Dense, buttery pound cake gets a lemon lift in this bright and cheery citrus version. Iced lemon pound cake is super moist and bursting with the flavors of fresh lemon, creamy butter, and sweet vanilla. A creamy lemon icing that sets on top is the only decorating this small-yet-stunning cake requires.
One reader, Laurie, says: “I’ve never made pound cake before but this turned out very well. It was moist and delicious. It took 50 minutes to bake and I’m glad you mentioned that a couple of moist crumbs on a toothpick is ok, otherwise I may have left it in the oven longer and it may have been a bit dry. I used the zest of 1 1/2 lemons as suggested as I love lemon. I’m making another one today! ★★★★★“
Here’s exactly what you need to make when it’s citrus season: grapefruit Greek yogurt cake.
But if grapefruit isn’t your ideal choice, iced lemon pound cake is another home run. I originally published this dessert recipe on my website in 2017 and I make it at least once every winter season. Imagine a coffee shop lemon loaf, but with a tighter crumb and with supremely fresh flavor you only get from homemade. (Nothing compares!)
Do you enjoy pound cake? My favorite is this cream cheese pound cake, which has an upgraded flavor, tight and dense crumb, and remains wonderfully buttery and soft. Brown butter pound cake has a similar texture and comes with the addition of brown butter flavor. Nutella swirl pound cake has the classic pound cake crumb with defined Nutella swirls throughout. Point being—I love adding flair and flavor to pound cake, and lemon is always a lovely choice.
By the way, if you’ve tried the lemon loaf recipe in my cookbook Sally’s Baking Addiction, you’ll appreciate today’s recipe, too. The cookbook variation is a lighter-crumbed quick bread—soft and airy like birthday cake, but with big and bright lemon flavor that hits as soon as you take the first bite.
The Exact Texture of This Lemon Pound Cake
Today’s recipe has the same wake-up-your-tastebuds flavor as my cookbook variation, but the texture is a little different. It is:
- Unapologetically moist
- Caramelized around the edges
- Dense and satisfying without tasting heavy
- Super rich and buttery
- Extra smooth with a velvety crumb
Best Ingredients to Use & Why I Don’t Recommend Substitutions
You need just 9 ingredients in the lemon pound cake batter. With so few ingredients, it’s best to stick to the recipe because each has an important job. I’ve tried my hand at many variations, and keep coming back to this recipe because of its careful ratio of ingredients. I don’t recommend straying.
Dry Ingredients: You need all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. The amount of flour isn’t a misprint. You really only need 1.5 cups, or 188g. Somehow, it just works!
Wet Ingredients: Grab your room-temperature butter and sugar, then you’ll need eggs, sour cream for moisture (it also keeps the crumb a bit light), vanilla extract, and lemon zest + juice.
Helpful Tip: You need lemon zest and juice and it’s easiest to zest the lemon before juicing it. Here’s the citrus zester and the citrus juicer I use if you need recommendations.
Expect a Thick Lemon Pound Cake Batter
This is a thick batter. Unlike vanilla cake or chocolate cake, there’s no milk to thin things out. The only real liquid is from the lemon juice, and there isn’t too much of it. Pound cakes do not typically include liquid besides eggs. (If you consider those liquid!)
You can bake this in a 9×5-inch loaf pan, but lately I have been using my 1-lb. 8×4-inch loaf pan. It yields a taller loaf, and needs a little extra bake time. I include instructions for both pans in the recipe below. If all you have is a 9×5-inch loaf pan, which is what you use for banana bread and pumpkin bread, you can use it, but expect the bread to be a little shorter than pictured.
Spread the batter into the greased loaf pan. There isn’t much pouring involved… more of a spoon-and-spread situation here!
Lemon Icing That Sets
I believe the saying goes… when life hands you lemons, make lemonade glaze. The icing on top of the pound cake adds a whole other level of lemon flavor. It’s thick and sets after a couple hours, producing a sweet and zingy layer you’ll want to save for last. You need heavy cream (or half-and-half or milk), lemon juice, and confectioners’ sugar.
Feel free to add candied lemons on the top for presentation, like I do with lemon poppy seed bread.
This recipe is too small for a Bundt pan. In you want a larger lemon pound cake in a Bundt pan, here are 2 options: (1) Double the recipe, but use 3/4 cup (180g) of sour cream to ensure there is enough moisture. The rest of the ingredients are simply doubled. Follow the same baking time and temperature from my cream cheese pound cake. And (2) Use my lemon poppy seed Bundt cake recipe, and feel free to skip the poppy seeds.
