The loveliest Lemon Pound Cake with a two-ingredient lemon glaze. Using simple ingredients, this easy recipe produces a surprisingly tender, buttery lemon cake that keeps moist for days. Perfect for Easter celebrations!
I ❤️ lemon desserts and I LOVE Lemon Pound Cake. Quite possibly my favourite cake (ever), this easy lemon cake is what lemon-covered dreams are made of.
It boasts a soft, tender, tight, buttery crumb – just like every good pound cake should. And with both fresh lemon juice and zest in the cake itself and the glaze icing, it’s bursting with zesty lemon-y goodness.
This easy recipe will now be on regular rotation in my house – and yours too I hope! It’s the perfect cake for morning tea, Easter lunch or simple celebrations.
Why you will love this recipe
- Basic ingredients: Along with fresh lemons, all the ingredients you need for this recipe are pantry staples.
- Easy to make: The cake itself comes together quickly and the glaze takes one minute to make. Frost in seconds and you’re done!
- Stays moist: One of the benefits of pound cakes is that they stay soft and moist for days (when they’re done right 😉)
- Freezes well: My Lemon Pound Cake can be frozen to be enjoyed at a later date. Perfect for easy entertaining!
Made this today – was a hit – tasted amazing! We actually ate it while it was still slightly warm. Will definitely make again.
– Cathy
Recipe testing
I’ve had a pound cake weakness ever since I tested my original Vanilla Pound Cake recipe in 2020. I made nine cakes in a week and have been smitten with that tight but tender crumb ever since.
I have since used that recipe to create my Chocolate Pound Cake and my Orange Pound Cake. So it was only a matter of time before we tackled the perfect Lemon Pound Cake.
It took a few tests to get this cake just right. One of my first tests tasted good but the crumb was a little tough. Once I adjusted the fresh lemon juice and amount of milk, I was close but the crumb was a little dense.
A little more baking powder, a little less milk and more lemon and boom. The ultimate Lemon Pound Cake with a gorgeous velvet-y crumb and a crisp crust.
To ensure the lemon flavour really comes through, I also added a simple lemon glaze, just like I do on my favourite Lemon Ricotta Cookies.
Honestly, it took this moist pound cake to another level. I hope you love this one as much as me and my family!
Ingredients
One of the best things about making pound cakes is that you don’t need any special ingredients. This recipe calls for fresh lemons, but the rest of the ingredients are pantry staples.
Here’s a quick breakdown of the key ingredients you’ll need, including any substitutions you can make.
- Caster sugar: Caster sugar is very fine sugar often used in baking. In this recipe, granulated sugar will also work.
- Fresh lemons: You can’t substitute fresh lemons in this recipe. We will be using both the lemon zest and the juice in the cake batter itself and the lemon glaze.
- Plain flour: You’ll need plain flour or all purpose flour.
- Milk: You don’t need buttermilk for this recipe, just regular whole or full fat milk works perfectly.
- Icing sugar: Icing sugar, also known as powdered sugar or confectioners’ sugar, is what you’ll need for the lemon glaze. This very fine sugar will dissolve and create a lovely tangy frosting.
See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
How to make Lemon Pound Cake
We will be using the traditional creaming method to make this Lemon Pound Cake. You’ll need an electric hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment to start.
Here’s a quick step-by-step overview of how to make it. The full instructions are included in the recipe card below.
Step 1: In a large bowl, add butter and sugar. Beat on medium speed for 1-2 minutes or until creamy and fluffy (very important step).
Step 2: Add eggs, one at a time, and mix briefly on medium speed until combined.
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Step 3: Add baking powder, salt, lemon zest, lemon juice and half of your flour. Mix on low speed for 15 seconds.
Step 4: Finally, add milk and remaining flour. Mix on low speed until you have a creamy but very thick cake batter (try not to over-mix here).
Step 5: Transfer batter to prepared pan. Smooth top.
Step 6: Bake cake for 1 hour and 5 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.
Step 7: In a medium bowl, mix together icing sugar and fresh lemon juice.
Step 8: Pour lemon glaze over cooled cake. Sprinkle fresh lemon zest all over the top.
