Lemon Pound Cake Recipe (Moist & Full of Real Lemon Flavor)

This moist, velvety-soft lemon pound cake recipe is loaded with natural, bright lemon flavor thanks to my layered lemon method. Add that rich, lemon butter glaze on top and baby, you’re showing out!

This is the lemon pound cake I make for true lemon lovers, and they always ask for it again, so be prepared!

 I got me one of those pretty domed cake stands to keep on my kitchen counter, and I’m determined to keep it filled with homemade treats for when guests stop by. 

Yes, I’ve crossed over into my hyyge-era hard!

My little patio lemon tree was Fertile Myrtle this year, so guess what dessert recipe is going in there first? 

Yep, this bomb diggity glazed lemon pound cake! 

Have you ever made a homemade lemon pound cake before? Ohhh, this is the one you want, honey!

Why You’ll Love This Lemon Pound Cake Recipe

• Bold, natural lemon flavor. Made with lemon zest, fresh lemon juice, lemon extract, lemon yogurt, and lemon powder for layers of true citrus goodness.
• Nothing artificial. No lemon puddings or Jello mixes. Just real lemon flavor doing it’s thing.
• Tested recipe. Easy recipe that I’ve tested many times to ensure the best lemon pound cake
• Perfectly moist and tender.  Amazing buttery, velvety crumb texture.
• Even better the next day. Let it sit overnight and watch how the flavor and texture elevate.

Watch me make this lemon pound cake step-by-step

Come into my kitchen and let me show you how I make this lemon pound cake from start to finish. I’ll show you my tip for avoiding those gluey streaks, so you’ll get that sought-after velvety crumb texture.

Ingredients 

Here’s everything you’ll need to make this lemon pound cake recipe. You can find the exact measurements in the recipe card.

For The Cake

• All-purpose flour
• Baking soda
• Salt
• Unsalted butter (room temperature)
• Granulated sugar (I like to use fine sugar)
• Greek lemon yogurt
• Buttermilk
• Vanilla extract
• Lemon extract
• Fresh lemon zest
• Eggs, room temperature
• Lemon juice
• True Lemon  lemon powder (Crystalized lemon powder)
• Yellow food coloring (optional)

For The Lemon Glaze (Find this recipe and video here)

• Confectioners’ sugar
• Unsalted butter, melted
• Lemon juice
• lemon extract
• Whole milk
• Salt, pinch
• Lemon zest, garnish (optional)

Ingredient Notes

• Lemon yogurt is a key player. It adds moisture to the cake while also giving it a natural lemon flavor, so use a full-fat, high-quality brand with natural ingredients, if possible.
• Don’t skip the zest. The zest really adds a lot of lemon flavor to the cake, even more than the fresh lemon juice does.
• True Lemon lemon powder deepens the lemon flavor. It gives that extra punch of lemon without adding more lemon juice, which keeps the texture perfect. Be sure you are using a True Lemon lemon powder or a similar brand that is only crystallized lemon and lemon oil.
• Room temperature ingredients are important. Butter, eggs, and yogurt should all be at room temperature so that the batter mixes smoothly and evenly.

How To Make Lemon Pound Cake

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Prepare the pan. Lightly grease and flour a bundt pan. Set aside.

2. Whisk the Dry Ingredients & zest. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, soda, salt, and zest. Set aside.

3. Cream the butter & sugar. In a large bowl, cream the butter until fluffy. Gradually add the sugar, mixing on low speed for 3 minutes. The mixture should look light and creamy, almost like a soft dough. 

4. Add yogurt and extracts. Mix in lemon yogurt, vanilla extract, lemon extract, and lemon zest until combined. Set aside.

5. Dissolve the True Lemon powder.  In a small bowl, combine the lemon juice and True Lemon powder. Stir until the powder is dissolved. Mix into the batter.

6. Beat the eggs. In a medium bowl, beat the eggs until uniform in color. Set aside.

7. Combine the batter.  Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients a little at a time, while alternating with the beaten eggs. Mix just until combined. The batter should be light and fluffy.

8. Add food coloring. If using, mix in the yellow food coloring, making sure that there are no streaks.

9. Add batter to the pan.  Spoon the cake batter evenly into the prepared pan. Gently tap the pan on the counter a few times to remove any air bubbles. 

10. Bake. Bake on the middle rack for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until moist crumbs cling to a toothpick inserted in the center. Do not over-bake. Begin checking for doneness at the 1-hour mark.

11. Let cool and remove from pan. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool for about 10 minutes.  Once the pan is cool enough to handle, remove the cake and let it cool completely on a wire rack.

12. Wrap it. Wrap the cooled cake in plastic wrap and place it in an airtight container overnight. ( I like to wrap it when there is a little bit of warmth in the middle. It makes it really moist the next day)

13. Glaze the cake. Pour the glaze around the top of the cooled pound cake, letting it drip down the sides.  Garnish with lemon zest if using. Once the glaze has hardened, slice and serve.

