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The very best lemon pound cake is a classic Southern dessert that has been loved for generations! It’s rich, buttery, and dense, with a moist crumb, bright citrus flavor, a beautiful golden brown crust, and a sweet lemon glaze. Perfect for Christmas, Easter, fresh summer berries, or weekly Sunday suppers!
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Few desserts are more classically Southern than a cream cheese lemon pound cake recipe! Every home cook should have a delicious and easy go-to cake that she can always turn to when hosting a party or serving a special Sunday dinner, and this moist cake always delivers.
It has that crisp exterior and soft, buttery crumb that we all know and love, maintaining the dense pound cake texture without feeling dry or crumbly. Add plenty of fresh lemon zest and a sweet and tangy glaze, and this treat is totally over the top. Simple dessert perfection!
The Difference Between Pound Cake and Bundt Cake
Any cake that’s baked in a Bundt pan is technically a “Bundt cake.” Not all Bundt cakes are pound cakes, however.
A classic pound cake can be prepared in a Bundt cake pan, a tube pan, or a loaf pan, and typically has a dense, rich texture and a crisp crust. Made with simple ingredients like butter, flour, sugar, and eggs, pound cakes are large, heavy cakes that don’t rise as much as other cakes. In this case, the eggs help the batter rise a little bit, along with the aerated creamed butter and sugar. While a simple dusting of powdered sugar is a classic finish, some versions also include an icing on top (like this sweet and tangy lemon glaze!).
The Secret to a Good Pound Cake
A homemade lemon pound cake recipe should be light, with a finely textured, moist, and even crumb. It should have a firm, crispy crust that serves as a beautiful contrast to the soft, buttery inside. Finally, the cake should boast a rich flavor, which is why this recipe calls for plenty of vanilla extract in addition to the lemon zest.
Here are a few important tips to guarantee a moist lemon pound cake every time:
- Room temperature ingredients: starting with room temperature ingredients makes it easier to cream the butter, sugar, cream cheese, and eggs. This ensures maximum volume and lift for your cake.
- Real butter: always use real butter (not margarine or other substitutes) for the proper fat content and texture.
- Cold oven: by cooking the cake at a lower temperature for a longer period of time, you achieve an extra-deep brown, thicker, more flavorful crust — a product of the Maillard reaction and caramelization of the sugars in the batter.
- Store at room temperature: wrapped tightly, the pound cake will stay fresh at room temperature for 4-5 days. It actually gets better as it sits! While refrigerating the cake will extend its shelf life, this can also alter the texture of the cake.
Ingredients
This is just a quick overview of the ingredients that you’ll need for an old fashioned cream cheese pound cake. As always, specific measurements and step-by-step instructions are included in the printable recipe box at the bottom of the post.
- Granulated sugar: for just the right amount of sweetness.
- Salted butter: for rich flavor and moist texture.
- Cream cheese: use a block of full-fat Philadelphia cream cheese that’s softened at room temperature. Do not use whipped cream cheese or spreadable cream cheese from a tub.
- Eggs: give the cake structure and lift.
- Cake flour: such as Swans Down brand. The cake flour (rather than all-purpose flour) gives the cake a more tender crumb, and an extra-light, extra-fluffy texture.
- Kosher salt: just enough to balance the sweetness in the cake. The cream cheese and the butter have salt in them, so you don’t need to add too much extra.
- Pure vanilla extract: for rich, warm flavor.
- Lemon zest and fresh lemon juice: for fresh lemon flavor in both the cake and the glaze.
- Confectioners sugar: use the powdered sugar to dust the pound cake, or to make an optional lemon glaze.
What does cream cheese do in baking?
A lemon pound cake with cream cheese is one of the best desserts out there! The cream cheese helps the cake stay moist and dense, similar to how sour cream or yogurt add moisture to baked goods. This ingredient also contributes flavor and richness, since it’s slightly salty, very creamy, and full of fat (a key to delicious pound cake). It’s the perfect balance to the bright, fresh lemon.
How to Make a Lemon Pound Cake
This easy lemon pound cake comes together with just a handful of very simple ingredients and an electric mixer. Bake it in advance and enjoy the cake for days — when hosting holiday gatherings, sipping tea with a friend who drops by, or at a large church potluck. No matter the season or the occasion, this dessert is always well received!
- Mix together the batter in the bowl of a stand mixer, scraping the sides of the bowl regularly.
- Pour the cake batter into a Bundt pan or tube pan.
- Place in a cold oven, turn the temperature to 300°F, and bake for about 2 hours.
- Let the cake cool, then slice and serve!
Serving Suggestions
Grandma’s lemon pound cake recipe is absolutely delicious served plain, with just a dusting of powdered sugar or a tart lemon icing. That said, you can make it even fancier with some fresh berries (or other fresh fruit) on the side and a dollop of whipped cream! You can never go wrong with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, too.
Preparation and Storage
- The pound cake will stay fresh when covered at room temperature for 4-5 days — it does not need to be refrigerated. To extend the life of your cake, wrap it tightly and store it in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- How to Store Pound Cake: For the refrigerator or countertop, you can just wrap the cake tightly with plastic wrap. For the freezer, I recommend a layer of plastic wrap, followed by another layer of aluminum foil to prevent freezer burn.
