Y’all, my Mama’s homemade 7-Up Cake Recipe is nothing short of a Southern classic – we’re talking decadently moist cake that’s kissed with that hint of citrus soda goodness! You haven’t truly experienced 7-Up Pound Cake until you’ve had it THIS way, trust me. It’s the kind of recipe that’ll have you feeling all the feels – nostalgia, happiness, and that warm, fuzzy feeling of home.
What Is 7 UP Cake?
It’s a pound cake with 7 UP that has been in my family for decades. Served at a soul food or Southern dinner, this cake is perfection on your table.
It was actually the very first cake I ever learned to bake, which I suspect is not only because it is my mother’s absolute favorite cake but also because it was not intimidating. It introduced me to the baking world, and I haven’t looked back.
The cake itself is so easy to make and results into a wonderful cake that even a nine-year-old girl can master it!
The Heart & Soul Of 7 Up Pound Cake
Cuisine Inspiration: Southern
Cooking Method: Baked
Dietary Info: Contains gluten, dairy, and eggs.
Key Flavor: Citrus-infused, Sweet
Skill Level: Beginner
Sweet Spots
- Perfect for beginner bakers! You may even get bitten by the baking bug like I did.
- A classic and decadent treat complemented by the subtle flavor of citrus soda. 7 Up Pound Cake tastes like a bright lemon cake.
- Melt in your mouth delicious! It has a crunchy crust with a moist inner texture making this cake simply irresistible.
- For many occasions: Perfect for anything from a family gathering, picnic, tea party, shower party, or even a birthday.
Ingredients to make 7 Up Pound Cake
What makes this pound cake recipe unique is that it doesn’t have a leavening agent. Really it doesn’t need one because a significantly longer creaming process adds more air to the batter, giving it the lift it needs.
Let’s take a look at the key ingredients you will need to make the best pound cake recipe with 7 UP. The full list and quantities are in the recipe card at the end of the page.
- Classic 7 up soda: The key ingredient in this unique pound cake recipe! The 7 up soda plays many parts in this recipe, offering lemon lime flavor, liquid, and acting as a leavening agent eliminating the need for baking soda or baking powder.
- Unsalted Butter: This cake has a large amount of butter which is what creates the perfect richness.
- Eggs: The yolks add moisture and moistness but also the whites are more drying and add stability to the cake.
- Cake flour: Baking cakes from scratch with cake flour gives the cake a texture that’s soft, tender, and melt in your mouth good. Cake flour creates less gluten, making the cake less tough after baking.
- Lemon extract: Gives the cake an additional boost of lemon flavor!
For the Glaze:
- Confectioner’s Sugar: This fine sugar creates a smooth, easily spreadable glaze. It dissolves quickly, providing a sweet base without any graininess.
- 7-Up Soda: Adds a unique, light, and citrusy flavor to the glaze, complementing the cake’s similar flavors.
- Lemon Extract: Intensifies the citrus flavor in the glaze, pairing with the subtle lemon-lime taste of the 7-Up, and enhancing the overall flavor of the cake.
Top Tip: Make sure your butter is at room temperature before creaming the cake batter!
How To Make A 7 UP Pound Cake
Making a great 7 UP cake isn’t difficult. I actually think this cake is great for any level cook, even beginners. Walk through the main steps with photos to see what goes into making this recipe. Check the recipe card at the end of the post for detailed instructions.
- Add the butter to a mixing bowl and beat for two minutes on high speed.
- Slowly add the sugar and salt and continue beating on high speed for an additional seven minutes until the ingredients are very pale yellow and fluffy.
- Next, add the eggs, one at a time, combining well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Turn your mixer down to its lowest speed, add half the flour into batter and beat until combined. Add the second half and mix together. Be careful not to overbeat.
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl, add the 7Up and lemon extract, and mix only until combined.
- Pour the cake batter into a prepared bundt pan, and bake for 1 hour and 15 -20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Cool your 7UP pound cake in a pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then invert the cake on a serving plate.
- Mix together the glaze and pour over the cake and allow to harden.
