My Mama’s recipe for 7 UP Cake from scratch is a classic, decadent and moist cake complemented by the subtle flavor of citrus soda! You have never had 7 UP Pound Cake quite like this! If you love citrus flavors and delicious cakes, definitely try my Lemon Pound Cake recipe, my Lemon Cupcakes and my Key Lime Pie!
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!
Why You Will Love It
- 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.
- Melts in your mouth delicious! It has a crunchy crust with a moist inner texture making this cake simply irresistible.
Ingredients
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 a 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 7up soda: The key ingredient in this unique pound cake recipe!
- Butter: This cake has a large amount of butter which is what creates the perfect richness in this cake.
Top Tip: Make sure your butter is at room temperature before creaming the cake batter!
- 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 it the cake less tough after baking.
- Lemon extract: Gives the cake an additional boost of lemon flavor!
If you’re looking for more pound cake recipes prepared with a similar technique check out my sour cream pound cake, lemon pound cake, this amazing chocolate pound cake, or cream cheese pound cake.
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.
How to Store
Store your 7UP pound cake in a well-sealed container or wrapped well at room temperature for up to three days.
To store it for longer, wrap it well in plastic and aluminum foil, and store in the freezer for up to one month.
Expert Tips and FAQs
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.
Allow your butter to soften at room temperature so it beats up more easily.
Spray the bundt pan well so that the cake easily comes out of the pan.
Don’t over mix the cake batter after the flour is added as your cake may come out tough.
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.
More Delicious Cake Recipes
If you want love this recipe, I think you’ll also love these!
*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)
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 10-cup 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.
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Can this be baked in loaf pans? If so, is two enough? Bake fo how long?
If you want a good laugh associated with this cake recipe Google Jeanne Robertson’s story about sending her husband to the store for the ingredients. She just passed. This was the cake she took to the family when someone passed.
Has anyone tried making this with gluten free cake flour? Would love try but we are a celiac household.
Delicious cake and very moist
I love this cake. My Mom gave me her recipe. I add 2 tablespoons of lemon extract to give it a more lemony taste; that’s how my family prefers it. It’s my most favorite cake to make. Thanks for making your recipe available.
Jocelyn, thank you stir sharing this recipe. It is amazing! My cake came out moist & DELICIOUS!!!
I have never made a pound cake of any kind but one of my favorite ‘humorist”, Jeanne Robertson tells a wonderful story of sending her husband to the grocery to get the ingredients for her “7-Up Pound Cake”. It is very funny, and now I will try your wonderful recipe.
I do NOT like baking, but I love pound cake and I made this and it was delicious!! My mom told everybody about it and now everybody wants some. I go visit my mom once a month and I have to make her one every time. This time my aunt wants one, so I have to make two of them. My dad pretty much lost his mind when he tried it. Thank you so much for this recipe.
My mom died several years back and took her 7up cake recipe up to heaven with her. Why oh why did we never wrote it down?! This is the closest I’ve ever made that taste as delicious as hers! Thank you so much for bringing this memory to life again.
My children’s great grandmother used to make cakes for decades and 7up pound cake was her speciality! I have pieces of her recipe but it was hard to get her to give the recipe because she was a dump cook ( never measured but food always tasted the same ) and Never kd any recipes written down. she has since passed on and it’s been YEARS since I’ve tasted a cake remotely close to hers… until I happened upon Grandbabycakes! This recipe was super easy to follow and the cake turned out just like Big Mamas! If I could give more than 5 stars, I would! Great flavor all around , very easy to follow. The whole house LOVED it and so did I. Bought back special memories 🙂