Yes Sri, it’s likely that you’d need to adjust the baking time. What type of pan do you plan to bake it in?
I have an 8 inch pan.
Hi Sri, I’d start checking it at about 45 minutes. Enjoy!
Hi! I do not have buttermilk, what is the BEST substitute you recommend? I searched up 3/4 cup yogurt with 1/4 cup milk OR 1 cup milk with 1 tbsp lemon juice/ white vinegar?
Hi Rachel, I think the milk/lemon juice works great!
Absolutely the best recipe! Excellent texture & Flavor.
Thank you Chef.
I am so excited about this recipe! Made it today for a Strawberry / Whipped cream dessert. The flavor exquisite & texture light.
Thank you so much!
Cheri
Hi. I was just wondering if you are supposed to level the bottom of the cake or not? Thanks!
Hi Ruby, You really don’t need to unless you find it to be really bumpy or uneven.
Got rave reviews. Followed recipe exactly.
First time making this cake and it was a hit. I was shocked because I thought it might not turn out well. Thanks a lot for this recipe
I tried this cake but it turned out very hard 🙁
What do you think went wrong?
I did all the things which were mention
Please help 🙁
I’m sorry the cake didn’t turn out Ayesha! It could be that the cake was slightly overbaked. Also, is it possible you made a mistake in measuring? For the flour, did you spoon it into the measuring cup and level it off?
very nice cake! I was wondering if you suggest serving it at room temp or refrigerated. Thanks for sharing this recipe.
Hi Ann, I think it’s best served at room temperature. Glad you liked it!
This is the best cake is have ever made. I add dried fruit soaked in brandy. My husband is from Switzerland and loves this cake. If you have ever traveled to Switzerland the desserts are thee best ever. And this cake is right up there with a Swiss dessert! I have made it several times, always very good !
Thank you for this wonderful recipe. I followed it and it was great. Easy to follow. I added cream cheese and 2 more tablespoons of lemon juice to frosting for snowcapped effect.
This is truly a wonderful cake! I made it for a friends’s birthday dinner and all my friends loved it! My husband and I are having the leftovers for breakfast. I can’t wait to make more and share with other friends. And its so easy and satisfying to make and eat. Thanks so much.
Just made this cake last night. My family didn’t even wait for the cake to cool so I could apply the glaze. It was not as hard as I thought it would be to make. They loved it! Definitely keeping this.
Good Day, Ms. Segal:
Can you possibly guide me in an alternate baking time (and if applicable) temperature for the following configuration; (1) Nordic Ware, Mini Citrus Loaf Pan which contains (3) mini pans. Per online W&S, specs are as follows:
– Each well is 5 3/4″ x 3 1/4″ x 2 1/2″ high.
– 6-cup capacity.
Also, approximately how much batter would you place in each well?
The recipe sounds amazing & I’m looking forward to baking these ‘lil gems for my husband’s co-workers & my physical therapist!!
Thank You for your personal time & assistance.
Kindest Regards,
Carrie
Hi Carrie, I took a look at those pans and they’re so pretty! If you wanted to fill all three of the pans, I’d suggest making 1 1/2 times the recipe and then just dividing the batter evenly among the 3 wells. I suspect you’ll need to bake them for less time; I’d start checking them at about 40 minutes. Hope everyone enjoys them!
This was is a wonderful cake – pretty, moist, light, with a perfect balance of sugar and lemon. Thank you for sharing such a great recipe. I added lavender – some leaves in the flour, some leaves and stems in the syrup as it boiled, and some purple flowers on top of the icing.
I’ve tried all the top reviewed lemon cakes on foodnetwork and this by far is the best! I’m bringing this camping with friends as a fancy treat and decided to leave off the icing in case People wanted to eat it for breakfast. Super big hit! Definitely a go-to staple
This is a great recipe. The cake is absolutely wonderful. The texture is light and so flavorful. If you like a fabulous lemon pound cake, this is the cake for you!