FAQs

Can I make this in a loaf pan? Sure, use 2 loaf pans to bake lemon loaves.

You have two lemon pound cake recipes. Which do you like better? This one! Although the other is good too, so I’m leaving it for those who prefer that one.

What can I substitute for the lemon yogurt? If you cannot use lemon yogurt, you can substitute sour cream. Although the lemon yogurt works better in this recipe.

Can I use bottled lemon juice instead of fresh lemons? For the most natural flavor, use fresh lemons, although bottled lemon juice will work in a pinch. A jar of fresh, not-from-concentrate lemon juice is a good substitute.

Can I use cake flour? Yes, however, I prefer all-purpose flour for my pound cakes to give them that classic, moist yet tight crumb.

Can I skip adding the True Lemon powder? Yes, you can, but the lemon flavor may not be as strong.

Storage

Store the cake in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-5 days.  You can also store it in the fridge for up to a week, but this tends to dry the cake out faster.

Freeze the unglazed cake by wrapping the slice in plastic wrap, then in aluminum foil. Place in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw it on the counter.

Ready to make this incredible lemon pound cake recipe?

If you make this lemon pound cake recipe, let me know what you think by leaving a comment!

Grab the full recipe below.

Get the Recipe:

Lemon Pound Cake Recipe (Moist & Full of Real Lemon Flavor)

A moist and tender lemon pound cake with bright lemon flavor

Servings: 12

Prep Time: 20 minutes mins

Cook Time: 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

For The Cake

• 3 cups all-purpose flour (spooned into the measuring cup and leveled)
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest
• 1 cup unsalted butter (room temperature)
• 3 cups fine granulated sugar
• 1 cup Lemon yogurt (room temperature) ( Use a quality, full-fat brand with natural ingredients)
• ¼ cup buttermilk (room temperature)
• 1 tablespoon lemon extract
• ½ tablespoon vanilla extract
• 2 packets True Lemon lemon powder
• ¼ cups fresh lemon juice
• 6 large eggs, beaten (room temperature)
• 8-10 drops yellow food coloring

• Preheat oven to 325 F. Grease a bundt pan with butter-flavored shortening and lightly flour. Set aside.

• In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, and lemon zest. Set aside.

  3 cups all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest

• In another large bowl, add butter and sugar. Set timer for 3 minutes and mix on low to medium-low speed for the full 3 minutes, being sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl. (Butter and sugar should be creamed together and resemble a light and creamy soft dough when done.)

  1 cup unsalted butter, 3 cups fine granulated sugar

• Mix in yogurt and buttermilk.

  1 cup Lemon yogurt, ¼ cup buttermilk

• Mix in lemon extract and vanilla extract.

  1 tablespoon lemon extract, ½ tablespoon vanilla extract

• In a small separate bowl, combine the lemon powder and lemon juice, stirring until the powder dissolves. Add to the wet batter.

  2 packets True Lemon lemon powder, ¼ cups fresh lemon juice

• Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, alternating with the beaten eggs on low to medium-low speed. (Batter should look light and fluffy once ingredients are fully incorporated)

  6 large eggs, beaten

• Gently mix in the food coloring, being sure no streaks remain.

  8-10 drops yellow food coloring

• Spoon the batter evenly into the prepared pan, then tap the pan on the counter to remove any air pockets.

• Bake on the middle rack for 1 hour and 10-15 minutes. (Check on it at the 1-hour mark) When a toothpick comes out clean or with moist crumbs clinging to it, remove it from the oven.

• Place the pan on a wire rack to cool for about 10-15 minutes. Run a knife along the edges to loosen it before removing from the pan, and allow it to cool completely.

• Once cooled, wrap the cake in plastic wrap and place it in an airtight container overnight to allow the flavors to balance. (I like to wrap it when the center is slightly warm)

• When ready to serve, prepare the glaze. (You can shave off the bottom if you prefer the cake to sit flat) Drizzle with the lemon butter glaze and garnish with lemon zest.

• Let the glaze set and serve.

Mo’s Test Kitchen Tips

Here are a few helpful tips I’ve learned from testing this recipe.
1. Don’t skip the plastic wrap. This lemon cake gets even better when it sits wrapped overnight. The lemon flavor is more balanced, and the crumb has a moist, velvety-soft, yet perfectly dense texture. Wrap the cake while the center is slightly warm.
2. Don’t over-bake. When the cake tester comes out with moist crumbs clinging to it (my preferred indicator), remove it from the oven.  Baking times may vary, so keep an eye on it and start checking for doneness at the 1-hour mark.  The cake will continue cooking as it cools down.
3. Don’t over-cream the butter and sugar.  Over-creaming can affect the final texture and cause gluey streaks. I stick to about 3 minutes on low speed with my mixer. If your mixer runs slowly, you may need to bump it up slightly. The finished creamed mixture should look like a soft dough, not overly light or airy. (See video for reference.)

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