Lemon Pound Cake
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This lemon pound cake is a lemon lover’s dream: soft, buttery, and soaked in citrusy syrup with a bright, tangy glaze on top. Make one for now and stash the second in the freezer—you’ll be glad you did.
Calling all lemon lovers! This lemon pound cake recipe is made just for you. The recipe incorporates both fresh lemon juice and lemon zest into the cake batter, giving the cake a bright, fresh flavor. But the real magic happens after baking—it gets soaked with lemon syrup and finished with a tart lemon glaze, so every bite is packed with intense lemony goodness.
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 classic pound cake and popular lemon poppyseed cake and lemon blueberry pound cake variations. A big thank you to Karen Tannenbaum, one of my longtime readers, for inspiring this wonderful recipe!
“I had fresh lemons to use up, so gave this a whirl. The texture, flavor, and, well, everything, was spot on. I keep stealing little slices each time I walk by!”
What You’ll Need To Make Lemon Pound Cake
- All-Purpose Flour: Forms the base of the batter and gives the cake structure. Be sure to spoon and level for an accurate measure; excess flour can make the cake dry.
- Baking Soda: Helps the cake rise for a light, tender crumb.
- Buttermilk: Adds moisture and tenderness to the cake.
- Lemon Zest And Lemon Juice: Team up to give the cake its bright, citrusy flavor—the zest brings the fragrant oils, and the juice adds tang. Be sure to zest the lemons before juicing (it’s almost impossible after!). A rasp grater works best, and avoid the bitter white pith under the skin.
- Unsalted Butter: Adds rich flavor and gives the cake its classic pound cake texture—soft, dense, and buttery. Remember to remove the butter from the fridge and bring it to room temperature; you’ll know it’s soft enough when you can press it with a finger and leave a slight indent.
- Granulated Sugar: Sweetens the batter and syrup and also gives the cake a moist texture.
- Large Eggs: Add richness, moisture, and structure.
- Confectioners’ Sugar: Used to make the sweet glaze that gets drizzled over the cake.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS
Step 1: Mix the dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, salt, and baking soda. Whisk until evenly combined.
Step 2: Mix the buttermilk and lemon. In another bowl or liquid measuring cup, whisk the buttermilk with the lemon zest and lemon juice. Set it aside.
Step 3: Cream the butter and sugar. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or using beaters), cream the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy. This creaming step incorporates air into the batter, which helps the cake rise and gives it a fine, tender crumb.
Step 4: Beat in the eggs. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each one. Adding the eggs gradually helps them emulsify into the batter, creating a stable, smooth mixture that won’t split or curdle.
Step 5: Add the dry and wet ingredients. With the mixer on low, alternate adding the flour and buttermilk mixtures, beginning and ending with the flour. (These gradual additions keep the batter from becoming over-mixed, which helps maintain a tender texture.) Scrape down the sides of the bowl, and give a quick mix to make sure all of the ingredients are well-incorporated.
Step 6: Fill the pans. Transfer the cake batter to the loaf pans lined with parchment slings and smooth the tops with a rubber spatula. (The parchment slings help prevent the cake from sticking to the pan and make it easy to lift out cleanly—no need to invert or risk breaking the crust.)
Step 7: Bake and cool. Bake the cakes in a 350°F oven for 55 to 65 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean. Let the cakes cool in the pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then lift them out using the parchment slings and cool for about an hour more.
Step 8: Make the syrup. Combine the water and sugar in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in the lemon juice. Adding lemon juice after boiling keeps the flavor bright and fresh rather than cooked or muted.
Step 9: Make the glaze. In a medium bowl, whisk together the confectioners’ sugar and lemon juice until smooth. Adjust with more sugar or juice if needed for your preferred consistency—for a thicker glaze, use less juice; for a thinner drizzle, add a tiny splash more.
Step 10: Top the cakes with syrup and glaze. Once the cakes are cool, brush the warm syrup all over—don’t forget the sides—and let it soak in. Make sure the cakes are completely cool; applying the syrup to a fully cooled cake helps it soak in evenly without making the crumb gummy. Last, spoon the glaze over the top, letting it drip down the sides. The cake will keep nicely for a few days; freeze without the glaze for up to 3 months.
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Lemon Pound Cake
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 3 cups all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off
- 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
- 1 cup (2 sticks) 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 (175°C) and set an oven rack in the middle position. Spray two 8½ x 4½-in (22 x 11-cm) 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.
Notes
- If you’d prefer not to buy it, check out some easy guidance on how to make buttermilk using milk and lemon juice or vinegar.
- You'll need 4 to 5 large lemons for the entire recipe.
- Make-Ahead/Freezing 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
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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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…
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.
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!
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.
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!