Storage instructions
- Storage: Once your Lemon Pound Cake is cooled completely, you can store it in an airtight container at room temperature.
- Make ahead: You cannot make the cake batter ahead of time – it needs to be baked as soon as it is made. However, you can make the cake ahead of time and freeze it. Simply wrap it in plastic wrap once cooled and place it in an airtight container in the freezer. To serve, simple thaw at room temperature. I recommend adding the glaze once you have defrosted the cake.
Frequently asked recipes
Pound Cake is heavy on the butter and relies on the creaming of the butter and sugar initially to create it’s aerated structure. My recipe also has a small amount of baking powder to help with lift and milk for added moisture. You can read more about my recipe testing journey in my Classic Pound Cake recipe post.
Yes! You can swap lemons for oranges in this recipe. Or you can try my Orange Pound Cake recipe which is similar but has a lovely orange syrup.
Yes. You can bake this recipe using a bundt pan if you prefer. You would only need a 10-cup capacity pan as it’s not a large amount of cake batter.
Pound Cakes are designed to crack when baked. The cake batter is very thick and dense, so it takes a long time to bake. The top of the cake cooks first, causing the remaining batter to rise up and burst through the crust as it bakes.
Jess’s recipe tips
- Start with softened butter: Using the traditional creaming method means you will take a moment to ‘cream’ together your butter and sugar when you begin. This helps to aerate the mixture and create a light and tender crumb. If you start with softened butter, it will only take a 1-2 minutes. If you butter is fridge cold, it will take much longer and you won’t get the same result.
- Weigh your ingredients: For best results, I highly recommend weighing your ingredients using a baking scale. It’s very easy to over-measure ingredients like flour when using cup measurements.
- Avoid over-mixing your cake batter: Once your batter is combined, you can stop mixing. Over-mixing can result in a dry or tough pound cake.
- Don’t over-bake your cake: You’ll know your cake is ready when a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. Your cake should no longer have a sticky or wet top.
- Add icing when cake is completely cooled: If you add the lemon glaze when the cake is still warm, it will soak into the cake and turn translucent. It will still taste great though!
More Lemon Recipes
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Let’s Bake
Lemon Pound Cake recipe
The best Lemon Pound Cake I’ve ever had.
Ingredients
Lemon pound cake
- 230 grams (1 cup or 2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 200 grams (1 cup) caster sugar or granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- Zest of 2 large lemons, finely grated
- 60 ml (1/4 cup) fresh lemon juice (approximately 2 large lemons)
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 280 grams (2 cups) plain flour or all purpose flour
- 120 ml (1/2 cup) full fat or whole milk, room temperature
Lemon glaze icing
- 190 grams (1 and 1/2 cups) icing sugar or powdered sugar, sifted
- 1–2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- Lemon zest, finely grated, to decorate
Instructions
- Lemon Pound Cake
Preheat oven to 170 C (340 F) standard / 150 C (300 F) fan-forced. Grease and line a 9 by 5 inch loaf pan with baking or parchment paper. - In a large mixing bowl, add butter and sugar. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed until combined and then turn speed up to medium and beat for a further 1-2 minutes or until butter turns pale, creamy and almost fluffy.
- Add eggs, one at a time, and beat briefly to combine – don’t worry if the mixture goes a little bit lumpy at this stage – then scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Add lemon zest, lemon juice, baking powder, salt and half of the flour. Start to mix on a low speed.
- Then add remaining flour and milk. Mix on low speed until cake batter is smooth and creamy (but try not to over mix). It will be very thick.
- Pour cake batter into your prepared tin and smooth the top. Bake for approximately 1 hour and 5 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs. If your cake is very brown after 50-60 minutes, loosely cover the top with aluminium foil.
- Leave cake to cool completely on a wire rack.
- Lemon glaze icing
Add icing sugar to a medium-sized bowl. Add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and stir. If needed, add extra tablespoon of juice. You’ll want the icing to be fairly thick. - Spoon icing all over the top of the cake. Sprinkle over lemon zest. Cut into thick slices to serve.