Absolutely. You can fold 1 cup (about 140g) of fresh blueberries into the batter. I try to avoid frozen blueberries because they turn the batter and cake grayish blue, but feel free to use them if that’s all you have. No need to coat them with flour before folding in, but feel free to do so if you’d like. This batter is quite thick, so they don’t really sink.
Iced Lemon Pound Cake
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 55 minutes
- Total Time: 3 hours, 15 minutes
- Yield: serves 8-10
- Category: Cake
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
Dense, buttery pound cake gets a lemon lift in this bright and cheery citrus version. Iced lemon pound cake is super moist and bursting with the flavors of fresh lemon, creamy butter, and sweet vanilla. A creamy lemon icing that sets on top is the only decorating this small-yet-stunning cake requires.
Ingredients
- 1 and 1/2 cups (188g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (16 Tbsp; 226g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1/4 cup (60g) sour cream, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 3 Tablespoons (45ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Lemon Icing
- 1 cup (120g) confectioners’ sugar, sifted
- 1 and 1/2 Tablespoons (22ml) lemon juice
- 1 Tablespoon (15ml) heavy cream or milk (heavy cream produces a thick icing as pictured)
Instructions
- Lower the oven rack to the lower-third position and preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease an 8×4-inch loaf pan (like this one or this one) with nonstick spray. Or you can use a 9×5-inch loaf pan for a shorter loaf.
- Make the cake: Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl. Set aside.
- With a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, beat the butter on high speed in a large bowl until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute. Add the granulated sugar and beat on high speed for 2 minutes until creamed. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl as needed. (Here’s a helpful tutorial if you need guidance on how to cream butter and sugar.) With the mixer running on low speed, add the eggs one at a time. Once the last egg is completely mixed in, stop the mixer. Add the sour cream, lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla extract, then beat on medium speed until combined. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl as needed. The mixture may look curdled as a result of the varying textures combining. This is normal and the batter will come together when you add the dry ingredients in the next step.
- With the mixer running on low speed, slowly add the dry ingredients just until combined. If needed, run a whisk through the batter a few times to rid any large lumps. Avoid over-mixing. Batter is very thick.
- Spoon/spread the batter into prepared loaf pan and bake for 55-65 minutes if you used an 8×4-inch pan and 45-60 minutes if you used a 9×5-inch loaf pan. Tent the cake with aluminum foil halfway through baking to prevent the top from over-browning. Pound cakes are dense and take awhile to bake in the oven. Baking times vary, so keep an eye on yours and don’t be alarmed if yours is taking longer. The cake is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out *mostly* clean. A couple moist crumbs are OK.
- Remove the cake from the oven and place on a wire rack. Allow cake to cool in the pan on the wire rack for 1 hour, then carefully remove the slightly warm cake from the pan. Let it continue cooling on a wire rack or on a serving plate/platter. You can add the icing while the cake is still warm or wait for it to cool.
- Make the icing: Whisk all of the icing ingredients together and pour over cake. Serve immediately or wait until the cake cools completely, which promises neater slices.
- Cover and store leftover cake for up to 3 days at room temperature or up to 1 week in the refrigerator.
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: You can make the pound cake ahead of time by freezing it. (I suggest icing it right before serving, so freeze it without the icing.) Bake it, cool it, then wrap it in a layer of plastic wrap and then a layer of aluminum foil. Freeze the loaf for up to 3 months. Allow the cake to thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then bring to room temperature before topping with icing and serving.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): 8×4-inch Loaf Pan (like this one or this one) or 9×5-inch Loaf Pan | Glass Mixing Bowls | Whisk | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Cooling Rack | Citrus Juicer | Citrus Zester
- Sour Cream: If you don’t have sour cream, you can use plain yogurt or dairy/nondairy milk instead. If using milk, your pound cake won’t have a super tight crumb that is signature to pound cakes. Instead, the cake will have a lighter and cakier texture. For best results, I recommend full-fat sour cream.
- Bundt Pan: Here are 2 options for making a lemon Bundt pound cake in a Bundt pan. (1) Double this recipe, but use 3/4 cup (180g) of sour cream. If you were doubling the recipe, you would use 1/2 cup but make sure you increase to 3/4 cup for added moisture. The rest of the ingredients are simply doubled. Spoon/spread into a generously greased 10–12-cup Bundt pan. Follow the baking time and temperature from my cream cheese pound cake. (2) Use my lemon poppy seed Bundt cake recipe. Feel free to leave out the poppy seeds. That cake has a lighter texture and isn’t quite as heavy as pound cake.