Can I used two small (gift sized) loaf pans instead? How would this affect total baking time?
Hi Vicki, What are the dimensions of the loaf pans?
I don’t have a bundt pan; would a 10″ tube pan (without a removable middle) work as a substitute? How would you compare the volume of your cake to the volume of a boxed cake mix (when the batter is prepared).
Hi Mary Jane, Yes, a 10-inch tube pan should work here. And I’m honestly not certain how the volume of this would compare with the volume of a prepared mix– sorry!
Hi Jenn
I am from Australia and would like to make this cake as it looks wonderful. I understand our cup measures are different to US cup measures. Since I know that baking requires accuracy, would it be possible for you to advise the measurements in grams please.
Hi Karen, There are metric conversions for the recipe. Just scroll down to the recipe and immediately under the recipe title on the right side, you’ll see a little toggle. If you move it from “cup measures” to metric, you’ll see measurements that will work for you.
Ugh! Baking this for my husband’s birthday, just flipped it after cooling for 10 minutes (per recipe instructions), and half the cake stayed in the pan. I sprayed and floured the bundt pan and this has happened to me before. What do I need to do differently? Hoping to salvage it for this evening, I popped it back in the pan and am letting it cool for another 30 minutes … (I snatched some scraps in this process, btw, and it is delicious!)
Hi Amy, sorry to hear the cake stuck! You may want to try one of two things– next time try using a baking spray with flour to treat the pan. Pam makes one that I like. If you still have issues with things sticking to it, it may be time for a new bundt pan. I love the Nordic Ware pan.
Thank you, Jenn, for these suggestions; I will try them. Also wanted to let you know that my husband LOVED the cake! Thick and moist and fresh lemon flavor throughout. I will be baking another one soon as it’s already almost gone!
Hi Jenn,
Tried this recipe twice to the T and am not sure what happened but each time, the cake was very liquidy and overflowed to be a complete disaster and left me with a liquidy half cake (if I even called it that). I measured everything perfectly but was thinking perhaps I needed an electric mixer? I did pour the flour mixture in slowly and in intervals with mixing in between so Im not sure where I went wrong! I never fail at baking and this one was for my boyfriend so it was beyond a bummer for me! Please help.
Hi Lauren, So sorry to hear the cake didn’t work out (especially b/c it was a treat for your boyfriend)! I suspect you would have had more success with an electric mixer. Also, you mentioned that the cake overflowed — did you use a 10- inch bundt pan?
Are there any changes to the recipe at higher elevations?
Although I’ve never baked at higher elevations, I do believe that some adjustments need to be made. This has some good tips that may help.
Hi Jenn,
Tried this recipe. It is an absolute gem. Thank you for sharing. I posted the link on my website.
Hi Jenn, I followed your instructions to the T and the end result was the most moist and best cake that i have ever baked in my life!!! It tasted heavenly and my family is hooked on it. It is a definite keeper in our house. Thanks for the recipe.
This is a winner! It is my new go-to dessert because everyone LOVES it. A good zester is a must, but it’s pretty fail safe. Yummmmmm!!!
If you make this as 2 round cakes how do do you bake them?
Hi Heather, If you’re using the standard round 9-inch cake pans and it took about 45 minutes. Hope you enjoy them.
This is the best lemon pound cake!
What oven Temp?
This should be baked at 325°F. Enjoy!
Every year for mother’s day I make a lemon cake for my mother-in-law. I always try different recipes, in search of the perfect cake. This year I found it! This lemon cake was amazing (and it was the first bundt cake that I’ve ever made that came out of the pan in one piece). I made two minor changes. First I replaced the buttermilk with a container of lemon greek yogurt mixed with two ounces of skim milk, and second I skipped the icing and instead sprinkled lemon zest over the glazed cake. The cake was moist, lemony, just the right sweetness, and held up for the three days it lasted. Thanks, this will now be my standard lemon cake.
I want to make your cake, but I am unsure of some of the measurements. Do you have a list of ingredients?
