Moist Lemon Pound Cake
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If you’re looking for an outrageously delicious and moist lemon pound cake, you’ve come to the right spot!
I think every good cook should have an amazing dessert up their sleeve and I’m telling you, this could be your winning recipe. Well, it’s either this pound cake or these lemon brownies that are a close match!
This lemon pound cake has a light glaze that gets infused into the cake and the lemon icing adds a whole other level of lemon deliciousness that you can’t skip out on.
You’ll poke holes around the cake with a long tined fork and you’ll spread the light glaze all over the cake. This glaze or “syrup” will sink into the holes and provide even more lemon flavor throughout. (YUM!)
For all of the lemon lovers of the world…this dessert was made for you!
Ingredient Notes:
If you’re a bundt cake baker, you know starting with good ingredients is key to a successful, moist pound cake.
You can scroll down to the recipe card for the full list of ingredients and measurements.
- Butter: Always use softened, room temperature butter (not margarine or spreadable butter) to ensure maximum volume in your cake. I take mine out of the fridge at least an hour before I begin baking!
- Shortening: I like to use a combination of butter and vegetable shortening because it is already partially aerated.
- Eggs: Yes, pound cake requires a lot of eggs and also at room temperature! They help make the bundt cake big, hearty and moist!
- Unbleached all purpose flour: I usually use this flour however you can use cake flour. Using cake flour will result in a more tender crumb!
- Heavy Whipping Cream: this helps to create a very light, soft, tight crumb and makes the pound cake really moist! You can use whole milk in its place if needed.
Like I mentioned above, this moist lemon pound cake recipe has both a lemon glaze (or lemon syrup) and icing for extra lemon flavor. The lemon glaze is simple: fresh lemon juice and powdered sugar or confectioners sugar.
Step by Step Directions:
I love this recipe because even the most amateur baker can make this at home! Just be sure to use my expert tips and tricks below to bake the perfect cake. (See full instructions in the recipe card below). Also, watch the recipe video for extra guidance!
Cream butter & sugar
Cream for 5-7 minutes, and then add the eggs on low speed, one at a time.
Add flour & heavy cream
Gradually add the flour mixture alternately with the heavy cream or milk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Beat just until combined after each addition.
Pour into prepared bundt pan
Spoon batter into prepared bundt pan. Gently tap the pan 3-5 times on a work surface to release any air bubbles that may have developed.
Lemon syrup!
Cool and then brush cake all over with the lemon syrup.
Glaze
Add the glaze on top, slice, and enjoy your life!
Expert Tips and Tricks:
- Choosing your pan: Material and color matter! The best type of Bundt pan to use are cast aluminum or coated steel. I prefer the cast-aluminum because it distributes heat quickly and evenly to promote uniform rising, consistent baking and golden crust. (Nordic Ware is the brand I purchase). Note: light colored pans lend perfectly baked cakes and darker surfaces can overly brown crusts.
- Beat butter and sugar for 5-7 minutes: You’ll want to beat well at a medium speed because you need to beat air into the mix. Beat until the butter is fluffy and lighter in color. It’s hard to over-mix at this point so don’t worry about that for this step!
- Don’t over beat the eggs: When you add in each egg one at a time, mix just long enough for the yellow to disappear (about 30 seconds). Beating the eggs too long can result in a collapsed and fragile crust.
- Grease the Bundt pan properly: You will want to make sure every crevice is coated so none of the cake will stick when you invert it. There are a few methods that work well:
- Use shortening & flour: Dip a paper towel in a generous amount of shortening and spread the shortening around the pan, making sure to coat all of its nooks and crannies. Lightly dust the greased pan with flour (using a sift works well for this). Tap and rotate the pan to create a thin, even coating of flour across the pan’s interior. Gently tap out any excess flour over the sink.
- Or spraying the Bundt pan liberally with non stick baking spray and then a light coat of flour works wonders!
- Slow the mixer down: Turning the mixture to a low speed helps to avoid deflating the air you’ve very carefully beaten into the mixture. Using minimal force also helps to prevent overworking the gluten in the flour (over working = dense/heavy cake).
- Be gentle: Over mixing can lead to tough, dense cakes. Gentle handling is key for a fine texture to the cake.
- Let the cake cool before inverting it onto a wire rack: Try not to rush this process. Allow pound cake to cool 10-15 minutes.
FAQ
How can I tell when my cake is done?
Gently press your fingertip near the center and it should slowly spring back. Or use the toothpick method: a toothpick inserted near the center should come out clean.
How do I invert a bundt cake?
Turn a cooling rack upside down on top of the pan. Put one hand on the cooling rack and the other under the bundt pan. Then, you flip it! After that, carefully lift the pan from your cake.
Why do my eggs need to be at room temperature?
Room temp eggs help the eggs retain air and blend more easily. Take the eggs out of the fridge 1 hour before you begin baking.
How can I tell when my butter is softened?
The butter is softened when you can make a small indentation in the butter with your finger. Butter should keep its shape. If it’s too soft and loses shape, place it back in the fridge for 15-20 minutes or so.
What to pair with this moist lemon pound cake:
This cake is dangerously delicious; however, here are some fun ways to dress up your cake!
