Lemon Pound Cake
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This lemon pound cake is the ultimate dessert for lemon lovers.
Calling all lemon lovers! This lemon pound cake is a dessert made just for you. The recipe incorporates both lemon zest and lemon juice into the cake batter, infusing the cake with a lovely lemon flavor. But the real magic happens after baking — the cake is generously doused with lemon syrup and then drizzled with a tart lemon glaze, delivering an intense burst of lemon flavor with every bite. The recipe yields two ultra-moist loaves that stay fresh for days on the countertop or can be frozen for later. If you’d like to switch things up, try my popular lemon poppyseed cake and lemon blueberry pound cake variations. A big thank you and shoutout to Karen Tannenbaum, one of my longtime readers, for inspiring this wonderful recipe!
What You’ll Need To Make Lemon Pound Cake
STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS
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 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.
Transfer the cake batter to the prepared pans and smooth with a rubber spatula.
Bake for 55 to 65 minutes, or until the top is golden and a tester comes out clean.
Set the cakes on a cooling rack, and cool in the pans for 10 minutes.
Carefully run a knife along the unlined sides of the pans to loosen the cake from the pan. Using the parchment slings, lift the cakes out of the pans and place onto the rack, leaving the parchment paper in place under the cakes. Let cool for about 1 hour.
When the cakes are almost cool, 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.
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).
When the cakes are cool, carefully transfer them to serving platters. Gradually brush the warm syrup all over the cakes, including the sides, letting it soak in as you go.
Finally, spoon the glaze over the top of the cake, letting it drip down the sides.
Let the cakes sit for about one hour to allow the glaze to set before serving.
How To Freeze Lemon Pound Cake
The cakes can be frozen without the glaze for up to 3 months. After they are completely cooled, double-wrap them securely with aluminum foil or plastic freezer wrap, or place them in a 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: This recipe was updated in 2022; to see the original version, click here.
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- Warm Lemon Pudding Cakes
- Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins
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Lemon Pound Cake
This lemon pound cake is the ultimate dessert for lemon lovers.
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 3 cups all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off with a knife
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup buttermilk (low-fat is fine) (see note)
- 2 tablespoons (packed) grated lemon zest (see note)
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened
- 2¼ cups granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
For the Syrup
- 2 tablespoons water
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
For the Glaze
- 1 cup confectioners' sugar
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and set an oven rack in the middle position. Spray two 8½ x 4½-inch loaf pans with nonstick cooking spray. Line the long sides of the pans with parchment paper “slings” and spray lightly with nonstick cooking spray again.
- 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.
- Divide the thick batter into the prepared pans and smooth with a rubber spatula. Bake for 55 to 65 minutes, or until the top is golden and a tester comes out clean.
- Set the cakes on a cooling rack, and cool in the pans for 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife along the unlined sides of the pans to loosen the cake from the pan. Using the parchment slings, lift the cakes out of the pans and place onto the rack, leaving the parchment paper in place under the cakes. Let cool for about 1 hour.
- When the cakes are almost cool, 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.
- When the cakes are cool, carefully transfer them to serving platters.
- Gradually brush the warm syrup all over the cakes, including the sides, letting it soak in as you go.
- 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. Let the cakes sit for about one hour to allow the glaze to set before serving.
- Note: If you’d like to make your own buttermilk, check out the easy method here.
- Note: You'll need 4 to 5 large lemons for the entire recipe.
- Make-Ahead/Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The cakes can be made up to 1 day ahead of time and stored in a cake dome or airtight container at room temperature. They can also be frozen (without the final glaze) for up to 3 months. After they are completely cooled, double-wrap securely with aluminum foil or plastic freezer wrap, or place them in a 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.)
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.
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This may sound peculiar but being a weights and measures kind of person I need to know: will there be a difference between a cup of flour which has been “spooned and leveled” and a cup of flour which has been weighed (120g KAF)? Thanks
Hi Dawn, not a weird question. I always use the spoon and level method to measure flour (even when I weigh it) so the conversion to grams is consistent with using that method.
Hi Cecilia, I use King Arthur flour for all my baking, but when I weigh it, I consistently get between 125-130g per cup. The 375g is the amount I used for this recipe, so I’d go with that.
Hi Kahelah, I’m sorry for any confusion. That comment was before I started to consistently use 130 grams for a cup of flour. I’ve tested the cake with 390 grams and I’d go with that. Hope you enjoy!
Would you make any changes to this recipe if you were doing it in little loaf pans? I have a Wilton mini-loaf pan, where each little loaf comes out at 3.75″ x 2.25″. If you think it will work, I will give it a try. I’m not much of a baker…in fact I bake approximately twice a year: Thanksgiving and Christmas, and an occasional batch of chocolate chip cookies the rest of the year . So any advice would be appreciated.
