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Lemon Pound Cake
Flavored with lemon zest and juice, and drizzled with a tart lemon glaze, this lemon pound cake is the ultimate dessert for lemon lovers.
This lemon pound cake is the ultimate dessert for lemon lovers. Lemon zest and lemon juice are added 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.
The cake can be made in a Bundt pan or two 8½ x 4½-inch loaf pans. Before deciding which pans to use, please see the notes at the bottom of the recipe. The cake keeps well for days on the countertop, and it freezes well, too. Many thanks to my longtime reader Karen Tannenbaum for inspiring the 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 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 a 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 Blueberry Pound Cake
Lemon Pound Cake
Flavored with lemon zest and juice, and drizzled with a tart lemon glaze, 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
- 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.
- 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, it's best not to use a Bundt pan with an intricate design for this cake, as they are more prone to sticking.) Another option (that is foolproof) is to use two 8½ x 4½-inch loaf pans instead of a Bundt pan. Loaf pans are much less prone to sticking, and you can line them with parchment paper for extra insurance. To prepare the loaf pans, spray them with nonstick baking spray, line the bottoms with parchment, and then spray them again. The bake time will be 50 to 60 minutes, and you will only need half of the soaking syrup.
- 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 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 Lemon pound cake is fantastic, a little time consuming but well worth it. I have made this several times since I found this recipe and everyone loves it. Very lemony and moist. If you are a lemon fan you must make this cake, it’s for any occasion.
Hi Jenn! Thanks for another amazing recipe! 🙂 Is it possible to make the batter in advance then bake it at a later date? If not, should I freeze the cake if I plan to serve it two days after baking, or should I just leave it at room temperature? We live in a tropical country so our room temperature is on the warmer side.
Hi Rose, I would not recommend making the batter in advance as the cake will not rise properly when you go to bake it.
But you should be fine as this keeps well for 3 to 4 days. (I’d store it in a cake dome on your counter.) Hope you enjoy!
Got it. Will do as you advise. Thanks again. 🙂
Just made this today and it is excellent. I added two cups of frozen raspberries and cranberries (dusted with flour) because my family likes a little extra tang. A really nice compliment to the lemon. Definitely will make this again. Thank you!
Jenn, this is another winner! I was so impressed with your zucchini bread that I decided to give this a try, too. I made the recipe as two lemon pound cakes, as per your alternate instructions. They came out perfect at 60 minutes. The flavor and texture is as good as it gets. I’ve tried other lemon pound recipes but found them disappointing in one way or another. Not this one, convinced by how the two cakes disappeared in three days—without children in the house! You are my new go-to!
If you like lemon cake, you are going to love this recipe! It was the best lemon pound cake I ever had! I personally enjoyed it more than a popular coffee shop’s version. I made it for a get-together and it received rave reviews from all who ate it.
This recipe is delicious! This is my first time making a homemade cake and it is wonderful!
This is the best lemon pound and has become a family favorite. The syrup really makes it moist and the glaze adds a delightful lemon touch and beautiful presentation!
A lovely large, moist and lemony cake. The lemon flavour appeals to those who do not cakes that are sickly sweet. A well-greased and floured pan prevented the cake from sticking. Looking forward to trying the Lemon Poppyseed cake soon.
This is a great recipe flavour wise. My first time baking I found the very centre of the cake to be slightly dense/gummy, but I can’t attribute this to underbaking as the outside was very dark, and the inner slightly dry! I think the ‘wet’ centre may have been due to slicing too soon after baking, so the second time I made it I baked at a slightly lower temp and let it cool completely before slicing. Perfect!
This cake is always a hit when I make it! I always think of expanding into other dessert recipes but this has just been such a requested favorite that I’m not ready to explore other desserts yet! I love it – it has the right density, the right amount of lemon and sweetness! This is my favorite cake to bake. I’ll look at other recipes of yours one day!! But for now – this cake will be coming with me to every event!