Hi Danna, Just scroll down a bit more on the page and you will come to the actual recipe with the list/amounts of ingredients. Hope you enjoy!
Hello,
I want to make this but don’t have buttermilk. Can I use whipping cream and add 1 Tbsp of lemon juice or vinegar to that and does it matter which one I use? Thanks.
Hi Helen, I think that whipping cream would make the cake too rich/heavy. If you have regular milk, you could use that with either the lemon juice or vinegar added in. Both work equally well.
Can I add fresh blueberries to this cake or will it throw off the moisture content? I plan on making this either way, it looks pretty fabulous!
Hi Faith, I haven’t tried with cake with blueberries mixed into the batter. I would suggest just serving them alongside the cake. I think the combination will be delicious!
Hi Jenn’
Love the cake and recipe. The directions were clear and to the point which I loved and I appreciated you telling the reader the importance in beating the ingredients in different stages. My question is, can you use a lemon liqucur instead of lemon juice in the cake and glaze? Or will this have a negative affect on the buttermilk or cake being moist?
Keep up the great work!
Maddie
Hi Maddie, it shouldn’t affect the buttermilk or the texture of the cake– it will just taste a little boozy. I’d love to hear how it turns out if you prepare it this way!
This was the most delicious, moist, lemony not-too-sweet, savor every tiny bite cake I’ve eaten in like forever(believe me – tiny bites make it last longer). This pairs well with a simple homemade blackberry sauce swizzled on the plate and Ménage a Trois Califonia White wine. This cake and that wine do something unexpectedly amazing in the mouth. The cake and its syrup and glaze are simple to make and worth the investment in lemons and time. Yeah, I’ll be planting a lemon tree soon.
I made this for mother’s day on Sunday.
The only thing I changed was adding 4 tablespoons of lemon juice instead of just 2 to the buttermilk before mixing into the batter.
It turned out great! I got lots of compliments on it.
I made this cake according to your recipe and it was such a wonderful turn out.
It was fast gone. Received many compliments from church friends.
Thank you!!
Have you tried this using a gluten free flour blend? I would be interested to know how it would turn out since both my mother and sister suffer from celiac disease.
Hi Jennifer, I haven’t tried this with gluten free flour, but another reader made this with King Arthur GF flour and was happy with the results. Would love to know how it turns out if you make it!
This recipe is heavenly. I’m a chocolate kind of girl but decided to try your recipe as part of a gift package for all the wonderful mommies I know for Mother’s Day, let me just say I was eating the batter before baking and finished a very big portion of the cake after it was done. Needless to say I had to bake another batch for my gift baskets. The recipe gave me two load cake and I tweaked it by reducing the buttermilk to 1/2 cup and adding 1/2 cup of lemon juice with rinds of 6 lemons. I will definitely be making this again very soon. Thanks for sharing 🙂
Can you use regular milk in place of buttermilk in this lemon pound cake?
Hi Mary ellen, I recommend buttermilk, but you can make your own: Just add 1 Tbsp. lemon juice or white vinegar to 1 cup regular milk and let it stand for 5 to 10 minutes.
What does the syrup add to this recipe? Can you skip and just use the glaze?
Hi Michelle, the syrup helps to intensify the lemony flavor of the cake. I recommend using it, but if you try it without, I’d love to hear what you think!
I don’t have a stand mixer?
Will hand held work ok and how long to beat?
Yes Marsha, I think a hand held mixer would work and it would be for around the same amount of time as the stand mixer. Just remember, as the recipe specifies, it’s important to add the ingredients gradually because the butter base of the cake does not absorb a lot of liquid easily. If you rush it, the batter may separate, and cause the cake to be heavy.
GREAT Cake
Had to use orange for the glaze… ran out of lemon — still great..
I did notice that when I removed the cake from the oven –it had a light grayish color as if the flour had stuck to it –you could almost peel it off like a skin??