Hi Meagan, I do think this will work in mini loaf pans. The only change would be the bake time. I’d start checking them at about 30 minutes. Hope that helps and that you enjoy!
Hello, Will lowering the amount of sugar hurt the recipe?
Hi Thomas, you can get away with reducing the sugar by about a quarter. Hope you enjoy!
I have made this recipe for years and love how versatile it is! I add more lemon and zest (I can’t get enough lemon). So so so good. I’ve also used this recipe and swapped all the lemon and zest for orange juice and zest. If I don’t have buttermilk, I’ve used both ricotta and sour cream in its place. I’ve added blueberries! This is an amazing recipe.
I followed the directions precisely with one exception. I didn’t have buttermilk, so I used a tablespoon of vinegar in heavy milk as a substitute- it turned out perfect! I also made 1.5 times the recipe for the glaze. The cake is moist, tart and delicious. This recipe is a keeper!
This recipe is amazing. I did add more lemon juice than called for but it was nice and fluffy. I really enjoyed this recipe this is part of my collection!
Loved it!
Absolutely awesome delicious cake! I followed the directions and had no problems. I did use baker’s joy to spray the pan, but added the sugar too. Scrumptious… I took a picture, but can’t find where to add it. Sorry. It was beautiful too.
So glad it turned out well! Unfortunately, the blog isn’t set up to receive pictures but if you’re on Instagram, you can share it there; be sure to tag me @onceuponachef!
My first making this cake, I followed the recipe to a tee. The cake tasted great, but it was too sugary, dense and dry. Could I have used less sugar and flour?
Hi Elsia, Sorry this wasn’t quite right for you! A dry or dense texture 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. And regarding it being too sweet, you can reduce the sugar by about a quarter, but any more than that and it will negatively impact the texture. Hope that helps!
It has been a family tradition to make this for the past 3 years, and it NEVER gets boring. The lemon really make it enjoyable to eat and you can have more than a slice. The syrup on the top adds a nice crackle (if you let it dry) and moisture. I find myself waking up early the next day to eat the remaining cake before anyone else gets it. Here are some tips: GET THE RIGHT INGREDIENTS, the ingredients are VITAL. You do not want to replace the buttermilk with normal milk because it doesn’t taste nearly the same. Make sure you have a lot of time for this, because it requires zesting and all. Also let your ingredients get to room temperature so no curdling happens. Last thing, make sure to grease your Bundt cake pan really well. It would be shame for the outside not to be as good as the inside. Also, when placing the icing, make sure to pour it on the highest point of the cake, so it spreads the outside of the ring and the inside with icing.
I made this cake and it was delicious. I made it in my Bundt pan so it came out really pretty. The only thing I added was one teaspoon of lemon extract to the wet ingredients because I love lemon so much. I still used the lemon zest and juice so it came out tasting really nice. I will make this cake again and I’ve added the recipe to my own family cook book 😍
I tried to follow recipe precisely except i used cake flour. The cake fell in the middle of baking. The taste is the best i ever tasted. Was the cake flour the culprit?
Hi Calvin, Yes, it’s very likely that the cake flour didn’t give the cake enough structure. For the best results, I’d stick with AP flour.
can you skip out on the lemon zest. and just double the amout of lemon juice
I wouldn’t recommend it — sorry!
Great cake. Skipped the simple syrup and made a lemon cello drizzle instead. No need for more sugar! Lemon flavor was excellent. I also sliced lemons and laid them all over the top of the cake (which becomes the bottom) and they had a beautiful light brown hue that added great flavor..
Best lemon poundcake recipe ever. I’ve been making this recipe for a few years now and the results always get rave reviews. Thank you!
I made half the recipe, used 2 eggs for 1.5 cups flour, 1 cup sugar and 1 stick butter. I cannot make a cake that is almost 400 calories per slice and feel good about eating it. But it turned out amazing except for the glaze which I could not get right (I might have used a bit less powder sugar then recipe suggested and it was not opaque enough). The cake tastes wonderful and it’s very easy to make.
Do you need to modify for high altitude? Is there a standard modification for baked goods for high altitude baking?
Hi Anne, I don’t have experience baking at high altitudes so, unfortunately, I don’t have any wisdom to share – I’m sorry! You may find these tips helpful though.
Thank you so much for your help.
Anne Harper
@onceuponachef
I make this recipe pretty much once every month. This is my husband’s most favorite cake and he devours it. Thank you for sharing this with us.
