Y’all, my Mama’s homemade 7 Up Cake recipe is nothing short of a Southern classic done all the way right. We’re talking about a decadently moist pound cake that’s kissed with that hint of citrus soda goodness making it unique and tender! You haven’t truly experienced 7 Up 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 boos.
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I’ve often told folks that my mama’s 7 up pound cake was the first cake I ever learned to bake. And once I got that baby down, you couldn’t stop me. I made it for every holiday imaginable because it was a hit. What makes this cake so special is the unique yet subtle lemon lime flavor and the rich melt-in-your-mouth texture. You would think that it would be hard to pull something like this off but it ain’t y’all. Let me show you how just like my mother showed me how.
The Lowdown of This 7 Up Cake Recipe
Cuisine Inspiration: Southern
Primary Cooking Method: Baking
Dietary Info: Contains gluten, dairy and eggs. Can be made gluten-free with a ingredient swap.
Key Flavor: Subtle citrus infusion in a sweet yet delicate velvety rich cake package.
Skill Level: Easy y’all (No Sweat Fam!)
Easy Peasy
If I could learn how to bake this 7 up cake when I was a little girl, I have all the faith that you can pull this off boos. It ain’t hard. I know you can do this!
Irresistible Texture
This cake is straight up melt in your mouth delicious boos! It has a crunchy crust with a moist inner texture making this cake simply irresistible.
The Ultimate Crowd-pleaser
When you bake this up, folks come for more than one slice. It’s perfect whether you serve it for a family gathering, Sunday supper, brunch or even a birthday. It’s a hit y’all.
Ingredients you’ll need to make 7 Up Pound Cake
- Classic 7 up soda: This soda offers a unique, light and citrusy lemon lime flavor and also acts as a leavening agent eliminating the need for baking soda or baking powder.
- Unsalted Butter: Butter gives amazing richness and creamy flavor to the mix.
- Granulated Sugar: This sweetens up our cake batter just right.
- Eggs: The yolks add moisture and moistness while the whites add stability to the cake.
- Cake flour: This gives the cake a texture that’s soft, tender, and melt in your mouth good y’all. Cake flour also creates less gluten, making the cake less tough after baking.
- Lemon extract: This adds an additional boost of lemon flavor!
- Confectioner’s Sugar: This fine sugar creates a smooth, easily drizzle worthy glaze.
How To Make 7 Up Cake
What to serve with this 7-Up Pound Cake recipe
- With Ice Cream: Serve a slice of 7-up cake warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and get your whole life.
- With Whipped Cream: A nice dollop of homemade whipped cream is perfect with a slice.
- Southern Sunday Supper: Serve up some smothered chicken with garlic mashed potatoes, corn muffins and mustard greens. This cake is the perfect way to close the meal out right.
- Fun Holiday Meal: Get your smothered turkey wings ready along with some seafood dressing, and corn pone. The 7up cake is the ultimate dessert for this meal plan.
Recipe substitutions
- 7 Up: Of course, 7 Up is my mama’s fave for this cake and she never substitutes. But if absolutely necessary, you can use another lemon-lime soda like Sprite or Sierra Mist
- Unsalted Butter: You can use salted butter. Just leave out the salt in the recipe.
- Cake Flour: If you don’t have any around and still want that soft and tender crumb, you can make your own cake flour with all-purpose flour and cornstarch.
- Confectioner’s Sugar: If you ran out, you can make your own powdered sugar with a blender.
Recipe Variations and Additions
- More Citrus Flavor: You can up the lemon and lime flavor by adding fresh lemon and lime zest. Add it either to the cake batter or the glaze.
- Spice it Up: Add a little cinnamon or nutmeg to the batter to give it a unique kick.
- Berry Good: Fold in some berries before baking for some delish fruity vibes. Once baked, add a slice to a plate and spoon on strawberry sauce.
Expert Tips and Tricks for making the best 7-Up Cake Recipe
- Use Cake Flour: I know you might want to skip this part because all-purpose flour is so easy to grab but it makes such a difference in the final texture of the cake.
- Cream the Full Amount of Time: Make sure you don’t skimp on the creaming period of the sugar and butter. This process will give the cake a wonderful lift and rise by adding air into the batter so you don’t need leavening.
- Room Temperature Ingredients: Allow your butter to soften and refrigerated ingredients to come to room temperature. Ingredients with the same temp will mix more easily.
- Grease the Bundt Pan: Either use a baking spray with flour so that the cake easily comes out of the pan or try my homemade cake release.
