This Moist Lemon Pound Cake is a delicious combination of sweet and tart. Made with fresh lemons, you’re going to love this dense and flavorful dessert.
For other amazing cakes, try this strawberry bundt cake and cream cheese danish (VIDEO), too.
Super moist lemon pound cake
This recipe makes the moistest lemon pound cake! Each bite is bursting with zesty lemon flavor and topped with sweet and tangy icing. This lemon pound cake is great to serve when you have company, but it’s also nice to have around for a special dessert or a sweet treat with a morning coffee. The fresh flavor and moist, dense texture make it a favorite with everyone. We also like cranberry orange bundt cake and strawberry bundt cake when we’re in the mood for a special dessert.
What ingredients go into a lemon pound cake?
For the pound cake, we use all-purpose flour, sugar, butter, baking soda, salt, buttermilk, eggs, fresh lemon juice, and lemon zest. To make it extra delicious and moist, top the lemon pound cake with a zesty icing made with lemon juice and powdered sugar.
What type of lemons are best?
The best lemons to use for this lemon pound cake are Eureka or Meyer. If you decide to use Eureka or other varieties of “regular” lemons, you’ll find they are tarter and more acidic – which isn’t a bad thing since this pound cake is sweetened with sugar. But if you want a sweeter lemon flavor, then a Meyer lemon would be the best choice. They are less acidic and have a more complex flavor than most other lemon varieties.
If you love lemony desserts, you might like to try these Lemon Cupcakes, too. Meyer lemons go great with them, too.
How to make lemon pound cake
- Sift the dry ingredients. Sift together into a bowl the flour, salt, and baking soda using a sifter.
- Mix the butter with sugar. In a large bowl, add the sugar and butter, and mix them with an electric hand mixer.
- Add the lemon zest, juice, and eggs. Add these ingredients to the butter and sugar mixture.
- Slowly add the flour mixture and buttermilk. Splitting it into thirds, add the flour mixture and the buttermilk to the wet ingredients. In between each third, mix the batter again to make sure it is smooth and lump-free.
- Prep the loaf pan. Line a loaf pan with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray. Pour the batter into the pan.
- Bake. For 1 hour, bake the lemon pound cake at 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Then, drop the temperature to 300 degrees and bake for another 20 minutes.
- Make the icing. Combine the lemon juice and powdered sugar in a small bowl, mixing until smooth.
- Ice the pound cake. When the cake is done, allow it to rest in the pan for about 10 minutes and then transfer it to a cooling rack. Once cool, drizzle the lemon icing over the top.
- Serve. Slice the cake and serve as is or alongside a scoop of cool Honeydew Melon Fruit Sorbet or some Fruit Pizza.
Why is it called a pound cake?
This type of cake got the name “pound cake” in the 18th century because, traditionally, it calls for a pound of flour, a pound of sugar, a pound of eggs, and a pound of butter. You don’t necessarily have to make it with that much of each ingredient, but the proportion of each is what makes a pound cake a pound cake.
The secret to making it extra moist
To make a super moist lemon pound cake, you will want to include the buttermilk and softened butter in this recipe. These two ingredients add tangy and creamy flavor, but also keep it deliciously moist through the baking process. Also, the icing that is drizzled on top will absorb a little into the cake, adding some more sweet moisture.
Why do pound cakes crack on top?
Pound cakes are extremely dense, which is what causes them to crack on top. The outside of the cake will cook first, resulting in the batter rising up and cracking the top of the loaf. So if your pound cake cracks, it’s okay!
How long will it keep?
This Lemon Pound Cake can last for about 4 days at room temperature or a week in the refrigerator. Just wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or place it in an airtight container to keep it fresh.
Can I freeze it?
Yes, you can definitely freeze this pound cake. Just place it in an airtight container to avoid any freezer burn and this cake will last for about a month in the freezer. If possible, ice it after thawing so that the icing is thick and smooth as it’s drizzle on top. Frozen icing will crack, melt, and absorb when it is thawed.
Moist Lemon Pound Cake
Ingredients
Pound cake
- 3 cups all-purpose flour spooned and leveled off with a knife
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 2 tbsp grated lemon zest
- 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 3 large eggs
Lemon icing
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 cup powdered sugar
Instructions
Sift the dry ingredients
- Sift the flour, baking soda, and salt in a bowl.
Beat the butter, sugar, lemon, and eggs
- In a separate bowl combine the softened butter with sugar. It works best to do this using an electric hand mixer. 
- Once the sugar and butter are combined mix in the lemon zest, lemon juice, and eggs.
Add buttermilk and flour mixture 1/3 at a time
- Now beat in a third of the buttermilk along with a third of the flour mixture. Continue interchanging a third of the buttermilk and flour mixture with mixing in between. This will ensure the batter is smooth and not lumpy.
Pour the batter into a loaf pan and bake
-  Line a loaf pan with parchment paper and coded with nonstick spray. Then pour the lemon pound cake batter into the loaf pan.
- Bake at  325 degrees Fahrenheit for 1 hour, then drop the temperature to 300 degrees Fahrenheit and bake for an additional 20 minutes.
Make the lemon icing
- Now make the icing by combing the powdered sugar with lemon juice in a small bowl.
- Once the lemon pound cake is baked, let it rest for 10 minutes in the pan, then transfer it to a cooling rack. Once it’s cooled, drizzle on the lemon icing.
Notes
Nutrition
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Marina says
I’m obsessed with the lemon loaf from Starbucks, so I couldn’t wait to make this. OMG… it’s even better. It was so moist, and had the perfect amount of lemon flavor. And the icing was just perfect. I could not stop eating it. I’m so glad I found this recipe! Thank you.
simplyhomecooked says
Wow, Marina, that is amazing! I am so glad you enjoyed this lemon pound cake so much. I too had a hard time eating just one slice. It’s so insanely delicious and moist!:)
Ingrid says
Hi, I’d like to make this cake , it looks so moist and delicious; could you please indicate the dimensions of the used pan.
Thanks!
Ingrid
simplyhomecooked says
Hi Ingrid, fro this iced lemon loaf, I used a 9×5 inch loaf pan. I hope you give this lemon pound cake a try! It’s super moist and simply to die for! 🙂
Veronica M says
Deliciously home cooked!! Loved it! Used kefir instead of buttermilk cause that’s what I had on hand, and just added couple tbsp milk.
simplyhomecooked says
Hi Veronica, thank you so much for taking the time to write such a kind review! Very happy to hear that you enjoyed this lemon pound cake recipe 🙂