Made this pound cake this past weekend and it was delicious. We are lemon lovers and it was so flavorful and easy to make. Will definitely be using this recipe again.
This Lemon Pound Cake is the best I’ve ever had. I’ve made this several times. I have baked it in the Bundt pan as the recipe suggests and I have also baked it in two 8×4 loaf pans for approximately 45-60 minutes. The last time I made this recipe, I forgot the second step of drizzling the lemon syrup over the warm cake and it was still amazing!
I had tons of lemons in my backyard so I tried making this. Unfortunately it came out very dry for me. I don’t know what I did wrong. I will try again next time.
This cake is so lemony, moist and delicious! I can’t get enough of it. I love lemony baked goods and this, with that lemon syrup is definitely a good one! Jenn’s recipes never disappoint!
By far the best lemon cake I’ve had, hands down! And to think I made it myself! Jenn Segal isn’t my new culinary hero! The perfect balance of sweet and tart. Don’t be intimidated, she explains everything perfectly. My first cake stuck a bit so on the next one I used Pam for baking with flour instead of regular cooking spray and it’s come out clean and beautifully every time! Everyone loves this cake. I’ve even had people try it who say they don’t usually like lemon and they even loved it! Can’t thank you enough Jenn!
This is my all time favorite lemon dessert, so moist and fresh tasting. Every time I serve it, everyone wants the recipe! I did have some trouble with removing the cake from my fluted pan when using cooking spray. I have since switched to using butter making sure to get it into all the crevices and haven’t had a problem since.
Made for grandson’s 12th birthday. A hit with all the ages. Will be making it again.
Made this and my husband and I loved it. I had cut the recipe in half and just made one in a loaf pan. Boy was I sorry I didn’t make the whole recipe and made two! I will make it again to eat right away and will freeze the other to enjoy later. So delicious!! This is a keeper!!!
This is my go to recipe for anything lemon related! I have always loved lemons so this was an easy choice to try out. I have never been a baker, but the easy steps and pictures made this fool proof. I was even confident enough to make it for a neighbor!
I made this for my family a couple of weeks ago and it was a total success! I love the lemon glaze, but my parents found it a bit too sweet.
Even without the glaze, the cake has a delightful lemon flavour. Like some others here, I was wary of using sugar to dust the pan, so I used flour and it worked beautifully.
This is a wonderful recipe – I usually halve it for a traditional loaf pound cake. The buttermilk works beautifully for the taste and texture; do not skip the syrup step – it makes a huge difference! Great for gifting.
Thanks so much for this absolutely perfect recipe! This yummy lemon pound cake has now become a staple of my desserts. I’ve made it countless times, each one of them turning out great – not to mention, everyone loves it! I love it so much that I’ve now incorporated the icing part for use in other similar desserts, with the same success.
I love lemon flavour and this has it in abundance. Its my hubbys favourite cake and so simple to make. I came across once upon a chef while searching for some good stew recipies. I subscribed to the emails and now building a collection. The informative guidance on using the exact measure was spot on. So important as I have discovered. Since we moved from the UK 7 years ago, this is best collection I have come across.
Hi, can I substitute the buttermilk with a homemade buttermilk mixture? Will it still turn out the same or will it affect the texture of the cake?
Hi Joselyn, that’s perfectly fine. Hope you enjoy!
I love anything lemon and this pound cake was the best ever. So moist and tasty eaten just by itself.
This is the best lemon pound cake I have made. We use this recipe on a regular basis as it is a family favorite (right behind the pumpkin pound cake). It does take a little more time with adding the lemon simple sugar but that step adds so much moisture and flavor to the cake.
PS. Used butter and flour for the tin and had no problems.
My friend has a lemon tree, and she brought me a whole bag of gorgeous lemons (like, A LOT). When searching my fav recipe sites for something to make with these beauties, I came across this cake and made it for the rest of the nurses on my unit. They LOVED it. P.S. loved the retro feel of this cake ☺️
I made two of these today for the first time. I followed the recipe as written and did not modify anything. It turned out excellent. One was an anniversary gift for friends. I bet they will love it as well.