Tips for making the best 7 Up Cake Recipe
- Use cake flour. It really makes a difference to the texture of your baked cake. If you don’t have any on hand, you can easily make your own cake flour for baking.
- Room Temperature Ingredients: Allow your butter to soften and refrigerated ingredients to come to room temperature. Ingredients with the same temperature will mix more easily. This also prevents overmixing. This includes using room temperature soda.
- Spray the bundt pan well with baking spray so that the cake easily comes out of the pan. Try my Homemade Cake Release to make easy work of this.
- Don’t over mix the cake batter after the flour is added as your cake may come out tough or dense.
Popular substitutions & additions
- Soda Variations: Of course, 7 Up is highly recommended, if necessary, you can use another lemon-lime soda to substitute like Sprite or Starry.
- More Citrus Flavor: In addition to lemon lime soda and lemon extract, add a burst of freshness by using fresh lemon zest. Add it either to the cake batter or the glaze.
- Cake Flour: For that soft and tender crumb I love using cake flour, however using all purpose flour is popular option as well. Simply replace 1:1 cake flour to AP flour. Making your own cake flour only takes a few extra steps, but worth it if you want to experience this pound cake as I do.
What to serve with 7 Up Cake
How to store 7 Up Pound Cake
Store your 7 UP pound cake in a well-sealed container or wrapped well at room temperature for up to three to five days.
How long will 7 Up Pound Cake last in the fridge?
When stored properly a fresh 7 up pound cake can last for up to a 5 to 7 days in the fridge. Cold storage can dry out baked good so wrapping your cake well in plastic wrap is important to retain mositure.
Can I freeze 7 Up Cake?
To store it for longer, wrap it well in plastic and aluminum foil, and store in the freezer for up to one month. When ready to serve, thaw it in the fridge or at room temperature before serving. You can also portion into indiviudal pieces before wrapping.
Frequently asked questions
My mother has always been adamant about using the original 7 UP and nothing else. She says you can really taste the difference. While I have used other lemon-lime soda brands ranging from Sprite to Sierra Mist, I try my best to follow my mother’s advice.
A round bundt or fluted pan is the most common type of pan used for making a pound cake though some recipes will use a loaf pan for a rectangular-shaped cake. For making a pound cake, I think the cake presents best when using a fluted bundt cake pan.
Use a non-stick baking spray or shortening to coat the inside of the Bundt pan. Make sure to cover every nook and cranny of the pan. Then sprinkle it lightly with flour before adding your cake batter. Inverting a slightly cooled cake over a wire rack allows gravity to help remove it from the pan without breaking. If it seems to be a bit resistant, allow it some time to keep cooling.
More Delicious Cake Recipes
If you want love this recipe, I think you’ll also love these!
- Hummingbird Cake
- Banana Pudding Cake
- Chocolate Pound Cake
- Cream Cheese Pound Cake
- Lemon Pound Cake
- Key Lime Pound Cake
- 35 Pound Cake Recipes
*Did you make this recipe? Please give it a star rating and leave comments below!* Post a photo of how your version of the recipe came out on Instagram (using #grandbabycakes)!!
7 UP Cake Recipe (7 UP Pound Cake Recipe)
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 1 ½ cups unsalted butter room temperature
- 3 cups granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 5 large eggs room temperature
- 3 cups sifted cake flour
- 1/2 cup 7-Up soda
- 2 teaspoons pure lemon extract
For the Glaze:
- 1 cup confectioner’s sugar
- 3 tablespoons 7-Up soda
- 1/2 teaspoon pure lemon extract
Instructions
For the Cake:
- Start by preheating your oven to 315°F then liberally spray a bundt pan with non-stick baking spray.
- In your mixer bowl, add butter and beat for 2 minutes on high speed. Slowly add in sugar and salt beat on high speed for an additional seven minutes until very pale yellow and fluffy.
- Next, add eggs, one at a time, combining well after each addition and scraping down the sides as needed.
- Turn your mixer down to its lowest speed, and slowly add flour into batter in two increments. Be careful not to overbeat.
- Lastly, pour in 7 Up and lemon extract, scrape down sides and mix until just combined and turn off mixer.
