Here’s my updated “Van Halen” Lemon Pound Cake — what I believe is the best lemon pound cake you’ll ever taste. It layers lemon flavor in three ways: zest, juice, and a touch of lemon extract or oil for a bright, authentic profile.
I include a video demonstrating the creaming method used for this cake. If you love lemon desserts, try my lemon corn buttermilk pound cake or browse my collection of pound cake recipes.
Watch the short web story for this lemon pound cake.
Hi Jenni, I love this recipe so much. Thanks to you I got the highest grade for my external exam using this recipe.
Reader and Culinary Student Donna
Table of Contents
What Makes This Recipe So Great
To make a truly outstanding pound cake, layer the primary flavor in multiple forms. For lemon pound cake that means using zest, juice, and a small amount of lemon extract or oil. Each element contributes something different: zest brings essential oils and aroma, juice offers the bright tartness, and extract or oil adds concentrated lemon character without overwhelming the cake.
I also add a tangy dairy element — Greek yogurt in the video — which heightens the lemon’s acidity and creates a tender, moist crumb. Buttermilk or sour cream will work too. Finally, the glaze is another chance to reinforce lemon flavor with the same trio of zest, juice, and extract.
How Did You Make It Yellow?
No artificial dye needed. I add 1/4 teaspoon turmeric to the sugar and butter during creaming to nudge the cake a sunny yellow. It adds color only — you won’t taste turmeric.
Procedure
Ingredients
These are the ingredients you’ll need for a 12-cup Bundt pan lemon pound cake that yields about 24 servings.
- 19 oz granulated sugar
- 12 oz unsalted butter, cool room temperature (65–68°F)
- 1 gently rounded teaspoon fine sea salt (adjust if using kosher salt)
- Zest of 4 small or 2 large lemons (use a Microplane for fine zest)
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract or 3 drops lemon oil
- Optional: 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric for color
- 5 large eggs, lightly beaten and at room temperature
- 13 oz cake flour (all-purpose can be substituted with slightly coarser texture)
- 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 8 oz thick Greek yogurt (full or low fat) — do not use fat-free. Sour cream or buttermilk can be substituted.
- 2 oz freshly squeezed lemon juice, strained
Method Overview
This cake is made using the creaming method. Key steps:
- Cream butter, sugar, salt, lemon zest, optional turmeric, and lemon extract until very light and fluffy.
- Beat eggs and add them gradually to the creamed mixture, a little at a time.
- Whisk dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, baking soda) together.
- Combine yogurt and lemon juice.
- Alternate adding dry and wet ingredients in five additions, beginning and ending with dry (dry–wet–dry–wet–dry).
- Scrape batter into a well-prepared 12-cup Bundt pan and bake.
Visual How-To
- Mix sugar, lemon zest, salt, and lemon extract so the sugar is perfumed and slightly pale.
- Add butter and turmeric (if using) and beat until light and fluffy — this can take 8 minutes or more.
- Beat the eggs and add them slowly to the creamed mixture, scraping the bowl as needed.
- Alternate additions of dry ingredients and the yogurt–lemon juice mixture, starting and finishing with dry.
- When combined, scrape the bowl thoroughly and give the batter a brief high-speed mix for about three seconds to finish.
- Fill the prepared 12-cup Bundt pan and smooth the top.
- Bake at 350°F until deeply golden, well risen, and with a crack around the center — about 1 hour. A thin knife inserted into the crack should come out clean.
- Cool in the pan for 20 minutes, then turn out onto a rack. For maximum moistness, wrap the still-warm cake tightly in plastic wrap to trap steam as it cools.
Equipment You May Need
A stand mixer does the best job creaming butter and sugar, though a hand mixer will work. This recipe is sized for a 12-cup Bundt pan — many decorative pans hold only 10 cups, which will leave you with leftover batter to bake as cupcakes or a small extra cake.