PS. I have been weighing my flour for several years now and find it makes all recipes consistent across time and when shared with friends. Professional bakers such as yourself have done that forever and we hobby chefs should do the same! It’s the one best piece of advice for any baker especially a novice.
I would have uploaded my picture but don’t know how 😊
PPS
I buttered a nonstick Bundt pan ans floured it as well. I cooked it about 15 min and has absolutely no problem with it releasing from the pan. I think the flour helped
So glad you liked it! 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!
Cake tastes good but definitely use a different method using flour to grease the pan. My cake stuck badly and ripped in half when I tipped it
Mine did too…first time I made this…it was for a friend’s birthday and now I’m embarrassed to give it to her.
Sorry you had a problem with this sticking — that’s a bummer if you were making this for a friend! If you want to try this again, see the note at the bottom of the recipe about an alternative way to treat the pan or how to turn it into two loaves.
What is the best way to halve the recipe? I don’t know how 3 eggs can be split equally…
Hi Sadie, beat the third egg in a measuring cup, discard half of it, and use the remaining half. Hope that helps and that you enjoy! 🙂
I made the cake before you replied, with the full recipe, but thank goodness anyway!
Stuck to the pan! SOOOOO SAD!! Sprayed it like crazy with Pam I have no idea how it happened but I am in a bad mood now 🙁
Hi Lisa, So sorry you had a problem with this sticking! If you’d like to give it another try, you could 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. If you want to give this another try, one other option is to make this in two loaf pans. You can refer to the note and the bottom of the recipe for more details.
I made this yesterday and was so disappointed 😞. I read your comments about sticking so I greased my nonstick bundt pan well with shortening and then sprayed it with Pam. I let it cool 10 minutes, I used a knife to go between the pan and cake and when I took it out huge chunks of cake were stuck in the pan. Also, I expected a nice, dense texture but it’s more fluffy. My husband was disappointed.
It is the best lemon cake , it is not easy one but deserves the effort. Every one tasted it , loved it. Thank you
Loved it
Im also a classically trained chef and although I have a wide range of my own recipes I browse the internet for new ones. Even though I multiplied this recipe by 4 for my use, which may not fit the average home user, it came out super good! One of the best cakes I’ve ever made to be honest! Well done! Highly recommend!
Hi Jenn,
Could use sour cream instead of buttermilk or that would not give the same result?
Thank you.
Sure, but you’ll need to thin it with a bit of milk. Please LMK how it turns out!
Hands down the most delicious cake I’ve ever made! Spectacular!! I was so worried because I was making this cake for the first time for a potluck picnic with some friends (I know, not smart to try a new recipe at such a time :D) but I simply couldn’t resist when I came across it. Needless to say it was an absolute hit and everyone wanted the recipe! I don’t usually stick to a recipe 100% because I either don’t have the exact ingredients or I like to add my own little twist but for this lemon cake I stuck to the ingredients and recipe to the T. I made my own buttermilk and it turned out amazing. I didn’t add the syrup though because I just thought it would be too sweet but the lemon icing on top was magnificent and the sweetness all around was perfect. Thank you so much Jenn for sharing such a wonderful recipe and for such easy to follow instructions!
Jenn
I have a 12 cup Bundt pan, will that be ok to use ( since the recipe calls for a 10 cup)?
Thank you!
Lisa
Hi Lisa, This actually calls for a 10-inch bundt pan (which holds 12 cups) so you’ve got exactly what you need. Hope you enjoy!
Oh Yeah Jenn!!!!
Thank you ….sometimes it’s a good thing
not reading correctly! Lol!
Thank you again!
Have my muse en place ready to go!