- Pour cake batter into prepared bundt pan, and bake for 1 hour and 15 -20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then invert cake on serving plate.
For the Glaze:
- In a small bowl, whisk together confectioner’s sugar, 7 Up, and lemon extract until it’s pourable. Spoon over the cake and allow to harden.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
This recipe was originally published May 2018. It has been republished with new content and photos.
Sandy Newsom says
Just saw you on the Ben and Pickler Show making the 7-Up cake! Would it work with Diet 7-Up as well?
Jocelyn (Grandbaby Cakes) says
Yes but it won’t be the exact same flavor for sure. Thank you for tuning in!
Barbara says
Good morning! I want you to know I made your 7up cake for my 77 years old Godmother and Spiritualmother , today is her 77 birthday today, and I asked her what was her favor cake and she said 7up, but I used diet soda as well, because I can not have high fructose corn syrup in the regular 7ups have it in it, and my mom would want me to eat some with her, but the diet 7ups do not states having none, so I will see how the cake turns out! I know it’s smell good and I Know the smells of any foods will be delicious! So let me say again! Thank you so much for sharing another one of you amazing cakes recipes with the world and me as well! God bless
Cathy Cabral says
Jocelyn, I saw you make the 7up cake on Pickler and Ben. Sooo I thought I’m going to make it. WOW was it ever good. I had company for dinner that evening and It got rave reviews!! I plan to try other cakes you have made. Thank you, Cathy
Michelle says
7up cake is the first from scratch cake I ever made as well and I did get the baking bug from that point on. I can’t wait to try your recipe to see if it tastes like the one I make.
Thanks for all of your great recipes!
Judy Godsey says
I truly enjoyed your video. Unlike a lot of videos on U Tube you were prepared and precise. Good job.
Latoya says
could you use sprite instead
Jocelyn (Grandbaby Cakes) says
Yes it will taste slightly different but you certainly can.
Kendra says
7 Up Cake was one of my first cakes that I learned to bake, too! My grandma was a caterer and she was known for her amazing food and her awesome wedding cakes (she was always in the new paper). So, cooking and baking started very young for my mother and me. We (you and I) just learned the recipe a little different but mostly all the same ingredients. I’m known in the family to bring “The 7 Up Cake” every holiday now. Everyone claims they can’t bake it like me. Family favorite…LOL! I love reading your recipes by the way. They remind me of my childhood!
Jocelyn (Grandbaby Cakes) says
OMG that’s such an awesome story Kendra! I can totally relate. Thank you so much for sharing the love.
Flora Ball says
Hi, What type of cake flour did you us? I’m a Swans Down lady myself.
Jocelyn (Grandbaby Cakes) says
Yes I love Swans Down as well!!
Kathy says
You suggest to scald the pan??
What is the process and how often do you need to do it?
Thank you
Jocelyn (Grandbaby Cakes) says
Hi Kathy, Basically you place your pan under super hot water for a while to really help with the release of the cake.
Ilis says
I made this cake twice and maybe I’m not leaving it in the oven long enough but I check with tooth picks but it always takes the top off ! I grease my pan like always and This is the only cake that does this ! Taste great but not sure what I have done wrong twice lol
Francis says
This 7up cake is amazing! The video really helped me!!
Brenda Marshall says
Hi Jocelyn… I have been following you for almost a year and have tried many. I have not been disappointed. I purchased one of the swirl bundt pans but I have not used it. Do you have any secrets on how to get a perfect cake from that pan?
Jocelyn (Grandbaby Cakes) says
Yes with those new pans you have to do very little work. They are awesome for coming out super clean. I would just scald it one good time and then use a non stick baking spray before baking the cake. It always comes out super clean for me that way.
Brenda Marshall says
Thank you…I will try it this weekend.
Linda Greer says
I love making your pound cake recipes for my husband. I also make and take to my coworkers. They are so delicious. I love the way you take the time to really explain the ingredients. I wait patiently to see what’s next. Thank you so much.
Jocelyn (Grandbaby Cakes) says
Hooray thank you so so much!