Notes
Butter: Creaming your butter and sugar correctly will result in a soft, buttery cake. You need to mix together your butter and sugar with an electric mixer, until the butter turns pale, light and fluffy. If your butter is soft to begin with, it won’t take long – just a few minutes on medium speed.
Cracking: Pound Cakes do generally crack – it’s normal don’t worry! The cake batter is very thick and dense, so it takes a long time to bake. The top of the cake cooks first, causing the remaining batter to rise up and burst through the crust as it bakes.
Storage: Once your Lemon Pound Cake has completely cooled, you can store it in an airtight container at room temperature.
Make ahead: You cannot make the cake batter ahead of time – it needs to be baked as soon as it is made. However, you can make the cake ahead of time and freeze it. Simply wrap it in plastic wrap once cooled and place it in an airtight container in the freezer. To serve, simple thaw at room temperature. I recommend adding the glaze once you have defrosted the cake.
Nutrition Information
the best
Sue says
If I bake the cake at 350 degrees how long should I bake it. Would love to bake this!
Jessica Holmes says
Hi Sue, if you are just using a standard oven, that’s only a fraction warmer than I’ve suggested, so you could just check it a few minutes earlier. Hope you enjoy it!
Steve says
Hi, Jessica. I just made the pound cake and it is absolutely delicious !! I didn’t have whole milk on hand…..so I used a half of a cup of half & half. The cake is moist and tender and buttery. It has the perfect sweetness and the baking temp and time are right on the money. Thanks so much for the great recipe ! I feel like a real baker now !!!!! Haha.
Jessica Holmes says
That’s awesome! So glad you enjoyed it Steve – and you are a real baker! 👊🏻
Renee says
I made this for a party, served it with berries and ice cream and it was absolutely delicious and beautiful and party-worthy.
Jessica Holmes says
That makes me so happy Renee! Sounds fabulous!
Cathy says
Made this today – was a hit – tasted amazing! We actually ate it while it was still slightly warm. Will definitely make again.
Jessica Holmes says
This makes me so happy Cathy! It is so good warm!
Olga says
on Saturday I will prepare a lemon cake according to your recipe! Thank you so much!
Jessica Holmes says
I hope you enjoy it Olga!
Tom says
This recipe is lovely, but for european bakers, go for half the sugar.. a whole cup of it for 200 grams of flour is beyond insane.
Jessica Holmes says
Hi Tom, glad you liked this one. It has 280 grams of flour not 200 grams. I tested my Pound Cake recipe 10 times so I feel confident that 200 grams is just right. Remember sugar not only adds sweetness, but moisture, colour and flavour too.
Julie says
Hello,
When baking muffins and quick breads, I often sub milk for buttermilk. Do you have any thoughts about using buttermilk in this recipe?
Jessica Holmes says
Hi Julie, I haven’t tried but I think it would be fine! Let us know if you get a chance to try it 🙂
Timara Brown says
Can I use salted butter and just omit the salt? Thank you in advance!
Jessica Holmes says
Absolutely!
Nifa says
Looking forward to trying the recipe. Can it be baked in a slightly bigger baking tray.
Jessica Holmes says
Hi Nifa, you sure can but changing the size of the tray will change the shape of the loaf and potentially the cooking time. A larger (wider) tray might mean the cake cookies faster.
Jayde says
Absolutely loved the lemon cake however the icing/glaze didn’t seem right it could be an error on my part but it seemed a bit too sweet for me . The lemon cake is to die for
Jessica Holmes says
So glad you enjoyed it Jayde! You can easily halve the icing if you found it too sweet.
Helen says
Can’t wait to give this a try!! When you say in the notes about the cracking, can you do that thing where you pipe softened butter down the middle of the cake and it makes it “split” evenly?
Jessica Holmes says
Hi Helen, no I don’t. I just let it crack naturally! Hope you enjoy it!
Beth says
Its your bake, you can do whatever you like.
P.S. that technique works with any quick bread, poundcake, heavy batter item to make the crack more aesthetic.
Josh says
Loved it. Definitely don’t skip the glaze.
Jessica Holmes says
So happy to hear that Josh!