Absolutely delicious! I made some changes to cut some fat and calories: reduced sugar in cake to 1-3/4 cups, used egg beaters in place of the whole eggs, reduced butter to 3/4 cup and added 1/4 cup Greek yogurt, and used fat free milk with 1Tbl of vinegar in place of the buttermilk. Per another review, I added 1/2 tsp baking powder. Baked cake in a 13×9 glass baking dish sprayed with Pam. I didn’t bother coating the interior of the dish with sugar. Baked at 325 for 55 minutes. I prepared and poured on the syrup and sprinkled very lightly with granulated sugar. I did not add the icing. Light, fluffy, sweet and delicious!
Thank you! I needed a healthier option for my sister ❤️
This poundcake is the real deal! Moist and full of flavor. It’s my new go-to recipe. Thank you!
This recipe I did twice and it failed. Turned into cake, didn’t rise was dry and didn’t bake well. Found the problem that helped.
Instead of 3 cups of flour it needs to be 2 … 6 eggs and do not use buttermilk.
I did this and turned out like how it was suppose to.
Also keep the 325 degree when baking.
I believe it is supposed to be cake. It says pound CAKE.
I want the cake higher than normal, please help me out. Do I need to double the recipe?
I don’t think there’s any more room in the pan, Terrence — sorry!
Dreadful experience
Followed the recipe in details
The cake burned after 35 minutes in the properly set oven
My oven is Italian made and gas
I am very displeased
This cake was a hit at a party. Very moist. We added a little extra to bring out the lemon flavor, but really awesome! Also, awesome clear directions.
Can’t wait to make this recipe, but I only have a 9×5 loaf pan. Would this work, and how should I divide the ingredients?
Hi Kim, A 9×5 pan will be too small. Two 8.5 x 4.5 loaf pans are ideal for the amount of batter – sorry!
I absolutely loved this recipe! So easy-to-use, even a novice like me could make it and have it come out perfect…perfect! Thank you so much 💓
Came out moist with a crispy bottom. But too much sugar, it came out way too sweet.
Thank you for the great recipe! Didnt have a Bundt pan so I used a loaf pan instead and it was delicious!
I’m wondering if whole wheat flour could be substituted one for one?
Hi Valerie, I’d suggest starting by using half whole wheat and half all-purpose to make sure you like the texture. If you do like it, the next time you make this, you can up the ratio of whole wheat to white a bit more. Also, you may want to consider white whole wheat as it’s lighter and milder tasting than regular whole wheat flour (yet just as nutritious). I’d love to hear how it turns out!
Wow! The best lemon cake i’ve ever had. This recipe is a must. I added 1/2 tsp of baking powder and used cake flour. It was fluffy and rich in flavor. Also, i combined the sugar and flour to grease the bundt pan and it came out perfect.
How much in advance can this cake be made? Few days? Covered airtight container? Thanks
Hi NYS, this keeps well for 3 to 4 days and I’d store it in a cake dome on your counter. Hope you enjoy!
I love making this cake. It was so much fun. My family LOVES it. Thank you.
Excellent recipe! Baked two perfect cakes with only the slightest modifications. One, I used a food processor that has a fixed speed. Two, I only needed the zest of three lemons and the juice of one to get the required amount of zest and juice – two packed tablespoon measures of zest and the recipe measures required of juice. Three, I didn’t do the glaze at all and of the two cakes only used the syrup (half of what I made) on one. The reason for cutting back on the syrup and glaze – sugar levels seemed too high for me. Oh yeah, one more thing – sugar in main recipe was cut from 450gms to 400gms. Both cakes are more than sweet enough and the syrup one though sweeter also has a better lemony zing. I also checked at 40minutes and gave them ten more minutes after that. Great recipe. Will be saving it and using it again. Thanks!
I made the cake with my siblings, we love cooking together, and we always turn out with deliciousness! Unfortunately, this recipe was really bad for us. The end cake tasted like plain flour, and there was no taste of lemon, we added more than the recipe called for and still, no lemon flavoring. I would not recommend this recipe, I recommend a recipe from tasty.
Why do you use 3 tbls of lemon zest in the one with poppy seeds and only two in the one without them?
Honestly, I don’t remember the method to my madness there, but my hunch is that it may have been because the poppy seeds add a fair amount of flavor and I wanted to add more lemony flavor to it. 🙂
I enjoyed the cake. Although I did not level off the flour like I should have. I followed the majority of remaining directions but I had a mishap with making the glaze. I wanted more lemon and thinned out the glaze so I tried to add a little more powdered sugar. I ended up pouring too much in and having to dig out a lot of it. In spite of the mishap, the glaze was more flavorful. I would definitely recommend the recipe. I would also suggest adding more lemon juice if you want a tarter taste.
I have baked this several times and it’s a crowd pleaser. It always comes out perfect. This time I played around a bit with the recipe. I reduced the sugar to 1 and 3/4 cup. I added 6 tablespoons of lemon juice to the batter and I also added half a cup of sour cream. I think it was absolutely fine on the sugar, a lot more lemony ( which I enjoy) and a little more moist. Thank you Jenn for the most delightful lemon cake.
