This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Moist lemon pound cake with glaze is tender, sweet and made with fresh lemon flavor. This dessert cooks in a loaf pan and requires less than 10 minutes of prep!
Why is pound cake so freakin’ good? Obviously the answer is butter, sugar and flour, but I’m still surprised each time I make it. The most basic ingredients make the most delicious dessert. This moist lemon pound cake is packed with fresh lemon flavor and a subtly sweet glaze.
Haley here from If You Give a Blonde a Kitchen, and something about spring makes me want to bake lemon desserts. They’re fresh, sweet and simply make me happy. We love baking this lemon cake and also love these Lemon Bars. You could even add some fresh lemon zest and juice to our favorite Vanilla Mug Cake to make a delicious lemon dessert for one!
how to make moist lemon pound cake
- Step 1: To make the cake, whisk together flour, salt and baking powder. Set the mixture aside.
- Step 2: Cream together butter, shortening and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add the lemon zest and juice and mix until combined.
- Step 3: With the mixer on low speed, add one third of the flour mixture followed by half of the milk. Repeat, mixing each mixture until combined. Finish by adding the last third of the flour mixture and mix until just incorporate. Do not overmix!
- Step 4: Pour the cake batter into a 5-inch by 9-inch loaf pan lined with parchment paper and nonstick cooking spray. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out with little to no crumbs on it.
You can use bottled lemon juice in a pinch. Keep in mind that the flavor might not be as strong since you won’t have fresh lemon zest. We highly recommend use fresh lemon juice whenever possible.
You can use traditional lemons or Meyer lemons for this recipe.
After baking, the result is a delicious lemon loaf. One way to make it even better is adding a sweet glaze! The sweet and tart lemon glaze adds an extra dose of lemon flavor without over doing it.
lemon glaze
To make the glaze, whisk together confectioners’ sugar and fresh lemon juice until no clumps remain. The consistency should be thin enough to drizzle. If necessary, add another teaspoon of lemon juice.
Spoon the icing glaze over the cooled pound cake and serve.
serving and storage tips
Store this lemon loaf pound cake covered at room temperature for up to 4 days.
You can also freeze the cake prior to making the glaze (do not freeze with the glaze.) To freeze, cool the cake, wrap with plastic wrap and store in a freezer safe plastic bag in the freezer for up to 6 months. Thaw and make the glaze. Drizzle with the glaze once the pound cake is thawed.
Aside from having amazing lemon flavor, the texture of this lemon loaf is on point. This lemon cake is tender and dense while delivering a sweet, buttery taste in every bite.
To put it simply, this moist lemon pound cake recipe is so good, you must add it to your list of desserts to try this spring!
Lemon Pound Cake
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour, (185 g)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter , room temperature (113 g)
- 1/4 cup butter or shortening, room temperature (50 g)
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar, (300 g)
- 3 large eggs
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, strained
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1/2 cup milk, (120 ml)
For the glaze:
- 1 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted (110 g)
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, strained
- Lemon zest for garnish, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° F. Line a 5-inch by 9-inch loaf pan with parchment paper and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, salt and baking powder. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer (or in a large bowl using a hand mixer), cream together butter, shortening and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add lemon zest and lemon juice, and mix until combined, about 30 seconds.*
- With the mixer on low, add one third of the flour mixture followed by half of the milk. Repeat letting each ingredient mix until mostly combined. Finish by adding the last third of flour mixture and mix just until incorporated. Avoid over mixing.
- Pour cake batter into prepared loaf pan and bake for 55 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the pound cake comes out with little to no crumbs on it. Let cake cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then use the parchment paper to lift the pound cake out of the pan and cool completely on a wire rack.
- To make the glaze, whisk together confectioners' sugar and fresh lemon juice until no lumps remain and a drizzle consistency is reached. If necessary, add another teaspoon of lemon juice. Spoon glaze over the cooled pound cake and serve. Store covered at room temperature for 3 to 4 days.
Notes
- The batter may look slightly curdled after adding the lemon juice. That is okay! Quickly move on to the next step and the cake will turn out beautifully.
- The recipe calls for butter AND shortening. Yes, butter is a type of shortening and you can use all butter for this recipe, if desired.
- You can use Meyer lemons or standard lemons for this recipe.
- While you can use bottle lemon juice in a pinch, we highly recommend using fresh lemon juice for the best texture and flavor.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Helpful kitchen tools for this recipe
- Loaf pan for baking the cake. A nonstick pan helps create the perfect loaf.
- A microplane lemon zester is an essential tool in any kitchen. This tool helps add the perfect lemon flavor.
- Our favorite whisk helps make the delicious glaze.
Connect with Haley:
Blog | Facebook | Pinterest | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube
Can i use an 8 x4 loaf pan?
Yes, that should be fine. Enjoy!
Hi, I would like to make this recipe would a ten-inch bundt cake pan work too?
A ten inch bundt pan hold more volume than a standard loaf pan. One 10-inch bundt pan holds 10-12 cups, while a 9×5 loaf pan only holds 8 cups. You can 1.5x the recipe and bake in the bundt pan. Enjoy!
What if you don’t have any unsalted butter on hand 🤔😬
Salted butter works okay too. I wouldn’t recommend another substitute for butter in this recipe since the butter helps it maintain the pound cake consistency and flavor. Enjoy!
I accidentally forgot the milk what will happen to the cake/loaf???
Hi Amber! It should still bake fine, but it likely won’t be as moist as it should be.
I made this recipe and oh wow! Delicious!! It came out moist and soft and just so good!!
HI! Looks so good!
I want to try to make it however I only have enough sugar to fill 1 cup for the lemon cake. Can I use honey for the other 1/2 cup?
Hi, Sophia! I would just use 1 cup of sugar. I frequently cut back on the sugar without change in flavor. Enjoy!
This cake tastes amazing! I did find that browned faster than the interior was cooking, but my oven might just need recalibrated (or perhaps this is because I used all butter in place of part butter part shortener). Regardless, it come out great. I will be making it again, but adjusting the temperature.
I made the lemon frosting too runny . Will cut back on the lemon juice adding a tablespoon at a time .
If the frosting is too thin, add more confectioners’ sugar and whisk until it thickens to your desired consistency. Thanks for your feedback!
I am wanting to make individual pound cakes. How long should I bake them? The pans are 3.9 in x 2.8 in x 1.5in
I haven’t tried baking smaller sized pound cakes, but I would recommend checking after about 40-45 minutes. If you try it, please let us know how it comes out. Enjoy!
I am not a baker of any kind! And when I find a recipe that allows me to feel proud of something I make, then it’s my recipe for life! I do have a suggestion, as a non-baker, I would have greatly appreciated a tutorial about creaming the sugar and butter. It’s an art unto itself. And so crucial for a happy outcome.
How do I add a photo of my cake?
Thank you so much for your feedback! I will be updating this post and will add a tutorial for creaming the butter and sugar. Unfortunately, I don’t have a place to add a photo at this time. So glad you enjoyed this cake!