This Lemon Lovers Pound Cake is a beloved family recipe. It belongs to our wonderful Great Aunt Beulah. Rich and buttery with a pop of lemon it can be served drizzled with a sweet lemon glaze or with a light dusting of powdered sugar. It freezes beautifully and the ideal accompaniment to a cup of hot tea or java for an any-time-of -day sweet treat.
Our Aunt Beulah had a big heart, and she loved all of her nieces, nephews, great nieces and nephews, as if we were all her own grandchildren. She never forgot a birthday, and she celebrated every special achievement and event with loving pride. This is her famous lemon pound cake recipe and none of our family get together’s would be complete without this pound cake on the dessert table. It’s a tried and true slice of lemon lovers heaven!
You may also like: Lemon Sour Cream Pound Cake, Easy Semi-Homemade Lemon Pound Cake and Iced Lemon Pound Cake.
Disclosure ~ If a purchase is made using one of the affiliate links on this website we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you!
Helpful Kitchen Items:
Lemon Lovers Pound Cake
Servings: 16 slices
Ingredients
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 1 3.4 oz box instant lemon pudding
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 3 cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup butter melted
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1 Tbsp lemon zest
- 2 tsp lemon extract
- 1 tsp pure vanilla
- 5 large eggs
- 1 cup of milk
- For the creamy lemon glaze:
- 2 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1 Tbsp heavy cream
- 2 tsp lemon zest
- 1 cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Generously butter and flour a 2-piece tube pan and set aside.
- Sift together the flour, pudding mix, baking powder and salt, set aside.
- In the mixing bowl of a stand mixer, beat together the sugar, melted butter, vegetable oil, lemon zest, lemon and vanilla extracts.
- Lower the speed of the mixer and add the eggs one at a time beating well after each addition.
- Begin to add the sifted dry ingredients alternately with the milk. Mix well.
- After all of the ingredients have been added, increase the speed of the mixer and beat on medium speed for 1-2 minutes, stopping to scrape the bowl periodically. The batter will be thick and creamy.
- Pour into the prepared tube pan. Bounce the cake pan on the counter a few times to remove any air bubbles and settle the batter.
- Move the oven rack to the lower third of the oven. Bake for approximately 1 hour and 15-20 minutes.
- Test the center with a toothpick and if it shows moist crumbs, remove from the oven.
- Cool in the tube pan for 20 minutes then remove the outer ring from the pan and cool completely on a cooling rack.
- To prepare the creamy lemon glaze: In a small mixing bowl, stir the heavy cream, lemon juice and lemon zest into the powdered sugar.
- Mix until the powdered sugar is dissolved and there are no lumps. Add additional lemon juice, if needed to thin for drizzling.
- Drizzle over the cooled cake.
Notes
Serving suggestions: Serve with vanilla bean ice cream, fresh whipped cream, lemon curd or vanilla pastry cream and assorted berries. [raspberries, blueberries, strawberries]
My Aunt Beulah's recipe recommends checking the cake after it's been baking for 1 hour. Oven temperatures vary, and due to the combination of butter and oil, the top of this moist cake could over cook if not closely watched. After one hour, if the top is sufficiently browned, place a piece of aluminum foil on top to prevent over browning.
My Aunt Beulah's recipe recommends checking the cake after it's been baking for 1 hour. Oven temperatures vary, and due to the combination of butter and oil, the top of this moist cake could over cook if not closely watched. After one hour, if the top is sufficiently browned, place a piece of aluminum foil on top to prevent over browning.
Tried this recipe?Mention @melissassk or tag #melissassk!
Linda Ljunggren says
June 30, 2017 at 9:40 pmIs there anything else besides sugar to sweeten the cake. My sis loves lemon cake but she suffers fom diebetes type one? thanks. Lin
Melissa says
June 30, 2017 at 10:33 pmI make this cake just as written. If you’ve had success in the past using a sugar substitute it should work for this cake as well.