It did not affect the taste — but I wonder if I missed something …
I used the aluminum Bundt pan …spraying it with Canola oil cooking spray first -then coating it with flour ..
This cake seems to lend itself to adding some cranberries or apricots ..wonder if anyone has tried this variation with success
Thanks for your wonderful web site
Richie
Hi Richie, the film you describe could be because perhaps you were a little heavy-handed with the cooking spray. Try going just a bit lighter with it next time. You could also try cooking spray that has the flour in it like this one. Glad it tasted good though :)!
I made this cake and it was a big hit with my family, it disappeared in one night! I am planning to make another tomorrow.
Have you ever made this with meyer lemons? If so, how was it?
Hi Nancy, Personally, I haven’t used Meyer lemons in this recipe, but you definitely can (and no changes need to be made).
This is absolutely the best lemon pound cake I’ve ever had. Lemon pound cake is my favorite, and I’ve researched many recipes trying to find the best one. Hands down, yours is the best! Made it in 2 loaf pans, and they came out perfect. Made it once substituting oranges for lemons and skipped the glaze at the end. Thanks for the great recipe.
Can I substitute butter with oil?
I don’t recommend it for this recipe, Bushra. Sorry!
I made this cake last night. It was wonderful
It was flawless! It was perfect in every possible way! The cake was moist, The glaze gave it a great shine and flavour. Everyone at home loved it! Greetings from India!
Love it!!! Made it few days ago and it was a success 🙂
THANK YOU!
Made this cake yesterday afternoon and it’s half gone already! Another great recipe that is a definite keeper!!!
Would this recipe work well as a 2 layer cake? It looks so delicious! Thank you!
Hi Katie, While I think you could get away with it, this cake is heavier and more dense than your typical layer cake, so it might be a bit heavy (but still tasty). If you prepare it this way, I’d love to know how it turns out!
Can you freeze this cake?
Yes Dolores, you can freeze it. I’d add the glaze after defrosting it though.
DELICIOUS!! Made this cake in honor of our good family friend on her 91st birthday. Cut the recipe in half and baked in a loaf pan for ~45 minutes. Baked a small amount of the batter separately so we could taste to make sure it was what I wanted and “oh my!” The cake was light and the lemon identity was perfect. Can’t wait to make it for my mother in law for Mother’s Day!
I’m 69 and have been baking for most of my life, and am known for my pound cakes. This is without a doubt one of the best cakes I have ever baked. I used two loaf pans and buttered them with wax paper lining the bottom. I followed the recipe exactly. This will be my go to cake. I baked the cake last night and couldn’t wait to taste this a.m. Delish!
Delicious. Huge hit. Used 2 loaf pans. One to take and one for home. Will keep this recipe for sure! Thank you.
Finally found a lemon pound cake that tastes like lemon!!!! The glaze definitely makes this cake!!!! Going to try it with limes or oranges next time. Thanks for the recipe.
I just wanted to thank you. This cake was
yummy. Moist, tender, with full lemon flavor, & easy too. There were more steps
than some other recipes but well worth
the trouble. I would definely recommend
this cake. The best lemon cake anyone I
served it to had ever tasted.
Hi, I’m new to your site and found your recipe on a Google search for lemon pound cake as I have a bumper crop of lemons and I love pound cake. I made the cake this morning and I have to say it is perfection. I followed your instructions to the word and the result is a delicious cake. Thank you and I look forward to trying your other recipes.
Thank you for this fantastic cake recipe! I made it the day before we had company for dinner. The crumb on the cake was
perfect! Everyone commented that they had never tasted a better lemon pound cake. The only change I made was I used 1 3/4 cup sugar instead of 2 1/4. I served the cake with fresh raspberries and strawberries although it could have easily stood alone!
This cake came out perfect. I reduced the sugar to 11/2cups. With the syrup and icing there is no need for so much sugar. That said the lemon flavor was intense.
