Classic Lemon Pound Cake Recipe: Lemon Pound Cake has a zesty lemon icing, a golden surface, and is moist and tender! Even better, this recipe for simple lemon pound cake makes a delicious dessert for spring, summer, or Easter!
It’s officially time for everything lemon! I’m not sure what it is about spring with Easter approaching, but this is the time of year when I always have a craving for lemon foods of all kinds, especially sweets. And that means that I bake this delicious handmade lemon pound cake every year!
While a well-made pound cake is difficult to top, making one isn’t always easy. Fortunately, the recipe for today is not only excellent but downright amazing. Plus, it’s really simple to make!
Classic Lemon Pound Cake RecipeÂ
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons lemon zest
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 2 ½ cups sugar
- 6 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 cup sour cream, at room temperature
- 2 tablespoons freshly-squeezed lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon pure lemon extract
For the glaze:
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 2-3 tablespoons freshly-squeezed lemon juice
Instructions
Set an oven rack in the middle position and preheat the oven to 325°F. Grease and flour a 12-cup bundt pan generously, then set it aside.
Mix the flour, baking soda, salt, and lemon zest in a big bowl. Cream the butter and sugar in a second, big dish using an electric mixer. After about five minutes, increase the speed to medium-high and beat until the mixture is light and fluffy. One egg at a time, add them and stir thoroughly after each addition.
Half of the flour mixture, half of the sour cream, and finally the remaining flour mixture, sour cream, lemon juice, and lemon extract should be added in turn while the mixer is running on low speed. Be careful not to overmix; merely blend all the ingredients.
Spoonula-smooth the top of the batter into the prepared pan, then tap the pan hard against the counter to pop any trapped air bubbles. When a toothpick is put in the center, a few moist crumbs should stick. Bake for one hour and fifteen minutes, or up to one hour and thirty minutes. Let the cake cool in the pan for fifteen minutes, and then remove it onto a wire rack to cool fully.
To make the glaze, put the powdered sugar in a bowl and use a spoon to fully combine it with two tablespoons of lemon juice. If glaze is too thick, thin it out with a little more lemon juice. After the cake has cooled, drizzle the glaze over it and let it solidify. Garnish with extra lemon zest, if preferred.
Notes
For the best results, make sure your ingredients are at room temperature, which helps ensure a light, airy, fluffy texture. Room temp ingredients will also whip together more easily.
Don’t overmix after adding the dry ingredients or your cake may turn out dense.
The lemon juice is added towards the end of the recipe, along with the flour and sour cream. This prevents the batter from curdling, which could adversely affect the final texture of the cake.
The first time you make this cake, you may want to test it at an hour just in case your oven runs on the hotter side.
For a Lemon Pound Cake that’s extra moist and lemony, you may brush the cake with a lemon simple syrup while it’s still warm, and then glaze once it’s completely cool.
To make (optional) lemon simple syrup: Combine ¼ cup water + ¼ cup sugar in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir occasionally, to dissolve the sugar, and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and stir in 2 tablespoons of lemon juice.
Nutrition
- Calories:Â 395kcal
- Carbohydrates:Â 62g
- Protein:Â 5g
- Fat:Â 15g
- Saturated Fat:Â 9g
- Polyunsaturated Fat:Â 1g
- Monounsaturated Fat:Â 4g
- Trans Fat:Â 1g
- Cholesterol:Â 97mg
- Sodium:Â 145mg
- Potassium:Â 88mg
- Fiber:Â 1g
- Sugar:Â 42g
- Vitamin A:Â 491IU
- Â Vitamin C:Â 3mg
- Calcium:Â 38mg
- Iron: 1mg
