Y’all, I am claiming it… this is the best lemon pound cake recipe, no lies! You know ya girl, the Queen of pound cakes made sure you taste the lemon, while keeping the crumb moist and buttery. Don’t believe me? Just bake it once, boos. I keep it tart and sweet but super moist with a tight crumb and classic pound cake texture. Plus, I add a secret ingredient to this lemon pound cake that makes it like no other. Get into it!
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How to Make a Lemon Pound Cake
These step-by-step photos show how to make a lemon pound cake with lemon glaze, but be sure to check the recipe card below for the full ingredient list and detailed instructions. Skip to the → Best Lemon Pound Cake Recipe
1. Add the cream cheese, butter, and salt to a large mixing bowl
Cream on high speed until completely smooth.
2. Slowly add the sugar and instant pudding mix
Continue to cream until the mixture looks light, fluffy, and pale.
PRO TIP: 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 be softer, along with adding more lemon flavor.
3. Lower the mixer speed to medium and add the eggs one at a time
Mix just until each one is incorporated before adding the next.
4. Reduce the mixer to its lowest speed and add the flour one cup at a time
Mix just until combined. Do not overbeat here.
5. Add the lemon zest and finish the batter
Mix briefly until evenly distributed throughout the batter.
6. Pour the lemon cake batter into a Bundt pan
Smooth the top evenly.
7. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean
Let the cake cool briefly in the pan, then remove and cool completely on a wire rack.
8. Make the lemon glaze and pour it over your lemon Bundt cake
Whisk together the powdered sugar and lemon juice until smooth and pourable. Drizzle over the cooled cake, sprinkle with lemon zest, then slice and serve.
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Full Lemon Pound Cake Recipe
Lemon Pound Cake Recipe
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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
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
How to Store
- Room Temp: Keep the cake covered in an airtight container or wrapped well on the counter for up to 3 days. Skip the fridge, boos. It will dry the cake out.
- Freezer: Wrap the whole cake or slices tightly in plastic wrap, then foil, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before enjoying.
Nutrition
Recipe Tips
- Use room temperature ingredients, boos. Let your butter, cream cheese, and eggs sit out so the batter mixes up smooth and bakes evenly.
- Cream it real good. Beat the butter, cream cheese, and sugar for a full five to seven minutes to work in air. This cake doesn’t rely on other leaveners.
- Slow down when the flour goes in. Use the lowest mixer speed and stop as soon as it’s combined so the cake stays tender.
- Zest the smart way. Stick to the yellow part of the lemon only because the white pith will make your cake taste bitter.
Recipe Help
Cake flour, boos. I usually grab Swan’s Down and always sift it for a lighter, tighter crumb. If you don’t have any, you can make your own cake flour!
You can either add more lemon zest or even lemon extract to the batter.
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Hi Jocelyn,
I can never find a Lemon cake with enough lemon for me so I’m really excited to try this recipe. Two questions, please. #1 Is the instant pudding like Jello Instant pudding? If yes, do we use the dry mix or make the pudding and then mix it into the batter? (Sorry for the dumb question) and #2 What changes would you make to turn this into cupcakes?
Thanks so much,
Denise
Hi Denise, I think I may have found your question on my facebook page and answered there. Let me know if you have any additional questions.
I can’t find a 3.4 oz package of lemon instant pudding, so what should I use. Also it doesn’t call for any flavoring? Can I add some fresh lemon juice to it, maybe 3 tsp. I love to try new recipes and love lemon pound cake and want to try this one.
Hi Diann, I wouldn’t make any changes to this recipe unless you have to omit the lemon pudding. It doesn’t have flavoring because it has the lemon zest and the pudding which really become enough for the lemon however if you take out the pudding, you can add in some flavoring if you would like.
My 10-year-old daughter, who loves to bake, made this cake for Easter yesterday. It was beautiful, delicious, moist and flavorful. It was a big hit!!!!
Awww this makes me so so happy!!!
Oh my goodness, I made this cake for Easter and it was amazing!!!!
Woot woot!!!!! Hooray!!
My Fiancé had a time at work today, so I decided to bake a scrumptious delight. Thank you for providing the perfect recipe. She does not have the Kitchen Aid stand mixer; so I picked up a quick hand mixer, needless to say my arms had a work out. Luckily, my daughter was also visiting so I had two additional hand to help. This is my very first cake from scratch cake it had the pound cake crack in the top (actually when flipped it is the bottom) like my Nana’s use too. I am super excited. We cut a slice after adding the frosting. SCRUMPTIOUS! I am trying all of your cake recipes from now on Girlfriend. I am a magician when it comes to box cake, I do all kinds of tricks with fruit, I make my own fillings, haven’t tried frosting but me and Duncan Hines we rocks hard! Laughing so hard right now. I will post a picture when my daughter sends it. Recipe is easy to follow and cake comes out scrumptious.
Fantastic!!!!! Thank you so much!
The pictures of the cake are amazing! This persuaded me to make this for Easter weekend dinner. I noticed that there is no lemon extract in the batter. Does the lemon zest replace the flavoring in the batter?
Hooray that makes me so happy! Yep the zest definitely takes the place.
Oh! I’ve been searching for a lemon cake that is sure to please the taste buds and looks beautiful too. I love lemon zest and I can’t wait to make this today! What I love most that it looks super easy to make. Thanks so much!
Hooray let me know how it turns out for you!
Hi,
YUMMY I’m going to make this today! Can I add blueberries to this recipe instead of the other blueberry lemon pound cake??
Thanks!
Yes I think you can! Let me know how it turns out!