Lisa
Yikes! I used a regular bundt pan and it wayyyy overflowed, leaving a huge mess in my oven. I’m really confused, I followed the recipe to a T, all of my ingredients set out ahead of time and they were all fresh. Anyone know why this happened to me ???
Hi Mary, sorry you had a problem with this! It sounds like you bundt pan was too small. Did you use a 10-inch bundt pan?
Moist, delicious pound cake. I followed the recipe exactly and it was super easy to follow and turned out better than expected. My mother loved it and she is a tough critic. Definitely going to make this at every special occasion; family loved it! Tastes even better after freezing.
Absolutely delicious! This recipe is a keeper for me.
Great recipe and delicious cake – followed exactly as written, including how to prepare the pan (with sugar) and had no problems turning it out.
Do not sprinkle the sugar!! It will crystallize and the cake sticks to the pan. The cake tastes like more like a lemon cake than a pound cake. Not bad but not what I was personally looking for.
Spectacular! Made this today and it was wonderful. I made it in 2 loaf pans, thinking I’d freeze one, per the instructions in the recipe. Well, my husband immediately ate most of one loaf, so I think we’ll be finishing off the second loaf for breakfast and I’ll just have to make it again! I will definitely come back to this recipe whenever I’m in the mood for something lemony.
I think next time I might try the Bon Appetit tip of putting the lemon zest in the sugar and then using my hands to rub the zest into the sugar, thereby releasing more of the zestiness, then creaming the lemony sugar with the butter. We’ll see!
My 2 loaves were done in about an hour and I did use the butter the pan and then use sugar, rather than flour, to help keep the loaf from sticking, in addition to the parchment at the bottom of the pan. No issues with sticking!
Just made this cake today, and was just amazed how good it turned out!! Thanks a million for sharing! I will make it again for sure!! Five stars!!🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Today I assembled a double recipe for lemon pound cakes for gifts. Like you, l prefer to assemble all ingredients and then proceed. I was (I thought) ready to fill the prepared pans when I looked up to see 6 eggs staring at me from the counter. Yikes! So, I put them in another bowl and whipped them well, then returned the thick batter to the mixer and added the eggs, mixing until blended. With trepidation, I filled the pans and, unbelievably, the cake is fine. What a forgiving recipe. The taste and texture are perfect. Like many, I reduced sugar by 25% and upped the juice and zest a bit.
Excellent pound cake recipe. I did half butter half coconut oil to reduce some of the dairy and it was wonderful! This recipe is light moist and I love the flavor. We skipped the glaze just so we could reduce sugar but did do the syrup which added a nice touch. My favorite lemon pound cake recipe by far!
Question: you mention being able to reduce the sugar by a quarter. Is that 1/4 cup or 25%? 25% puts the sugar content in the cake at about 1 2/3 cups versus 2 1/4 cups. I only reduced it by a quarter cup just to be safe the first go round. Let me know your thoughts. Thanks again for a fantastic recipe!
Hi Gabrielle, Glad you liked it. You can get away with reducing the sugar by 25%.
I made this tonight and followed the recipe except reduced the sugar by 1/4. It was delicious and everyone wanted more. I was planning to freeze the other half, but I think we will end up eating all of it. I am planning to make this again for Christmas.
Not a heavy cake. Great lemony taste. Wonderful for holiday serving.
I made this cake out of the blue back in July to cheer spirits at work. Now I make one every Monday morning with some banana muffins. Keeps the bosses happy.
Did everything the recipe said. My cake did not cook all the way through with 70 mins cook time, it stuck to the pan and very little lemon taste. Overall not a good experience!
This is THE BEST lemon pound cake I have ever made. Everyone loves it and requests it anytime there’s a gathering where food will be brought! This is the only recipe you’ll need… Make one today!!!
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 Jen:
I have the same question as Dawn. According to King Arthur website, 1 cup of King Arthur AP flour is 120 grams, so I was wondering if I should use 360 grams or 375 grams (per metric setting of your recipe). Thank you very much for the wonderful recipes.
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.
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!