The BEST Lemon Pound Cake Recipe (With Video!)

Jocelyn (Grandbaby Cakes) Headshot By Jocelyn (Grandbaby Cakes)
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You’ve just found the best Lemon Pound Cake recipe on the Internet, no lies! I keep it tart and sweet but super moist with a tight crumb and classic pound cake texture. Plus I add a secret ingredient that changes the game. Folks will be wondering why your lemon pound cake is next level, and trust me, they are gonna beg for the recipe. The queen of pound cakes is definitely back with another one!

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Overhead shot of the Lemon Pound Cake with slices cut out of it and whole lemons and lemon slices next to it.

Lemon Pound Cake Ingredient Notes

  • Unsalted butter and cream cheese: Full fat cream cheese gives the most flavor. Salted or unsalted butter work fine here. Leave out the salt if using unsalted. And make sure both are room temp.
  • Cake flour: Cake flour is lower in protein than regular flour which means the cake is lighter. I tend to use Swan’s Down for all of my pound cakes plus don’t forget to sift. If you don’t have any, you can make your own cake flour!
  • Fresh lemon zest: Be sure you only use the yellow outer portion of the lemon as the white pith can be bitter tasting.
  • Lemon Pudding: My secret ingredient is instant lemon pudding.  Based on my research and recipe testing, I discovered that it added more moisture and changed the texture of the finished cake to being softer along with adding more lemon flavor.

How to Make Lemon Pound Cake

  1. Combine the softened cream cheese, butter, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Cream them together using high speed until smooth.
  2. Next, slowly add the sugar and instant pudding to the bowl and cream until the mixture is light and fluffy. Just note this will take about 5-7 minutes.
Butter and cream cheese are in the bowl of a stand mixer.
Sugar is added to the mixed butter and cream cheese mixture.
  1. Reduce the speed of the mixer to medium and add the eggs one at a time and mix until incorporated.
  2. Using the mixer on the slowest speed, add the flour one cup at a time into the bowl. Only mix long enough to incorporate the flour and do not overbeat at this point.
Egg added to the butter mixture in a mixing bowl.
Flour added to the lemon pound cake batter.
  1. Next, add the lemon zest to the bowl and mix it into the batter.
  2. Pour the cake batter into a greased and floured or baking sprayed 12-cup bundt or tube pan. 
Lemon zest added to the lemon cake batter in the mixing bowl.
Batter added to the bundt cake pan on the table.
  1. Bake your lemon cake for 1 hour and 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
  2. Allow the cake to cool in the pan for at least 10 minutes. Then remove the cake and cool it on a wire rack for at least an hour.
  3. To make the glaze, whisk together the powdered sugar and lemon juice until smooth. If it is too runny, add a bit more sugar or if it is too thick, add a little bit more lemon juice. You want to consistency to coat the back of a spoon but slide off easily. Drizzle the glaze over the top of the cooled cake and sprinkle with lemon zest.

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Overhead of lemon pound cake with slices cut.

Lemon Pound Cake recipe

This is the Best Lemon Pound Cake on the Internet!  Tart, sweet, and filled with lemon flavor, you will adore this classic recipe with a secret ingredient for years to come!
4.39 from 548 votes
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 45 minutes
Author: Jocelyn Delk Adams
Course: Dessert
Servings: 16 slices

Equipment

Ingredients

For the Pound Cake:

  • 8 ounces cream cheese one brick, room temp
  • 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 1/2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 package lemon instant pudding (just the dry powdered mix as is, do not hydrate the pudding) 3.4 ounce
  • 6 large eggs room temperature
  • 3 cups sifted cake flour
  • 3 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon zest

For the Lemon Glaze:

  • 2 2/3 cups powdered sugar sifted
  • 2-3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice start with 2 then see if you need more
  • Optional: lemon zest for garnish
US Customary – Metric

Instructions

For the Pound Cake:

  • Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
  • Add room temperature cream cheese, butter and salt to large mixing bowl and begin creaming on high speed until smooth.
  • Slowly add sugar and instant pudding to bowl and cream until light and fluffy which takes about 5-7 minutes.
  • Lower speed of mixer to medium and add one egg at a time and mix until incorporated.
  • Slow mixer to slowest speed and add flour one cup at a time into bowl until just incorporated.
  • Do not overbeat at this point.
  • Add lemon zest to bowl and mix.
  • Once everything is incorporated, pour cake batter into greased and floured or baking sprayed 12 cup bundt or tube pan.
  • Bake for 1 hour and 5-15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
  • Allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes then remove cake and place on cooling rack for an hour or until it is completely cooled.

For the Glaze:

  • Whisk together powdered sugar and lemon juice until smooth. If it is too runny, add a bit more sugar or if it is too thick, add a little bit more lemon juice. You want to consistency to coat the back of a spoon but slide off easily.
  • Drizzle on top of cooled cake, sprinkle with lemon zest and serve.

Video

Notes

  • Use room temperature butter and cream cheese. The extra softness allows more air to incorporate into it while you’re beating it.
  • Beat the butter, cream cheese, and sugar really well together for about five to seven minutes. More air equals a lighter cake especially since no other leaveners are used in this lemon cake recipe.
  • Adding the flour. Use the lowest speed on the mixer and don’t overbeat. 
  • Be sure to preheat your oven. This step ensures more consistency and even cooking.
  • Allow the cake enough time to cool. If the cake is hot the glaze may melt rather than harden.
Storage
After baking: Store the whole cake and leftovers at room temperature in an airtight container or well sealed in plastic wrap. Do not store it in the refrigerator as the air may dry the cake out more quickly.
Freezer: You can also freeze the cake for up to three months. Just be sure it is well wrapped so it doesn’t absorb any flavors from the freezer. Thaw out the cake at room temperature before serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 494kcal | Carbohydrates: 64g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Cholesterol: 130mg | Sodium: 251mg | Potassium: 76mg | Sugar: 41g | Vitamin A: 820IU | Vitamin C: 1.7mg | Calcium: 33mg | Iron: 0.6mg
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Recipe Tips

  • Room temperature: For both butter, cream cheese and eggs. The batter will turn out smoother giving you a better cake texture in the end.
  • Beat the butter, cream cheese, and sugar really well together for about five to seven minutes. More air equals a lighter cake especially since no other leaveners are used in this lemon cake recipe.
  • Don’t Overbeat: Use the lowest speed on the mixer when adding your flour and don’t overbeat. 

Recipe Help

What is the best flour to use for a pound cake?

I recommend using cake flour which is lower in protein than all-purpose flour and makes a more tender cake. You can buy it or make your own.

How do you make pound cake moist?

The addition of dairy ingredients such as cream cheese and sour cream work to make a moister cake. In this recipe, instant lemon pudding adds an extra boost of moisture.

How can I add more lemon flavor to the cake?

You can either add more lemon zest or even lemon extract to the batter to bring out more lemon flavor.

Lemon pound cake with a few slices cut and one flat in the front.

More 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)!!

This recipe was originally published March 2019, it has been updated for content and process photos.

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Filed Under:  Dessert and Baking, Easter, Oven, Pound Cakes, Spring Recipes, Winter Recipes

Comments

  2. This is one gorgeous cake Jocelyn and the photos are stunning! I love lemon desserts any time of year, but especially in spring. I can only imagine how wonderful a slice of this cake tastes!

    Reply

  4. This lemon pound cake is calling my name, for real. Love the smell of lemon and lovely texture. Yum!

    Reply

  6. Gorgeous cake Jocelyn! Love the lemon makeover…pudding and zest.Melt in your mouth, I can almost taste it! Uh huh.

    Reply

  7. I love all things lemon, and this is no exception! My family would love this! Just added to my to-do list! 🙂

    Reply

  8. This looks amazing! Super moist and packed with lemon flavor- that cream cheese was definitely a smart idea 🙂 Pinning!

