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Lemon Pound Cake

Some desserts walk in loud, and this one does it with lemon.

The crumb is tight in that good pound cake way, the glaze runs right down the sides, and every slice lands bright instead of heavy.

It starts with the usual butter, sugar, eggs, and flour setup, then the lemon steps in and pulls the whole loaf into a sharper, sunnier place.

This fits spring brunch, Easter dessert tables, shower menus, and those slow afternoons when coffee needs cake next to it.

Put it out with 4th of July Strawberry Lemonade or No Bake Strawberry Cheesecake Recipe when you want dessert to lean fresh and not too rich.

That glaze settling over the top is the part that makes people cut a thicker slice than they planned.

Ingredients You Need

  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
  • 4 large eggs
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon lemon zest
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons lemon juice for the glaze

How To Make Lemon Pound Cake

1. Cream the butter and sugar.

Beat the softened butter and sugar until the mixture looks fluffy and pale, because that airy start helps the loaf stay tender instead of dense.

Butter and sugar creamed for lemon pound cake

2. Add the eggs.

Mix in the eggs one at a time so the batter stays smooth and does not split on you halfway through.

Eggs added to lemon pound cake batter

3. Stir together the dry ingredients.

Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl so the lift and seasoning spread through the loaf evenly.

Dry ingredients for lemon pound cake

4. Mix the dry ingredients into the batter.

Add the dry mix to the butter bowl and stir just until the flour starts disappearing.

Dry ingredients mixed into lemon pound cake batter

5. Pour in the milk.

Add the milk and stir until the batter loosens up and smooths out again.

Milk added to lemon pound cake batter

6. Add the lemon and vanilla.

Stir in the lemon juice, zest, and vanilla so the batter picks up that bright citrus smell before it even hits the pan.

Lemon mixture added to pound cake batter

7. Line the loaf pan.

Set parchment into the loaf pan so the cake lifts out cleanly once it is baked and glazed.

Lined loaf pan for lemon pound cake

8. Spread the batter into the pan.

Scrape the batter into the pan and smooth the top so the loaf bakes up as evenly as possible.

Lemon pound cake batter in loaf pan

9. Bake the cake.

Bake at 350 F for 50 to 60 minutes, until the loaf is golden and the center looks set.

Baked lemon pound cake loaf

10. Glaze the cooled loaf.

Whisk the powdered sugar with lemon juice, then drizzle the glaze over the loaf once it has cooled enough to hold that glossy finish on top.

Glazed lemon pound cake loaf

Slice and Serve It Like This

This cake is lovely with coffee, hot tea, or anything cold and citrusy on the side.

A plain slice already feels complete, but berries or a little whipped cream would not be out of place if you want the plate to look fuller.

The clean lemon flavor keeps it easy to serve after heavier meals too.

Plated slice of lemon pound cake

Keep It Covered

Once the glaze sets, keep the loaf covered at room temperature for two to three days.

If you want to stretch it longer, chill it and bring slices back to room temperature before serving so the crumb softens again.

You can also freeze individual slices and thaw them as needed.

If You Still Have Lemons

Extra lemons can go into iced tea, quick salad dressings, or a simple citrus sugar for fruit bowls.

A little leftover zest can also be stirred into whipped cream or yogurt if you want something bright without much effort.

That is a nice way to use the last bits without letting them dry out in the fridge drawer.

Close look at the crumb of lemon pound cake

A Few Pound Cake Questions

Can you taste the lemon clearly? Yes, because both juice and zest go into the batter and the glaze brings even more citrus on top.

Why line the loaf pan? The parchment makes it much easier to lift the cake out without breaking the edges once the glaze goes on.

When should I glaze it? Wait until the cake has cooled enough that the glaze stays on the loaf instead of melting straight off.

Does the glaze set hard? It sets enough to stay in place, but it still keeps that soft glossy look that pound cake glaze should have.

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Lemon Pound Cake

Recipe by Shannon

This lemon pound cake has a buttery crumb, bright citrus flavor, and a glossy lemon glaze that makes the loaf look as good as it tastes.


  • Total Time1 hour 15 minutes
  • Yield1 loaf 1x
  • DietNut Free, Vegetarian

Ingredients

Scale
  •  1 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
  •  4 large eggs
  •  2 cups allpurpose flour
  •  1 teaspoon baking powder
  •  1/2 teaspoon salt
  •  1/4 cup milk
  •  2 tablespoons lemon juice
  •  1 tablespoon lemon zest
  •  1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  •  1 cup powdered sugar
  •  2 to 3 tablespoons lemon juice for the glaze


Instructions

  • Beat the butter and sugar until fluffy and pale.
  • Mix in the eggs one at a time.
  • Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl.
  • Add the dry ingredients to the batter and mix just until combined.
  • Pour in the milk, then stir in the lemon juice, zest, and vanilla.
  • Spread the batter into a parchmentlined loaf pan.
  • Bake at 350 F for 50 to 60 minutes, until golden and set.
  • Whisk the powdered sugar with lemon juice and drizzle over the cooled loaf.

Notes

  •  Creaming the butter and sugar well helps the crumb stay tender.
  • Let the cake cool before glazing so the glaze stays on top instead of sliding away.
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 55 minutes
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American