Lemon Pound Cake

How to make the best lemon pound cake recipe with a lemon-flavored icing sugar glaze. This recipe is delicious and with an incredibly moist texture made with sour cream for a perfectly tangy flavor that will please all lemon lovers' desserts.

this recipe

Lemon sour cream pound cake

If you're a lemon recipes lovers, then you'll definitely fall in love with this absolutely delicious moist lemon pound cake recipe 🍋 with is lemon-flavored sugar glaze.

I have to tell you that I'm not the biggest fan of lemony flavor although I do love moist pound cakes, but I'm drooling just thinking about the texture of this pound cake.

This is definitely my favorite lemon sour cream pound cake recipe and for me the recipe is perfect, the right balance between the sugar and the acidic taste of the fresh lemon juice and lemon zest with a very moist and dense texture as we like in lemon pound cakes.

So well that my mother knows where to get the recipe when she has lots of lemons at home and wants to use them to make a lemon cake.

What perfectly balances all the ingredients is the sour cream, which provides a richer, softer, more tender texture and a delicious flavor.

The lemon pound cake comes with a lemon glaze that dries to a sweet crust for extra pleasure in the mouth. Serve a slice of this lemon cake with whipped cream and some fresh fruit like fresh blueberries or berries.

>> See all loaf cake and bundt cake recipes from the blog

Ingredients and substitutions

This lemon pound cake recipe is very easy to make and it is prepared with simple ingredients and just the right amount to get that classic pound cake-like texture and perfect lemon flavor.

Scroll down the page for the quantities in the recipe card and make the recipe immediately.

Cake batter :

• Flour: all-purpose flour, measure the quantities with a kitchen scale because the flour plays an important role to have a very tender cake.
• Butter: with a well-softened texture but not melted, it gives this rich and dense texture. Preferably use unsalted butter.
• Sugar: white powdered sugar and do not use flavored sugar such as brown sugar or cane sugar which can alter the taste of the lemon (the amount of sugar is important because it stabilizes the acidity of the lemon, if you want to reduce the amount of sugar then also reduce the amount of lemon juice a bit)
• Eggs: large eggs at room temperature, this is important to obtain a homogeneous paste.
• Zest and fresh Lemons juice: They contribute to the flavor of this cake, use the lemon zest and fresh lemon juice of untreated and organic lemons preferably. You can also use bottled lemon juice and lemon extract as well.
• Sour cream: Helps balance the taste and adds softness to the cake. You can replace it with buttermilk or Greek yogurt.
• Baking powder: for more fluffiness use baking powder or baking soda.
• Salt and vanilla extract: Salt helps bring out all the flavors. And the vanilla adds a delicious aroma to this cake.

Useful tools: A 10-inch loaf pan with an electric mixer or stand mixer, and you can also make the recipe directly in a bundt pan.

Option:

To add more taste to your dessert, here are some ideas to add to your preparation before baking or to go with it :

• Poppy seeds: Add them to the mixture to make the lemon poppy cake version.
• Red fruit: Frozen blueberries or raspberries to add to the batter as in my lemon poppy seed cake with streusel topping.
• Cream cheese frosting: A creamy cheese frosting like in my carrot cake recipe.
• Whipped cream: Serve with light whipped cream to soften the tartness.
• Vanilla ice cream: The perfect freshness and sweetness to balance the lemony taste.

⚠️ You will find the quantities and instructions in the recipe card at the end of the page.

How to make lemon pound cake recipe with sour cream

1 - Cream the butter

1. Place softened unsalted butter and cut into pieces in a large bowl with sugar and lemon zest.
2. Mix with an electric mixer or in a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment for 2-3 minutes at medium speed until well blended.

Tip: You can use a zester to easily remove the lemon peel or a cheese grater, which also works well.

2 - Add eggs and lemon juice

1. Add eggs one at a time and vanilla extract and beat well after each addition for at least 30 seconds to incorporate.
2. Then add lemon juice and sour cream and mix again with the mixer for a few moments.