- Can I Add Blueberries? Yes, absolutely. You can fold 1 cup (about 140g) of fresh blueberries into the batter after it comes together. I strongly recommend fresh blueberries, as frozen blueberries can turn the batter and finished cake a grayish blue. Keeping that in mind, you can use them if you’d like. I have better luck with fresh.
Reader Comments and Reviews
Can I use the convection mode of the oven to bake this cake? What modification do I need to do in regards to temperature and time?
Hi Reva, if you have the choice, we recommend conventional settings when baking cakes, breads, etc. The flow of air from convection heat can cause baked goods to rise and bake unevenly and it also pulls moisture out of the oven. If you do use the convection setting to bake this cake, lower your temperature by 25 degrees F and keep in mind that things may still take less time to bake. Hope you enjoy it!
Excellent recipe. My mom passed when I was 9 so I started young, baking for a farm family so have a bit of experience (lots and lots of desserts). This is the very BEST lemon loaf hands down. Thank you!
We are so glad you loved this recipe, Ida! Thank you for giving it a try and taking the time to report back. We appreciate it!
So incredibly delicious! Happened to have a bag of lemons, and wanted to make a pound cake. This one is off the chart wonderful. I love the texture, and it always comes out perfect, and is an easy recipe. I love the way it freezes, if it lasts that long.
I made this lemon pound loaf tonight with fabulous results. It cooked beautifully in 45 minutes. I watched it from 30 minutes onwards. Lovely rounded top, with the tiniest crack. Lovely golden crumb on the outside of the bake and a delicious lemon flavour. A triumph in a recipe as Sally’s recipe are always top notch.
I did not like this recipe…I followed the recipe to a tee. It was so dry and had no flavor, disappointing.
Hi Deb, thanks for giving this a try—we’re happy to help troubleshoot. Over-baking, even by just a couple minutes, will lead to a dry cake. All ovens are different, so make sure to keep an eye on yours as it bakes. Also make sure to spoon and level your flour when measuring, too much flour will yield a dense cake as well. If you wish to try this recipe again in the future, feel free to increase the lemon zest by a bit, too.
this recipe has made me feel so special. ive baked it several times as gifts for friends and family and i keep getting the comment that it tastes like it came from a bakery. im not sure if it’s skepticism on their end but it’s the ultimate form of flattery as a homemaker lol. our local berry farm just started selling their blueberries, they are so delicious and sweet, unlike the store bought ones. i knew i just had to make this recipe with the addition of blueberries! i wont be icing it until later tonight, but a piece of the corner came out in the pan when i was turning over the loaf, it was a free treat for me hehe, anyways, it’s as expected: amazing! thank you for sharing!
Could I make this recipie in mini tin pans? If so what would the timings be?
Hi Memoona, you can bake this batter in mini loaf pans. We’re unsure of the exact bake time and yield, so keep a close eye on them and use a toothpick to test for doneness. Enjoy!
Taste was good, but it just fell apart. Very crumbly
Could anyone advise, as to how I make this same recipe ‘gluten-free’. My friends, neighbours, and relatives love this recipe. The only change is I add 1 tablespoon of lemon zest to the icing.
Hi Anne, we haven’t tested this recipe with gluten free flour, so we’re unsure of the results. Glad this recipe is enjoyed!
My Hubby’s Favorite Dessert! The only change I make is to add 1/2 teas lemon oil and the zest from 2 large lemons. He doesn’t like frosting, just cake, so this ramps the lemon flavor in the cake up a notch!
I’m excited to try this recipe for my husband for Father’s Day! Could I bake this in a mini Bundt pan? 6 mini loaves per pan. I’m guessing I might have to do a batch or two to use all the batter.
Hi Jennifer, you can bake this batter in mini loaf pans. We’re unsure of the exact bake time and yield, so keep a close eye on them and use a toothpick to test for doneness. Enjoy!
Can you make this recipe in a sheet pan for petit fours? What tweaks would be needed.