- Fresh berries: strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries are all great options. (strawberries with whipped cream and mint is amazing!)
- Peaches & Whipped cream
- Chocolate or Nutella with berries
- Lemon Curd
- Greek yogurt, almonds (or pistachios) and honey
- Banana coins and coconut flakes
- A scoop of ice cream and chocolate sauce
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Moist Lemon Pound Cake
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened (16 Tbsp.)
- 1/2 cup shortening, room temperature
- 3 cups sugar
- 6 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 Tbsp. lemon juice
- 1 1/2 Tbsp. lemon zest
- 1 Tbsp. lemon extract
- 3 cups All-Purpose Flour
- 1 tsp. kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp. baking powder
- 1 cup heavy cream, room temperature (or whole milk)
Lemon Syrup
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
Lemon Icing
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 Tbsp. lemon juice
- 1 Tbsp. heavy cream
Last step! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F. Prepare the bundt pan: spray with a non-stick baking spray and sprinkle flour throughout the pan. Shake to coat, and discard any excess flour.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachement, cream the softened butter, shortening and sugar on medium speed for 5-7 minutes or until butter becomes noticeably lighter in color and fluffy.1 cup unsalted butter, softened (16 Tbsp.), 1/2 cup shortening, room temperature, 3 cups sugar
- Meanwhile, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.3 cups All-Purpose Flour, 1/2 tsp. baking powder, 1 tsp. kosher salt
- Decrease mixture to low and beat in the eggs, one at a time. Beat each egg just long enough for the yellow to disappear (about 30 seconds). Add in the lemon juice, lemon zest and lemon extract.6 large eggs, room temperature, 1 1/2 Tbsp. lemon zest, 1 Tbsp. lemon extract, 2 Tbsp. lemon juice
- Gradually add the flour mixture alternately with the heavy cream or milk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Beat just until combined after each addition.1 cup heavy cream, room temperature (or whole milk)
- Spoon batter into prepared bundt pan. Gently tap the pan 3-5 times on a work surface to release any air bubbles that may have developed. This will also insure that the batter fills every crevice of the pan.
- Bake for 65-70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10-15 minutes before inverting onto a wire rack. (Note: place a piece of parchment paper underneath for easy clean-up).
- Make the lemon syrup: in a microwave safe bowl, combine the powdered sugar and lemon juice. Stir to combine and microwave for 1 minute. Poke holes all around the cake with a fork or toothpick and brush the syrup over the cake, letting it soak into the holes.1/2 cup powdered sugar, 1/4 cup lemon juice
- Once cake is cooled, mix the ingredients together for the glaze and spoon it over the cake, allowing it to drip down the sides. Slice and enjoy!1 cup powdered sugar, 2 Tbsp. lemon juice, 1 Tbsp. heavy cream
Video
Notes
- Another tried and true way to grease a bundt pan is to use shortening & flour: Dip a paper towel in a generous amount of shortening and spread the shortening around the pan, making sure to coat all of its nooks and crannies. Lightly dust the greased pan with flour (using a sift works well for this). Tap and rotate the pan to create a thin, even coating of flour across the pan’s interior. Gently tap out any excess flour over the sink.
- When you add in each egg one at a time, mix just long enough for the yellow to disappear (about 30 seconds).
- Bundt pan size: I used a 10-15 cup cap Bundt pan
- To make in a 9×5 inch loaf pan, half the recipe and bake for 45-60 min.
- Storage: it’s best kept at room temperature with an airtight cover for 4-5 days. It can be refrigerated to extend shelf life but it may distort taste and texture.
Nutrition Information
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is automatically calculated. It should only be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary and Kroll’s Korner can’t make any guarantees to the accuracy of this information.
What a delicious and lemony pound cake! I made mini loaves and substituted a cornstarch mixture for the eggs. Though a little pale due to the absence of egg yolks, it is moist and delicious and has a very nice crumb.
5 star
This delicious lemon cake is possibly one of my favorite easy baking recipes!!
I think it was delicious as a whole. I would recommend using less milk, for a more fluffy cake texture. It was still delicious, and tangy for July.
Lemon cake is my favourite and this was so easy to make! I nearly forgot to take a picture of my cake until there was only one slice left – was too busy digging in!
I absolutely love a good pound cake recipe! This is a great one. Pound cake is one of my favorite cakes to bake and lemon takes it to another level. Yum!!!
I was stressed making my first pound cake; but, this recipe was easy to follow and my cake turned out perfectly! I’ll be masking this every year for my family and friends. Sorry for the duplicate, I forgot my picture the first time.
I was stressed making my first pound cake; but, this recipe was easy to follow and my cake turned out perfectly! I’ll be masking this every year for my family and friends.
Delicious! The texture is amazing and it has such a great lemon flavor! I brought it to work for my coworkers and everyone loved it! I made it in a loaf pan just because there were going to be that many people sharing it 🤣
The lemon flavor ignites memories of my mom and Amalfi! ❤️🍋 Every year my mom would make a lemon cake for my birthday with all the love and decadence you put into this recipe! I made this to share with our family at the 4th of July…bellissima!