Adrienne Mason says
July 13, 2017 at 8:39 amI made this cake for Sunday, but my brothers ate it AAAALLLLL!! So I’m making it twice in 2 days! Thank you for sharing!
Melissa says
July 13, 2017 at 9:06 amIt’s an amazing cake and close to my family’s heart. Enjoy!
sandra manning says
July 27, 2017 at 2:13 pmI made a mistake on recipe, i alternated the flour, eggs, and milk. will this mess the cake up. I got confused with another recipe
Melissa says
July 27, 2017 at 5:34 pmIt will change how it rises but not the taste.
Theola Thornton says
October 19, 2017 at 11:33 pmHi I plan to make this cake the weekend, but I use cake flour with all my cakes–should I leave out the baking powder and salt
Melissa says
October 20, 2017 at 7:36 amEven if you use cake flour you still need leavening. So, don’t leave those 2 out.
Renee says
November 3, 2017 at 2:20 pmIf I use salted butter, would I still need to use the 1/4 tsp of salt that’s noted in the recipe?
Melissa says
November 3, 2017 at 2:45 pmYes, I almost always use salted butter.
erika says
December 28, 2017 at 1:09 pmhello can i use buttermilk instead of regular milk?
Melissa says
December 28, 2017 at 5:15 pmOh sure, no problem.
Debbie says
January 29, 2018 at 8:58 pmsilly question but I drink only 1% milk can that be used in this or do you recommend whole or 2%?
Melissa says
January 30, 2018 at 9:23 amWell, it’s a pound cake and not a low cal dessert so, I say go all out. That said, it will work with 1%.
Katie Turner age:11 says
February 2, 2018 at 5:29 pmIf I don’t have a tube pan, is there another pan I could use?
Melissa says
February 2, 2018 at 8:22 pmThis is a big cake and a tube pan holds it best. You can try a bunt pan, if you prefer.
Katie Turner age:11 says
February 2, 2018 at 5:32 pmI’m trying to make the trifle, so I would be cutting it up, anyway.
Melissa says
February 2, 2018 at 8:23 pmYes, in that case you can make it in any pan you like, sure. Just adapt the baking time.
Katie Turner age:11 says
February 2, 2018 at 7:42 pmCan it be Refrigerated to save it?
Melissa says
February 2, 2018 at 8:23 pmAbsolutely!
Katie Turner. Age:11 says
February 3, 2018 at 1:25 pmThank you for the advice. The cake is absolutely amazing!
Katie Turner age:11 says
February 3, 2018 at 1:57 pmThank you so much for the feedback and advice. The cake was amazing!
Melissa says
February 3, 2018 at 6:20 pmI’m so happy you loved this one, Katie! Keep baking I started very young, too.
suzie says
March 10, 2018 at 11:39 amI used all the same ingredients and the top of mine burned . Then I covered it with foil and lowered the temp to 325. It was done , or over done in 1 hour . Not moist at all . I think it will go in the garbage . I have made many a southern pound cakes but none turned out this badly. Never again this recipe sorry .
Melissa says
March 10, 2018 at 12:05 pmSorry you had issues with this recipe. If the top burned, your broiler is too hot or your oven rack may be set too high. Baking takes practice, it’s unfortunate this tried and true family recipe didn’t work for you.
Isabel says
September 11, 2018 at 10:26 pmI just found this recipe Sunday. I made it Monday night for a PTSA meeting at my son’s school. This cake was delicious and so moist. It came out perfect too. I have another pound cake recipe that usually is my to go to recipe but this was might take it’s place. Thank you for sharing your family’s recipe.
Melissa says
September 12, 2018 at 6:58 amWonderful, thanks so much for taking the time to let me know!
Wanda says
April 1, 2019 at 2:07 pmThis is my first cake i have made from scratch. Made for our church dinner and everyone loved it ! Definitely a keeper and will making again soon ! Thanks for sharing
Melissa says
April 1, 2019 at 6:02 pmHi Wanda, that’s wonderful, I’m so happy you and your friends enjoyed this, great job!