I made this exactly as written and it is hands-down the best lemon cake recipe out there. I have made several other recipes but none come close to the texture and moistness of this cake. The syrup and icing are key components – do not skip! Unbelievably good. This is a keeper.
The flavor of this cake is amazing. I’ve baked a sundrop pound cake for years and wanted more of a lemon flavor. This did just that. However, I added cream cheese since a couple reviewed it as dry…that was the problem with my sundrop cake & after research I tweaked with cream cheese & perfection. So, I used it for this one. Now, my cake is much, much lighter than your photo and I have sad streaks, gummy, wet streaks. And I just researched the sad streaks as I do have them from time to time on the sundrop cake. I found it’s mostly due to over creaming/mixing. I thought I was careful not to do so. While the cake held together nicely, came out of the pan perfectly..it seems soft on the bottom as if it’s not done. Although it takes perfect. I baked for the exact time, tested with a toothpick on regular setting. Please tell me what you think?
I wanted to add that the streaks have never affected the taste, just the texture and I think it throws off the presentation. While it makes it look undone I haven’t had that problem.
Hi Summer, I would suggest baking the cake as is without the cream cheese — I promise, if you follow the cooking instructions and measure properly, it will not be dry at all.
I made this for Easter weekend and everyone loved it! It was my first sttempt at making a homemade cake. The flavor was delicious but it wasn’t as thick as a poundcake. Was that by deisgn? I am teying to figure out if I did something wrong or if there is something I can do next time to make it more like a poundcake. I will add that I had to use lemon juice and milk bc I did not have buttermilk.
Hi Melana, It is a bit lighter than a traditional pound cake, so you didn’t do anything wrong. 🙂 I don’t recommend altering the recipe as it might throw the flavor and texture off — sorry!
I made this cake yesterday for an early Easter dinner and it was fantastic! I had gluten and dairy free guests so I substituted the flour with King Arthur Gluten Free mix (plus a little xanthan gum), used margarine instead of butter and made “buttermilk” from almond milk and apple cider vinegar. It came out great and everyone loved it. Served it with some fresh strawberries macerated with a bit of sugar and balsamic vinegar- the perfect counterpoint the wonderful lemon flavor. Thank you!
I wonder if a tunnel of curd could be put into the cake…
You mentioned that this cake keeps well for days. I wasn’t sure if I’m supposed to put it in the refrigerator or on the counter covered?
This turned out absolutely perfect!! Thank you!!
Glad it turned out well! You can store it covered on the counter.
If I don’t intend to serve the cake until the next day, should I wait to add the syrup until then?
You can add the syrup in advance Lisa. You don’t need to wait until you’re serving it. Enjoy!
My partner keeps asking me to bake a lemon cake for this weekend, and I think I’d choose your recipe because it looks very good. The only thing is we’re lactose intolerant, so I don’t think I should use buttermilk. Do you have any substitute for it? Will soy milk be OK?
Thanks BTW.
I think that will work, Kent, but you’d need to add a tablespoon of lemon juice to it.
Great, thanks a lot.
Hi what kind of adjustments I need to make using cake flour thank you
Hi Theola, unfortunately cake flour will not work well in this recipe. Sorry!
Even though I followed the recipe exactly, and greased and floured my pan, the cake completely fell apart when I inverted it. Total waste of time and money. Beware: 10 minutes is NOT enough time for the cake to cool. Will not be making this again.
I have been cooking a long time. This is by far one of the best lemon pound cake recipes I have ever made. I have made it several times as gifts and everyone always asks for the recipe. This is one of the recipes that I keep in my go to file for “best recipes”.
I’ve never liked lemon cake or cookies of any kind. Now I am a fan of this cake!! Absolutely love it!! So moist and delicious. I decided to make it for our church gathering and everyone raved about it so I figured I would taste it and knew I wouldn’t like it because it was lemon (I make cakes for others even though I might not like them) I was amazed at how good it was!! Thank you for the great recipe and have a great day:)
Wonderful lemon flavor! I followed the recipe exactly and it baked perfectly. I will bake another for our Easter potluck. This recipe is a keeper.