Hi Nikki! We would use our recipe for Lemon Berry Petit Fours instead 🙂
This was my first time making this recipe. I normally make a large lemon pound cake, but I only needed a cake big enough for three. The cake was absolutely delicious! Between Sunday dinner and Monday snacking, there is exactly one slice left! But the glaze was too runny, despite making it as written and spooning it over a cooled cake. I had more on the plate than on the cake when finished. Next time I make this cake, I’ll add two tablespoons of melted butter to help it set a little.
Delicious lemon loaf! I will definitely make this again. It was a big hit with company.Thanks Sally!
Could I bake this in an 8×8 pan square pan
Hi Sande, that should work just fine; it may be a little dense. I’m unsure of the best bake time.
This is a lovely cake, simple and delicious. Perfect for brunch or lunch.
This pound cake hit the spot! I had a few lemons that needed used up and this was the perfect way!
I really enjoyed making this receipe , it was fun and easy and most seriously delicious .‼️
Mine does taste like pound cake. It’s dry and crumbly.
Hi Jason! Happy to help troubleshoot. Over-baking, even by just a couple minutes, will lead to a dry cake. All ovens are different, so make sure to keep an eye on yours as it bakes. Also make sure to spoon and level your flour when measuring, too much flour will yield a dense cake as well.
My first time baking a cake & it came out great! Lovely recipe, thanks a bunch!
Hi friend! I’m new to baking and wanted to make this for my lemon-fanatic mom. I just pulled it out of the oven, and the middle has sunk completely. Toothpick test says it’s cooked, but it’s not pretty. I definitely followed the directions exactly, so what could I have done wrong here? I have enough to try again, but I don’t want the same lemon canyon result.
Hi Austin! When cakes sink, the culprit is almost always under-baking. Make sure to get the toothpick to the very center of the pound cake when you do your test to check for doneness. Also make sure your baking powder is fresh, though if it rose, then fell, this likely isn’t the issue. Hope your mom loves the bread!
Hey Austin ,
As a chef also taking it out before its time could’ve have been the culprit and also a lot of stomping and heavy feet in the kitchen could cause cakes to sink .
I haven’t made this recipe in over year, it seems like it has changed? I swear I used wayyy more than 1 tsp of lemon zest. I loved the version I’ve made in the past. Is this the same, or better? Just trying to figure out the right amount of lemon!
Hi Jacob, the recipe may have used to call for the zest of 1 lemon. Let me check. Regardless, it’s around 1 teaspoon, which is how I’ve always made it. Feel free to add more!
I did the minimum baking time of 45 min and it got pretty dark on the bottom. Had to shave off the edges to make it edible. Probably putting it on the lower one-third of the oven…?
Hi Kristn, was your pan particularly dark by chance? Darker pans can sometimes cause breads to bake faster and develop a darker “crust.” It also sounds like your oven may run a bit hot. For next time, you can try reducing the temperature just slightly, knowing that you’ll need to extend the baking time a bit, too. Thanks for giving this one a try!
So, i wasn’t able to leave a comment in your “Lemon blueberry layer cake” recipe, so i will leave one here. will it work to split the ingredients and make cupcakes instead of a cake? if so, how long should i bake them?
Here is our lemon blueberry cupcakes recipe!
I was just wondering if greek yogurt works as a substitute for the sour cream
Yes, you can use plain Greek yogurt instead of sour cream.
Is there a dairy free substitute for sour cream that you recommend? Thank you!
Hi Olivia, you can try using a non-dairy, plant-based yogurt instead.
i took it out oven a little early because the toothpick test came out good and it had a beautiful golden brown color, so worth it! It tasted fantastic, it was nice and fluffy with a surprise burst of flavor! also not dry at all. amazing recipe, 100% recommend
Great loaf cake. I especially like that it does not contain lemon extract, only the zest and juice of a real lemon.
Some custard qualities to this wonderful twist on a pound cake. Don’t skimp on the full fat sour cream and as Sally says, be sure to let it rest before taking it out of the pan! I used 1 Tbs of zest but I adore lemon. I sifted the flour and folded it in and it was very tender. Wonderful recipe; thank you!
This was absolutely delicious! It was so good that I made another one in a Bundt pan so there would be more. Thank you for the recipe!!!
Did you just double the loaf recipe for a Bundt?
I made this yesterday for the second time. We love it. I used the USA cake pan and it turned out perfectly and looks exactly like yours. It took 50 minutes. The sides are very dark but Bill says he likes that. I was using another recipe that takes lemon extract but I like the more natural flavor of yours with the lemon juice and zest! The icing is the finishing touch. Thanks, Sally, for another terrific recipe.