Lemon Loaf Pound Cake

How to Make Lemon Pound Cake Loaf

What is Pound Cake?

Pound cake is traditionally made with a pound of each of the four main ingredients: flour, butter, eggs, and sugar. Despite the fact that this makes a traditional pound cake recipe easy to remember, it doesn’t always produce the best results. You’ll see my recipe below still uses a lot of butter and sugar but the ratios vary slightly.

Ingredients You’ll Need for Moist Lemon Pound Cake:

• All-purpose flour
• Cake flour
• Baking powder
• Salt
• Granulated sugar
• Lemons – TONS of zest and 1 tbsp lemon juice for maximum flavor
• Eggs
• Butter – the butter is melted instead of creamed!
• Sour Cream (or full fat plain unsweetened yogurt)

Do I Have to Use Cake Flour?

This recipe uses half all-purpose flour and half cake flour for the best of both worlds. When using only all-purpose flour the loaf has more of a muffin texture. When using only cake flour the loaf is too delicate and crumbly.

While you can use only all-purpose flour, I’d highly recommend using real cake flour for the best results. Learn more about the science of cake flour (and why I don’t use DIY substitutes) here.

Why Does This Loaf Recipe Require a Blender or Food Processor?

Like all pound cakes, this is a high ratio cake. Meaning there’s as much or more sugar as there is flour. This provides a beautifully moist tight crumbed texture without needing to cream butter and sugar with an electric mixer.

Instead, a blender or food processor not only assists in making quick and easy work of making this batter, but it also helps emulsify all the rich ingredients together into a smooth batter.

The last ingredient is the melted butter, which must be drizzled in a steady stream as the blender or food processor goes to perfectly emulsify.

Can I Use a Different Sized Pan?

This recipe uses a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan for best results.

To Bake in a 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch Pan

Add about 5 minutes to the baking time. This is the pan I use for smaller loaves. Loaves baked in this slightly smaller pan will rise higher and look taller, more like what you’d see in a bakery case.

If you use an even smaller pan, you may run the risk of the loaf collapsing slightly in the center. Especially if you live at higher altitudes.

To Bake in a Bundt Cake Pan

Double all ingredients and bake in a well greased 10 to 12 cup bundt pan and bake for about 50 to 60 minutes. OR, use my Lemon Bundt Cake recipe which is more light and cakey than this pound cake recipe.

To Bake in Glass or a Ceramic Pan

I tested this recipe in a metal pan because it conducts heat quickly and efficiently. Glass and ceramic are slower conductors of heat, so if you use this style pan you’ll need to decrease your baking temperature to 325°F and increase your baking time by about 10 minutes.

The Trick to Bright Lemon Flavor in Pound Cake (even after baking)

Lemon flavor can dull during the baking process. That’s why this recipe calls for two whole tablespoons (not teaspoons!) of both lemon zest and juice. Then there’s a tablespoon of fresh juice in the glaze, which helps give a fresh punch of lemon flavor. You’ll need about 3 lemons total!

How to Make Lemon Glaze for Pound Cake

You’ll just need 3 ingredients for the lemon glaze: powdered sugar, a lemon, and milk or cream. Whisk together the glaze ingredients until thick but pourable. The consistency of your glaze will depend entirely on the brand of powdered sugar you’re using and how humid it is in your kitchen.

To Make the Lemon Glaze Thinner

Add more lemon juice or milk, 1 teaspoon at a time.

To Make the Lemon Glaze Thicker

Add more powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon at a time.

How to Store Lemon Pound Cake Loaf

The glazed loaf can be covered in foil or plastic wrap and stored at room temperature for up to 2 days.

Can I Freeze Lemon Pound Cake Loaf?

Yes! Wrap unglazed loaf tightly in plastic wrap and store for 1 month. Your loaf will likely develop a moist or tacky surface on top but the glaze should disguise it nicely.