Variations
Swap the citrus elements to make lime, orange, or grapefruit pound cake. Replace zest, juice, and extract accordingly. The recipe works with any citrus.
Tips for Success
Bring butter, eggs, lemon juice, and yogurt/buttermilk to cool room temperature before you start. Cold ingredients will cause the creamed butter to seize and the batter to look curdled. Bake on the oven rack positioned one below center for the most even heat distribution.
Lemon Pound Cake Q & A
You can try a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend. Let the batter rest 30 minutes before baking to allow the flours to hydrate.
Yes. Use a vegan stick-style butter (not tub margarine) and a soy or coconut yogurt.
Yes. Store at room temperature for 4–5 days, or freeze wrapped tightly (plastic wrap then foil or freezer bag) for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature while still wrapped.
Serving Suggestions
The cake is delightful on its own. A simple tart lemon glaze made from powdered sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, and a tiny pinch of salt complements the cake without overpowering it. Stabilized whipped cream or a light dusting of powdered sugar are other good options.
Questions?
A Note About Measurements
Weighing ingredients with a scale produces the most consistent results, especially for flour and sugar.
If you make this recipe, please consider rating and leaving a review — your feedback helps others and helps me improve recipes.
Lemon Pound Cake
Made with a modified creaming method, this cake has a fine, dense crumb that melts in your mouth.
Equipment
- Stand mixer or hand mixer
- 12-cup Bundt pan (well-greased and floured)
- Mixing bowls, spatula, whisk
- Cooling rack
Ingredients
- 19 oz granulated sugar
- 12 oz unsalted butter, cool room temperature
- 1 gently rounded teaspoon fine sea salt
- Zest of 4 small or 2 large lemons
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract or 3 drops lemon oil
- Optional: 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric for color
- 5 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 13 oz cake flour
- 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 8 oz thick Greek yogurt (or sour cream/buttermilk)
- 2 oz freshly squeezed lemon juice, strained
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Position the rack one below center. Thoroughly spray and flour a 12-cup Bundt pan.
- Cream butter, sugar, salt, lemon zest, lemon extract, and optional turmeric until very pale, light, and fluffy — about 8 minutes. Scrape the bowl as needed.
- While creaming, whisk together flour, baking powder, and baking soda. If lumpy, sift and set aside.
- Whisk yogurt (or sour cream/buttermilk) with lemon juice and set aside.
- With the mixer running, drizzle in beaten eggs slowly over about 5 minutes, scraping the bowl occasionally.
- Alternate adding the dry and wet ingredients in five additions: half the dry, half the wet, half the remaining dry, the rest of the wet, then the remaining dry. Mix on low about 5 seconds between additions and scrape the bowl often; don’t overmix.
- Fold briefly by hand, then give the mixer a quick high-speed burst of about three seconds to bring the batter together.
- Scrape batter into the prepared pan, spread evenly, and bake about 1 hour until deeply golden and a knife inserted into the central crack comes out clean.
- Cool in the pan for 20 minutes, then turn out onto a rack. For extra moisture, wrap the still-warm cake tightly in plastic wrap as it cools.
- Optional: When barely warm, glaze with powdered sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, and a pinch of salt.
Notes
- Take your time on the creaming step; it’s the foundation of the cake’s texture. Keep the mixture under 70°F — if it warms, chill briefly and continue creaming.
- Grease and flour the Bundt pan thoroughly for a clean release. If you only have a 10-cup pan, reserve about 1½ cups batter for cupcakes or a small cake.
- The cake keeps covered at room temperature for about 5 days. For longer storage freeze wrapped slices or the whole cake for up to 3 months.
Nutrition (per serving)
- Calories: 285 kcal
- Carbohydrates: 37 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Sodium: 156 mg
Hi, y’all — thanks for reading. If you enjoy my recipes, consider signing up for my newsletter, The Inbox Pastry Chef, for occasional updates and new recipes.
I hope you love this sunshiny lemon pound cake as much as we do. Thanks for reading — have a lovely day!