After adding the eggs, the mixture will have a lumpy texture (curdled) but don't panic it's quite normal, use well ingredients at room temperature.

4 - Add dry ingredients

1. In a medium bowl, mix and sift together the dry ingredients, flour, baking powder and salt.
2. Add to the batter the flour mixture and mix gently with a spatula until the lemon cake batter is smooth.

Tip: Do not use the electric mixer to mix after adding the dry ingredients and avoid over-mixing. Instead, mix with a rubber spatula.

5 - Baking

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F / 180°C and line a 9 - 10 inch / 22 - 25 cm long rectangular loaf cake pan with parchment paper or with baking spray for a perfect release.
2. Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top a little with the back of a spoon or an angled spatula.
3. Bake in the oven at half height for about 50-60 minutes until the cake is puffed up and has a nice golden brown color.
4. Allow the lemon pound cake to cool completely in the pan before trying to unmold it or it may break. You can run a knife around the edges before unmolding it to make it easier to remove.
5. Then let it cool completely on a cooling rack or on a plate.

Tip: Check if the cake is done with a cake tester or toothpick inserted in the center comes clean or with a few crumbs but not liquid batter.

Advice: Be careful not to overcook your cake or it will lose its softness and be too dry in the mouth.

How to make lemon glaze

1. Place all ingredients in a small bowl, confectioner's sugar, heavy cream and lemon juice.
2. Mix with a fork until you have a smooth, creamy, liquid icing.
3. Pour glaze over the completely cooled cake and serve your lemon sour cream pound cake with whipped cream and fresh fruits.

Tip: If the sugar icing seems too thick and not runny enough, add heavy cream. If it is too runny, add confectioner's sugar to thicken it.

Storage and freeze

In the fridge: You can keep your lemon loaf cake in the refrigerator for about 1 week in a storage box or covered with plastic wrap.

Take it out a few minutes before serving or put it in the microwave on low power for a few moments to restore its softness.

Room temperature: You can store it at room temperature in an airtight container bow or under aluminum foil for about 3-4 days.

In the freezer: It keeps very well in the freezer for up to 3 months. Cut into slices and place in storage bags. Simply let it defrost at room temperature or use the defrost function of your microwave.

5 Tips for a successful moist cake

Unlike the simple loaf cake, which is lighter, this one is called a pound cake because of its basic ingredients. Flour, eggs, butter, and sugar, each makes up a quarter of the preparation.

This gives the cake a very unique texture, which is tender and moist with a soft texture. Beyond the right proportions of ingredients here are some tips to make a great cake.

1. Ingredients at room temperature: This tip is important, especially for the eggs, butter, and sour cream. So remember to take them out about 30 minutes before, so that the mixture is as homogeneous as possible.
2. Do not over-mix the batter: Especially after adding the flour, which if over-mixed can change the final texture of the cake, which will lose its softness.
3. Grease your baking pan very well: Use a grease spray or even parchment paper for a perfect release.
4. Be careful with the baking time: Watch the cake as it cooks, if it is overcooked it will be too dry and if it is undercooked it will be too soft.
5. Let your cake cool: Let your lemon cake completely cool before removing it from the pan and serving.

More lemon recipes

• Lemon curd cupcakes
• New york style cheesecake
• Lemon blueberry muffins with streusel
• Sour cream lemon pie
• Lemon muffins with lemon glaze
• Lemon poppy seed muffins
• Lemon meringue tarts
• Lemon meringue cake
• Lemon curd tart
• Lemon bundt cake

More loaf cake recipes

• Chocolate Hazelnut loaf Cake
• Chocolate Bundt Cake
• Pumpkin bread with streusel topping
• Chocolate pear cake
• Buttermilk Banana bread
• Chocolate banana bread
• Chocolate chip banana bread
• Walnut banana bread
• Carrot bread with cream cheese icing

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