If you’re a lemon dessert fanatic, this lemon pound cake recipe is for you. We’re talking triple the lemon punch with lemon zest and juice baked into an ultra-moist pound cake, plus a double whammy of lemon syrup and tart lemon glaze. Each bite delivers an intense burst of bright, refreshing, puckery lemon flavor that’ll have your taste buds doing a happy dance.
This lemon pound cake is the ultimate dessert for lemon lovers. The recipe packs a serious citrus punch by incorporating lemon three ways – zest and juice in the batter, a lemon syrup soak, and a lemon glaze on top. It’s sunny, tangy lemon bliss in every single bite.
What Makes This the Best Lemon Pound Cake?
- Double dose of lemon from both zest and juice in the batter
- Incredibly moist, dense pound cake crumb that stays fresh for days
- Lemon simple syrup soak for even more lemon flavor
- Tart lemon glaze takes it over the top with lemon zing
- Easy recipe that’s not overly sweet or sour – just balanced perfection
- Make-ahead and freezer-friendly for easy entertaining
- Two loaves for sharing or keeping one all to yourself!
This lemon pound cake hits all the right notes – it’s bright, refreshing, tangy yet sweet, and insanely moist. The lemon flavor is front and center without being overpowering or mouth-puckeringly sour. It’s lemon pound cake perfection!
How to Make Lemon Pound Cake
This easy lemon pound cake recipe starts by creaming together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. You’ll add in eggs one at a time, then alternate folding in the dry ingredients and buttermilk/lemon juice mixture until you have a thick, luxurious batter.
The batter gets divided between two loaf pans and baked until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. While the cakes cool, you’ll make a quick lemon syrup for soaking the warm loaves.
Once cooled, the lemon pound cakes get brushed all over with the lemon syrup so the citrus flavor permeates every bite. Finally, a tart lemon glaze gets drizzled over the top for an extra punch of sweet-tart lemon zing.
Let the glazed lemon pound cakes sit for about an hour so the glaze can set, then you’re ready for lemon poundcake perfection! This recipe makes two loaves, perfect for serving one and gifting or freezing the other.
Lemon Pound Cake Baking Tips
- Use fresh lemon juice and zest for maximum lemon flavor impact
- Don’t overmix the batter once the dry and wet ingredients are combined
- Let the baked loaves cool for 10 minutes, then remove from pans using the parchment sling
- Make the lemon syrup while the cakes cool so it’s ready to brush on
- For the glaze, start with just 2 tbsp lemon juice and add more as needed for a thick but pourable consistency
This lemon pound cake is the ultimate make-ahead dessert for spring and summer gatherings. You can bake the loaves 1-2 days in advance, or even freeze the unglazed loaves for up to 3 months.
Simply thaw overnight, then soak with the lemon syrup and drizzle with the tart lemon glaze right before serving. It’s truly a showstopping lemon dessert with minimal effort required.
If you love all things lemon, you’ve got to add this pound cake to your baking lineup. It’s the perfect balance of sweet and tart in an ultra-moist, dense cake with an irresistible lemon glaze. One slice is never enough of this bright, sunny lemon treat!
Lemon Pound Cake
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 2 tbsp lemon zest from 4-5 lemons
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 2 1/4 cups granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
For the Lemon Syrup:
- 2 tbsp water
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar
- 2 tsp fresh lemon juice
- For the Lemon Glaze:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2-3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease two 8.5×4.5 inch loaf pans with nonstick spray and line with parchment paper for easy removal.
- In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt.
- In another bowl, whisk the buttermilk, lemon zest and lemon juice.
- In a large bowl with a hand mixer or stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 3-4 minutes.
- Beat in the eggs one at a time until fully incorporated, scraping down the sides as needed.
- With the mixer on low, alternately mix in 1/4 of the flour mixture and 1/3 of the buttermilk mixture, repeating until both are fully incorporated and batter is smooth.
- Divide the batter evenly between the prepared loaf pans and bake for 55-65 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let the loaves cool for 10 minutes, then remove from pans and let cool completely on a wire rack, about 1 hour.
- Make the lemon syrup by combining the water, sugar and lemon juice in a saucepan and bringing to a simmer until dissolved.
- Brush the warm lemon syrup all over the tops and sides of the cooled cakes until fully absorbed.
- Make the lemon glaze by whisking together the powdered sugar and 2 tbsp lemon juice. Add more juice as needed for a thick but pourable glaze consistency.
- Drizzle the lemon glaze over the tops of the syrup-soaked cakes, allowing it to drip down the sides.
- Let the glazed cakes sit for 1 hour before slicing and serving.