- The cake is best when prepared 1 day in advance. The flavors come together and it gets more moist as it rests!
Old Fashioned Lemon Pound Cake Recipe Variations
- Instead of the lemon glaze, finish the cake with a dusting of powdered sugar.
- If you don’t have a Bundt pan or a tube pan, you can use two 8 ½ x 4 ½-inch loaf pans. Alternatively, cut the ingredients in half to make just 1 loaf cake.
- If using unsalted butter, add an extra ½ teaspoon – ¾ teaspoon of salt to the batter.
- I used this “Anniversary” 12 cup Bundt pan here, but I have also tested this recipe with a smaller Bundt pan and that works as well (it’s just very full).
- Swap out the fresh lemon zest and use lemon extract instead. You’ll need at least 1-2 teaspoons of extract, or more to taste.
Tips for the Best Lemon Pound Cake Recipe
- When zesting the lemons, be sure that you’re only scraping off the outer layer of the peel (this is where the essential oils and delicious flavor can be found). Be careful not to grate any of the white pith from the fruit, because that is bitter and definitely not what you want in your cake.
- Grease the pan really well and then coat with flour, or use a nonstick baking cooking spray.
- Use a block of full-fat cream cheese. Do not use spreadable cream cheese from a tub or whipped cream cheese for this recipe.
- Properly measure the flour by spooning the flour into the cup and lightly leveling with the straight edge of a knife. Packing the measuring cup too tightly and using too much flour will result in a dry cake.
- Make sure that all of your ingredients are at room temperature so that they blend together smoothly, resulting in a pound cake with maximum volume.
- Cream the butter and sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy, at least 3-4 minutes. Whipping this air into the batter will help the cake rise during baking.
- Don’t leave the cake in the pan for too long after baking — about 10-15 minutes is plenty. After that, condensation will start to form and the moisture will negatively impact the crust.
More Pound Cake Recipes to Try
Southern Cream Cheese Pound Cake
2 hrs 30 mins
Chocolate Pound Cake
3 hrs 55 mins
Vanilla Pound Cake Recipe with Caramel Icing
4 hrs 50 mins
Lemon Pound Cake
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 cups granulated sugar
- 1 ½ cups (3 sticks) salted butter, softened at room temperature
- 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened at room temperature
- 6 large eggs, at room temperature
- 3 cups bleached cake flour (such as Swans Down brand)
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- Zest from 2 lemons
- 1 tablespoon freshly-squeezed lemon juice
- Optional, for dusting: powdered sugar
Optional Lemon Glaze:
- 1 ¼ cups confectioners sugar
- 2-3 tablespoons freshly-squeezed lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Grease and lightly flour a tube pan or Bundt pan; set aside. Do not preheat oven.
- In a large bowl, use the paddle attachment on an electric stand mixer to cream together the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Add the cream cheese; beat until smooth, about 30 seconds. With the mixer on low speed, add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl periodically.
- Gradually add the flour, mixing on low speed after each addition, and scraping the bowl as needed. Mix just until combined, about 1 minute total.
- Add the salt, vanilla extract, lemon zest, and lemon juice; beat until smooth.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared pan. Tap it a couple of times on the counter to release any big air bubbles.
- Place the pan on a rack in the lower third of the cold oven. Shut the oven, and turn the temperature to 300°F. Bake the cake until a wooden toothpick or cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 1 hour and 50 minutes – 2 hours.
- Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then invert on a serving plate or wire rack to cool completely.
- Dust cake with powdered sugar, or drizzle with lemon glaze.
Optional Lemon Glaze:
- In a small bowl, whisk together confectioners sugar, 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, and vanilla extract until a thick, pourable glaze comes together. If the glaze seems too thick, add more lemon juice, one teaspoon at a time, until it reaches the desired consistency. If the glaze is too thin, gradually add more confectioners sugar.
- Drizzle the glaze over the cooled cake. Slice and serve.
Notes
- When zesting the lemon, be sure that you’re only scraping off the outer layer of the peel (this is where the essential oils and delicious flavor can be found). Be careful not to grate any of the white pith from the fruit, because that is bitter and definitely not what you want in your cake.
- Grease the pan really well and then coat with flour, or use a nonstick baking cooking spray.
- Use a block of full-fat cream cheese. Do not use spreadable cream cheese from a tub or whipped cream cheese for this recipe.
- Properly measure the flour by spooning the flour into the cup and lightly leveling with the straight edge of a knife. Packing the measuring cup too tightly and using too much flour will result in a dry cake.
- Make sure that all of your ingredients are at room temperature so that they blend together smoothly, resulting in a pound cake with maximum volume.
- Cream the butter and sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy, at least 3-4 minutes. Whipping this air into the batter will help the cake rise during baking.
- Don’t leave the cake in the pan for too long after baking — about 10-15 minutes is plenty. After that, condensation will start to form and the moisture will negatively impact the crust.