I have made this cake twice. It is very delicious, nice twist on a pound cake.
The lemon flavor is very refreshing. This cake is not too sweet, it’s perfect toasted with fresh strawberries for breakfast or just as well as a dessert. I will make this again! Thanks
I made this for Christmas last year and it was a hit! So, so moist and delicious. Flavor was not too tart.
Hi Jenn!
Love your website and all the beautiful pictures and great recipes.
Is it possible to butter the pan instead of using the spray?? What is the difference in the outcome? Also, would you have a recipe for a plain pound cake where you don’t use lemon?
Thank you for responding.
Yes Ivana, you can butter the pan (and I would make sure to use a light coating of flour too)- just make sure to be thorough so the cake doesn’t stick. Also, I don’t have a plain pound cake recipe as of now, but it’s something I will add to my list :).
I really loved the flavor, but the cake came out on the dry side, even though I baked it for only 50 minutes (I have a convection oven). I was expecting (and hoping for) a super moist cake, and I’m not sure what I did wrong. Any suggestions?
Hi Judy, It probably was the fact that you used the convection setting. I always base/test recipes using the regular setting in my oven. You may want to try it again that way.
Hi Jenn!
I want to make this cake today for a get together later on but was wondering if I will encounter a problem using the only bundt pan I have which is Nordic Ware? Would much appreciate your advice and direction on this Jenn!
Thank you !
Hi Nila, In order to avoid sticking if you’re concerned about it, I would suggest using a baking spray with flour. Pam makes one that I think works well. Hope everyone enjoys the cake!
Let me start that I never posts on recipe sites but felt that I had to this time. This is the most wonderful recipe for lemon pound cake! I only made the cake itself without any of the glazes and it was absolutely heavenly and light and delicious! My family woofed it all down and wanted more! Thank you so much!
What adjustments would I need for high altitude? I live in the mile high city and have had my share of fallen cakes and flat cookies.
Hi Sue, here are some helpful guidelines for high altitude baking. Hope you enjoy the cake!
I live at 6700 ft. Do I need to adjust for altitude, and if so, how???
Thanks!
Hi Beth, yes, you would likely need to make some adjustments. Here are some guidelines that may be helpful.
Lemon Buttermilk Pound Cake
I have made this recipe 3 times and baked in loaf pans. So delicious. I wondered if it would be possible to use honey instead of sugar?
Aline, due to the step of creaming the butter and sugar, I would recommend sticking with sugar. I don’t think you’d get the right texture with honey.
Is instant buttermilk OK for most pound cakes ?
Yes Karen, you could prepare buttermilk yourself and use it in this recipe. Hope you enjoy!
You don’t need to test this recipe……just go ahead and make it. This is the perfect lemon pound cake. I got lots of compliments when I took it to a ladies lunch.
This is the very best lemon pound cake we have ever made. It is moist and lemony but not too strong. But, it is dangerous in the calorie/sugar department. Oh well, eat wisely!!
Even better the next day!
My cake also crumbled after waiting the 10 minutes in my NordicWare pan as a previous reviewer mentioned. I think I should have left it to cool longer due to the intricate designs on the pan.
Also, my cake also turned out crumbly – but I realized I missed the paragraph on my printout to first beat the sugar and eggs and I was adding the buttermilk mixture to just the flour and I got a dry mess. I then incorporated the butter/sugar/egg mixture afterwards. I may have overbeat because it was so dry initially, thus causing it to be crumbly now. I’ll have to try this one again later. Tastes okay, but crumbly. I may use the loaf pans next time as well.
It would be best to put the recipe first, then the pictures and step-by-step instructions and comments. That way, those of us who are actually interested in cooking can get on with it instead of scrolling through 21 lovely pictures of bubbling sugar syrup, etc. and unnecessary commentary before we can even fins the list of ingredients!