- Don’t over mix the cake batter: Once you add in the flour, take it easy since you have activated the gluten. We don’t want to overactive and make it tough or dense.
How to store 7 Up Pound Cake
Store your 7 Up pound cake recipe in a well-sealed cake container or wrapped well at room temp. This will keep the texture nice and soft, and it will last for up to 4 or 5 days this way.
How long will 7 Up Pound Cake last in the fridge?
It can last in the fridge up to 7 days. Cold storage can dry out baked good so wrapping your cake well in plastic wrap is important to keep this baby nice and moist.
Can I freeze 7 Up Cake?
To store it for longer, wrap it well in plastic then in foil, and store in the freezer. Label and it should last up to 3 months. When ready to serve, thaw it in the fridge or at room temperature before serving. You can also portion into individual slices 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.
After you try making this easy 7 up pound cake, I’m sure it will become one of you absolute fave pound cakes to make. The flavors are subtle yet hitting in the best way. Every single time you bite into this cake, you get melt-in-your-mouth vibes, an undeniable soft crumb and wonderful citrus flavors. You gotta get into this y’all.
More Delicious Cake Recipes
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- Cream Cheese Pound Cake
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- Key Lime Pound Cake
- 35 Pound Cake Recipes
7 UP Cake Recipe
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Equipment
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 1 ½ cups unsalted butter room temperature
- 3 cups granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 5 large eggs room temperature
- 3 cups sifted cake flour
- 1/2 cup 7-Up soda room temperature
- 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
How to store 7 Up Pound Cake
Store your 7 Up pound cake recipe in a well-sealed cake container or wrapped well at room temp. This will keep the texture nice and soft, and it will last for up to 4 or 5 days this way.How long will 7 Up Pound Cake last in the fridge?
It can last in the fridge up to 7 days. Cold storage can dry out baked good so wrapping your cake well in plastic wrap is important to keep this baby nice and moist.Can I freeze 7 Up Cake?
To store it for longer, wrap it well in plastic then in foil, and store in the freezer. Label and it should last up to 3 months. When ready to serve, thaw it in the fridge or at room temperature before serving. You can also portion into individual slices before wrapping.Nutrition
This recipe was originally published May 2018. It has been republished with new content and photos.
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@monika If you use margarine or oil, you aren’t really making THIS cake. If whatever you Want to save your butter for taste better with butter, then you have your answer. You could use MARGARINE or oil, but it might not taste as good. Sorry for the all caps, My keyboard is making capital letters without me. I promise I’m not yelling.
Made for Juneteenth and it was an absolute hit! Thank you!
Woot woot! So happy to hear that!
Delicious and simple. This cake boxes above its weight class in how simple it is to put together. It’s my first 7-Up pound cake. I did add some lemon and lime zest to the sugar/butter mixture and used fresh lemon and lime juice instead of the lemon extract. Otherwise, made as instructed and it’s as described, fluffy interior/crisp exterior, however, I wish the lemon/lime flavor was more pronounced. Very good base recipe and I’ll play with more zest and juice to enhance the flavor.
Thank you so much, Josh! The lemon/lime flavor wasn’t as pronounced due to omitting the lemon extract. The zest is definitely going to pack more of a punch than the juice.
I don’t want to waste my butter on this cake, but a friend asked me to bake this. Can I use margarine in place of butter? Or oil? If so, equal amounts?? Thank you.
Very moist and very delicious.. I added the juice and peel of a fresh lemon and it was amazing! Thanks for sharing your grandmother’s recipe! ❤️
That’s so so wonderful!! So glad you enjoyed this.
Question: I’m very interested in trying out this recipe. Which mixing tool should be used? The paddle attachment or the whip? In your pictures, a paddle is visible but in the video, the whip is seen.
You can really use either! I just use whatever is clean!
Have you ever tried to make this into cupcakes?
I actually haven’t but I have made them as tiny bundtlettes and they turned out great.
Can salted butter be used in place of the unsalted butter?
Yes, but you may want to cut the salt down it 1/4 tsp if you are going to use salted butter. I hope you enjoy!
That’s an unusual way to measure flour. In traditional recipes, when (? amount) sifted flour is called for, you sift flour, then measure, unless the recipe calls for 3 C flour, sifted, then you measure first, then sift. See the difference?
I know it’s your recipe, but I’m a foood sciences major. That’s how it’s taught.
Question : the recipe calls for sifted cake flour. Do you measure the cups of flour after sifting or before?
Great question, Katrina! You want to measure it after sifting. Hope you enjoy!