    Reply

    2. Hi,

      Quick question, can you use salted butter instead of unsalted? Will it make a difference?

    4. Tried tonigh came out perfectly with 1/2 less sugar in my regular pound cake. Wish I could post the picture. Thank You so much!?????

    5. Hooray! I’m so so happy Mary it came out so well for you! Thank you for letting me know!

  10. YES to all things lemon! The more the better, right? Your super lemony pound cake looks irresistible!

    Reply

    3. Hi Alana, it is best if you use cake flour because it will be lighter. If you have some cornstarch you can make your own with AP flour and the cornstarch. For every cup of AP flour, remove 2 tablespoons of flour and replace with cornstarch then sift 3 times then use in the recipe. If not, you can use the AP flour but it will yield a much heavier cake. I hope this helps.

    4. THIS IS THE VERY BEST LEMON POUND CAKE !!! I’VE ALREADY MADE IT TWICE, FOR TWO DIFFERENT FRIENDS BIRTHDAYS. EVERYONE RAVED ABOUT THEM !!! I ADD 2 1/2 CUPS POWDERED SUGAR, SOME SOFT MARGARINE, 2 1/2 TBSP. FRESH LEMON JUICE AND ABOUT 1 tsp. LEMON ZEST WITH SOME HEAVY WHIPPING CREAM FOR MY GLAZE. I SPOON IT ALL OVER MY CAKE,(rubbing it all over), THEN, DRIP THE GLAZE OVER THE CAKE OVER & OVER TILL I USE IT ALL UP. I ALWAYS DO MY GLAZED CAKES LIKE THIS. EVERYBODY LOVES THE WAY THEY LOOK AND TASTE. ( SO DO I).

    6. So tonight is my second time making this. While the flavor of the cake is phenomenal, I am struggling with the cooking temp. The first time I did 325 and it took FOREVER to cook. Tonight I started at 325 but bumped it to 350 because it wasn’t cooking quickly and it’s been in the oven over an hour and still is not cooked through. Has anyone else had this issue?

    8. One of your baking elements may be out. I had this happen to me before. Couldn’t figure out what was wrong for a while.

    11. Omg the cake recipe was perfect i have to make it for 1 hour and twenty minutes the cake was perfect. Thank you so much

    14. I would like to thank you so much for this recipe I cooked it this weekend and it was so delicious. I appreciate you sharing your recipes it was the best lemon pound cake ever! IT’S 10 STARS!!!!

    17. Right there isn’t any in this recipe. It isn’t necessary. The cake turns out perfectly without it.

    18. Hello how are you? Okay let me first say that the cake is delicious, and the cake turned out alright; however, when I baked the cake for an hour and 15 to 20 minutes, the cake seem like it rosed up exceptionally hi, but then as I let the cake cool, it started to sink down all around near the center of the cake, and I used a tube pan or an angel food cake pan to make the cake in. The cake was browned beautifully, and it rose exceptionally high like I said before, also for extra insurance, I added a tsp. of baking powder and 1/2 tsp. of soda. The oven was preheated, setting the oven on 330 degrees Fahrenheit, I said that’s slightly above 325, but it shouldn’t have made that much of a difference so I’m trying to guess what did I do wrong and I followed the recipe pretty much down to a tee. U know with a little bit of extra leavening… in my case, which shouldn’t hurt it and if it if anything, it should have helped it.

    19. Hi Leo, thanks so much for writing to me. I unfortunately can’t vouch for why it went wrong since you made some changes to the recipe. The recipe really is perfect as is. Was there a reason why you wanted to add the leavening? It gets an amazing lift from the creaming process right at the beginning so no need to add it.

4.39 from 548 votes (336 ratings without comment)

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