Jonathan, There’s a recipe tab at the top of the page (above the photo) that will take you directly to the recipe.
I made your pound cake last night for my family, it was delicious… I didn’t have quite enough lemon zest but I think it turned out perfect.
The frosting was a little tart for me the first day but grew on me by the second. I used all the syrup on the cake and loved the texture it created. I hope to try more of your recipes soon!
When brushing on the lemon/sugar syrup, should I use all of the liquid that the recipe makes or just until it’s coated?
Go ahead and use it all, Beth — the cake soaks it right up.
Jennifer,
Can I use Meyer Lemons for this recipe and if yes, does it change anything else?
Yes Jim, you can use Meyer lemons here and no need to change the recipe at all. Hope you enjoy!
The cake was good with the meyer lemons but not as good. The meyer lemons are pretty thin skinned compared to regular lemons, this makes it very difficult to grate the zest off of them without getting the pith. I also made your Guinness Lamb Stew yesterday and boy, was that a big hit! I normally don’t like lamb but I liked the stew very much and so did my wife and our guests. Another great recipe from you! Thanks again for doing what you do and for doing it so well!
Hi is there a specific reason you suggest not using cake flour thanks
Hi Theola, Cake flour and all purpose flour aren’t interchangeable in recipes. You could use it, but you’d need to make some adjustments.
I would like to try this cake I bake a lot of pound cake with cake flour. can I use this for this cake and can I use salted butter?
Hi Theola, I don’t recommend cake flour for this recipe. I think you could get away with using salted butter, but would suggest you cut out the added salt.
We are not typically fans of lemon zest or the texture of the zest in bites of cake or pie. Is there a substitution to still give the lemon flavor? Thanks
Hi Wendy, Do you use a rasp grater? It grates the zest so fine, you really can’t detect it. Unfortunately, there’s no substitute but I do think you could just leave it out if necessary.
Thanks … I will try that!! It’s the big chunks we don’t like. I did look up substitutes and found options for substituting citrus (lemon in this case) for zest/peel. If you substitute juice, it’s a 2:1 ratio (i.e. 2 T of juice for 1 T peel). For concentrate, the ratio is 3/4:1. I know it’s not the same taste, but it’s an option!
Real lemon extract is made from the zest of the lemon and isn’t a bad substitute at all, although I do personally prefer the zest
Perfection! I used less sugar as my family prefers things less sweet. (1 2/3cups). Can’t believe the quality and reliability of your recipes. Considering I hate baking, you certainly have taken the pressure off. I can approach dessert with absolute confidence. Thank you.
So good! Next time I would poke holes (like some other cake recipes with syrup) so that it is not wet on the top side of the cake.
Can this recipe be prepared using a loaf tin rather than the bundt tin you use?
If so, would any adjustments to the recipe be required?
Looking forward to your response.
Hi Alan, You could prepare this in two 8×4-inch loaf pans. No adjustments should be necessary. Enjoy!
I am not sure what lemon zest is. Is it the peel.
You’re right Terri- it’s the colorful layer of the skin and is used to add flavor to foods.
OMG!! My friends husband loves all things lemon so I made this pound cake for our Christmas potluck. It was a hit!! Thanks for sharing :).
can I use fat-free buttermilk?
You could probably get away with fat-free, but if you want to cut back on the fat, I would recommend low fat instead.
Do you have to sift the flour? I want to try this tonight.
No sifting necessary! Enjoy
Really terrific, best pound cake I’ve ever made or eaten. Fluffy, lemony, just perfect. Made it in 2 loaf pans and it took exactly the same amount of time to cook.
I followed the directions and sprayed the pan with non-stick cooking spray and dust with flour. I had a hard time removing the cake from the pan and the top stucked to the pan which ended up separating with the bottom half. Really excited about this cake and want to give another try. Is there any recommendations can you give so this won’t happen again? Thanks, A.
Hi Anna, What type/brand of pan are you using?
Hi Jenn, I was using Nordic Ware Bundt pan.
