Bright Lemon Pound Cake is a summery quick bread infused with fresh lemon zest and juice for vibrant citrus flavor in every bite. It’s buttery rich, with a soft and moist crumb, finished with a light lemon syrup that soaks in for extra flavor and topped with a simple vanilla glaze for an inviting sweet finish.
This is one of those classic, foolproof cakes that’s just as fitting for a spring brunch as it is for a nostalgic, crowd-pleasing dessert. It’s easy to prepare and is brimming with lemon flavor throughout.
Not only is it baked with a generous two tablespoons lemon zest swirled throughout the loaf, but after it has baked, it’s brushed with a zingy lemon simple syrup. Then to polish it off it’s finished with a vanilla cream glaze—and that’s where it really is taken over the top.
Need I say more? If you’re a lemon lover, this lively lemon pound cake is sure to become a new favorite. The hardest part for you is just waiting for it to cool before slicing into that first decadently delicious piece!
Lemon Pound Cake Ingredients
- Flour – all-purpose flour works best here and gives the cake structure and a soft, tender crumb.
- Baking powder and baking soda – help the loaf rise and stay light.
- Salt – balances sweetness and enhances flavor.
- Butter – adds rich, classic pound cake flavor.
- Oil – keeps the cake extra moist and soft longer.
- Granulated sugar – sweetens the cake and creates a soft, tender crumb.
- Eggs – binds ingredients and provides structure.
- Lemon zest – adds bold, fresh lemon flavor.
- Fresh lemon juice – brings bright tartness and adds moisture. Used in both the loaf and the simple syrup.
- Sour cream – adds moisture and a slight tang.
- Vanilla extract – enhances the overall flavor and adds a subtle warmth.
- Powdered sugar – creates a smooth, sweet glaze.
- Heavy cream – adds richness and thins the glaze.
How to Make Lemon Pound Cake
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray and lightly dust with flour.
- Whisk dry ingredients in a medium bowl: flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Whip together butter and sugar in a large bowl using an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Mix in part of the oil and the lemon zest.
- Whip until fluffy, then blend in remaining avocado oil.
- Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
- Add dry ingredients and sour cream in batches, alternating between the two and mixing just until combined. Stir in the lemon juice and vanilla.
How to Bake Lemon Pound Cake in a Loaf Pan (9×5-inch)
- Pour batter into the pan and spread evenly. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 50–60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
How to Make the Lemon Simple Syrup
- Make the lemon syrup by warming lemon juice and sugar until dissolved.
- Brush over the warm lemon pound cake so the syrup soaks in and adds moisture and flavor. Let cool completely.
How to Make Vanilla Glaze
- Prepare the glaze by whisking together powdered sugar, cream, and vanilla until smooth.
- Finish with glaze by spreading it over the cooled cake. Let the glaze set, then slice and serve.
Tips for the Best Lemon Pound Cake
- Add glaze the day of serving for the best appearance, as it can soak in slightly over time.
- For cleaner slices, let the glaze set completely before cutting or slice the loaf first, then glaze.
- Don’t wrap the cake in foil, as the lemon can react with it and create a metallic taste.
- Freeze without the glaze if making ahead—then thaw and add glaze before serving.
- Lemon flavor intensifies over time, so the cake often tastes even better the next day.
- Color will vary naturally depending on the yolks used—richer yolks create a deeper yellow hue.
- For a brighter yellow color, you can add a small amount of natural food coloring if desired.
- For a lemon poppy seed variation, stir 2 Tbsp poppy seeds into the batter before baking.
Storage + Freezing
- Store at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days. This keeps the crumb soft and tender.
- Refrigerate for longer storage up to 5–6 days, but note the texture may firm up slightly—bring to room temperature before serving for best flavor.
- Freeze the loaf (unglazed) by wrapping tightly in plastic wrap, then placing in a freezer-safe bag or container. Freeze for up to 3 months.
- Thaw at room temperature until fully defrosted, then add the glaze before serving for the best texture and appearance.
- Freeze individual slices for easy grab-and-go servings—just wrap slices individually and thaw as needed.
More Recipes to Try
Lemon Pound Cake
This lemon pound cake is perfectly moist, buttery, and full of fresh lemon flavor. Finished with a light syrup and vanilla glaze, it has a soft, tender crumb and bakery-style taste.
Servings: 10
Vanilla cream glaze (optional)
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For the lemon loaf: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 by 5-inch loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray and dust with flour, shake out excess flour.
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In a medium mixing bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
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In a separate large mixing bowl, using an electric hand mixer whip together 1 cup granulated sugar, the butter, 1 Tbsp of the avocado oil, and the lemon zest. Blend on medium until combined, then increase to high and whip for a few minutes until light and fluffy.
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Blend in remaining avocado oil (3 Tbsp). Mix in eggs with butter mixture, one at a time blending until combined after each addition.
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Add half of the flour mixture then mix until combined. Then add half of the sour cream, 1 Tbsp lemon juice and the vanilla and mix until combined. Mix in remaining half of the flour followed by remaining half of the sour cream.
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Scrap bowl and fold dough to ensure ingredients are evenly incorporated. Pour into prepared pan and shake to level (or spread batter out).
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Bake in preheated oven until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, about 50 to 60 minutes (tent with foil if needed if it starts to brown too much near the end).
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For the lemon syrup: In a microwave safe dish, combine 3 Tbsp granulated sugar with 2 Tbsp lemon juice. Heat in microwave for 15 seconds and whisk to dissolve sugar. Brush half of the mixture over the hot lemon loaf in the bread pan. Let cool 20 minutes.
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Run a knife around inside edges of pan to ensure loaf is loosened then invert loaf onto a wire cooling rack. Brush bottom and sides with remaining half of the lemon syrup mixture, set upright to cool completely on rack.
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For the vanilla cream glaze*: In a mixing bowl whisk together the powdered sugar, cream and vanilla extract. Spread mixture over the top of the cooled loaf. Let set at room temperature then cut loaf into slices.
- *The cream icing tends to ripple the day after it is prepared unless you slice the loaf. So you can wait to add it until the day of serving or slice the loaf after the icing has set for a cleaner appearance.
- The loaf can be frozen without the icing for up to 3 months.
- Don’t wrap the lemon loaf in foil as this will be reactive to the lemon in the bread and would create a metallic taste.
- The yellow color intensity of the bread will vary based on the yellow/orange intensity of the yolks. If you want bolder yellow color you can use natural yellow food coloring.
- For a lemon poppy seed pound cake simply add 2 Tbsp poppy seeds in with the flour mixture.
Nutrition Facts
Lemon Pound Cake
Amount Per Serving
Calories 378
Calories from Fat 180
% Daily Value*
Fat 20g31%
Saturated Fat 9g56%
Trans Fat 0.4g
Polyunsaturated Fat 2g
Monounsaturated Fat 8g
Cholesterol 90mg30%
Sodium 90mg4%
Potassium 131mg4%
Carbohydrates 47g16%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 30g33%
Protein 5g10%
Vitamin A 472IU9%
Vitamin C 3mg4%
Calcium 56mg6%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