Followed the instructions carefully and in my electric oven it only took one hour to bake. I used a tube pan which works beautifully. Moist and delicious cake!
Note: I used the syrup but did not like the result as my cake was so moist it didn’t need any syrup poured on the bottom. I used the glaze which is good but I didn’t use all of it or it would have been overkill.
I will make this for Thanksgiving.
Hi, can I replace all purpose flour with cake flour? Thanks!
Hi Yvonne, You can try it with cake flour but I can’t guarantee that it will give the cake enough structure to rise properly. Please LMK how it turns out if you try it!
I’ve made this cake 3 times now, once for father’s Day, once for my brother’s birthday, and today at my mother’s request. Each time it’s turned out absolutely perfectly (but I did reduce the sugar to 350g as my parents don’t like things overly sweet). The second time around I made it with oranges in place of lemons, and the third time around I used grapefruit! Since I’ve made it so many times now I just had to leave a comment. Phenomenal recipe. Thanks!
Oh my word, this cake is delicious! I wanted a lemon pound cake and on a whim decided to search for a fresh lemon pound cake recipe (because I thought that would taste better than using lemon extract) and came across this one. So, so good! I didn’t have buttermilk so I made my own using one scant cup of whole milk and one tablespoon of lemon juice. I figured a little extra lemon was okay 🙂 It turned out perfectly. Also, I don’t have a Bundt pan so I used my plain tube pan and ended up cooking it 75 minutes. Highly recommend this recipe!
Ok…this cake cannot be overstated…simply the best lemon bundt I have ever had!..even gave some to neighbor who called to say I should get a patent cause the best she ever tasted! I’m quite an accomplished baker and was thrilled to have a new addition to my repertoire, read the tips and used them and I also creamed the sugar and butter longer than stated on recipe as one viewer said he did. It came out perfect! Thank you so much for sharing…was a huge hit and I’m making it again tomorrow !!!!
Hi Jenn! I love all of your recipes.
Wanting to make this for my lemon loving mom-mom that turns 86, this weekend! Could you add blueberries to the cake? And could you add sweetened coconut to the glaze?
I saw your lemon blueberry pound cake recipe, but really wanting to make it a Bundt cake!
Thank you!!!!
So glad you like the recipes! I think you could add some blueberries to the batter but keep in mind that depending on how tart your blueberries are, the cake may taste pretty tart. And I’d toss the blueberries with a Tbsp. of the flour mixture beforehand so they don’t sink in the batter. Also, don’t defrost them first or they’ll turn the batter purple. And I think you could get away with adding some coconut to the glaze. Hope it turns out nicely and happy birthday to your mom! 🙂
hi,
I’ve made this recipe a few times. The texture is great, however its not lemony enough.
I’m not sure why. I followed the recipe exactly.
All the best!
Hello Jen I love baking and tried your lemon pound bundt cake. 😍😍😍 loved it!!! Thanks
One of the best cakes I have ever made!
Hi Jen! I love your recipes and even bought your cookbook as everything I’ve made so far on your website has turned out great. I’ve made the lemon pound cake, loved it and was wondering if I could use the same batter in a cupcake pan. Do you think they’d turn out fine?
Yes, I do think you could make these in a cupcake pan. And so glad you enjoy the recipes and the cookbook! 🙂
The cake is so so delicious. However, if you will use the syrup and the glaze. You got to use only 1 and 1/2 cup of sugar in the batter.
I found it so sweet.
But don’t miss this amazing recipe.
This looks delicious. Do you think I might be able to substitute since elderflower liqueur for some of the water in the syrup?
Sure, I think that would work. Hope you enjoy!
This is truly the best lemon pound cake I’ve ever made! I followed the recipe exactly as written and it was a huge hit with my family. Thank you for sharing it!
for everyone that makes this cake it is a bit time consuming but if you put in the time it will come out perfect every time, i’m only 10 years old and made it for my parents anniversary and i would not let them down. I’m making it again for my new neighbors and if you read the bad comments they will mess it up and then post a bad review. Thank you for your time!
You sound like a great kid, Elijah! Glad the cake turned out well. 🙂
This is a wonderful recipe! I am not a pro when it comes to baking so I was surprised that the recipe turned out so well. Tho a bit sweet for me, so I’ll just cut down the sugar a little bit next time but all in all the texture and lemony taste was spot on! I also used cake flour and yogurt as a substitute for buttermilk and AP and still turned out moist and fluffy. I’ll definitely bake this again.
My husband is a lemon or key lime lover. He said this is Quite possibly the best lemon Pound cake he has ever eaten. Buttered and sugared the pan, set the timer for 10 min and it slipped right out!!! Fabulous. Shelly Kerek, Nola louisiana