Hi Anna, so sorry for the delay! I just realized I hadn’t responded to your comment. I would suggest using a baking spray with flour next time you prepare this. Pam makes one that I like.
Hi Jenn,
Can I substitute cake flour in this recipe?
Hi Joy, I don’t recommend cake flour for this recipe. Sorry!
Just made this yesterday ? this is THE best lemon cake recipe out there. I’ve made it several times and everyone always loves it!
Can I use a tube pan? I have never had much success with a bundt pan.
Adele, a 10 inch tube pan should work. Hope you enjoy it!
Follow directions, cake came out awesome! I was going to skip the granulated sugar glaze & just do the confectionary glaze, but I’m glad I followed the directions. So moist & lemony!
This cake was very delicious and my daughter ate it without the frosting and loved the taste. I made a couple of substitutions which were turbo cane raw sugar (2 cups) and cake flour ( 3 cups sifted then measured). I followed the rest of the ingredients and directions on the recipe and it turned out very well. I plan to make this cake for special events and holidays. Thanks for sharing
Jennifer,
I made this cake yesterday and sereved it to my neighbors for dessert last night. I can sum this one up with just three letters, “OMG”!!! What wonderful flavor! One of my neighbors who professes not to like lemon tried a piece and loved it.
Thanks for another wonderful recipe!
5-star recipe- C’est si bon et delicieux! I just wrote in to THANK YOU tremendously for your superb recipe! All these years, I have been searching for the best LEMON CAKE RECIPE BAKED FROM SCRATCH and yours is excellent! I live in San Francisco in North Beach and I’m surrounded by cafes and bistros. So far, I have not tasted a lemon cake as delicious as yours. It’s smooth and light and, it just has the right sweetness to it.
I was reading your recipe last night and I couldn’t sleep. I can already imagine the taste of your cake recipe in my mind just as I was reading it!
I woke up at dawn today, January 31, 2016, Saturday. I’m going to the Super Bowl event but I had to bake this cake first! Oh gosh, it’s so all worth it.
My husband wanted to slice it fresh from the oven. I begged for him not to do it! He was raving about the smell! He said, “Oh my goodness, that smells sooooo good! Can I have a slice?” LOL!
I baked it in a 2″ round pan. Much to my disappointment, my bundt pan turned out to be in my storage but it still turned out right! It could have been even more perfect. But it is still soft anyway (I forgot that the time setting was for a bundt pan).
I’d like to send you some photos but I don’t know how can I attach them here. I followed you in Instagram last night and perhaps you can see the photos there. My alias is pizzicatto 56.
Merci beaucoup!
So glad you enjoyed the cake so much Becha!! I’d love to see you pix- feel free to send them to [email protected]. Thanks!
Jennifer,
Will it be ok to use a self-rising flour for this recipe?
Merci,
Becha
Hi Becha, I would recommend sticking with the all-purpose flour for this recipe.
amazing cake really moist, not too sweet. even better than Mary Berry’s lemon drizzle-sorry Mary. Only criticism the outside is dark brown, maybe oil and flour would be better for greasing tin.
Thank you so much for posting this recipe! I live at high altitude and made the proper adjustments with a little less sugar and a little more liquid and it was absolutely perfect! I made these in 2 loaf pans as my son who’s in college absolutely loves lemon pound cake and figured that would be easier to ship! Which will be perfect as I’ll be able to test out the frozen version later! Thank you once again! I wouldn’t change a thing!
I haven’t tasted the cake yet. When converting units to metric, the amount of sugar is 450g, way more than the flour. It’s off. Please fix it.
Took me over an hour to get it in the oven. Split in half horizontally coming out of the pan. Too soft for a pound cake. NEVER AGAIN
Was supposed to be a Birthday Cake for my 85 year old Aunt. Smelled great while cooking. What an incredible disappointment.
Hi Scott, I’m so sorry you had trouble with the cake. I know how frustrating it is to spend ti