I put a quiet twist into my Lemon Pound Cake Recipe that made me reimagine what a pound cake can be.

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I didn’t plan on making a showstopper but this Lemon Sour Cream Pound Cake kinda happened. I wanted a bright lift with a dense tender crumb so I leaned on unsalted butter and full fat sour cream to keep it rich yet soft.

It has that shortbread like weight but with a zing that keeps you coming back for one more slice. Calling it my Lemon Pound Cake Recipe feels honest and kinda dangerous; people taste it and they want the secret.

I promise its simple but there is a little trick that makes it unforgettable

Ingredients

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All purpose flour: Mostly carbs, small protein, gives structure and tender crumb, not much fiber.
Butter: Rich in saturated fat, adds moisture and flavor, dont overdo it.
Eggs: Protein and fat, helps structure and lift, also adds richness.
Sour cream: Adds tang and moisture, contributes fat and protein, gives fine crumb.
Lemon zest and juice: Bright sour notes, vitamin C punch, balances sweetness, wakes cake.
Granulated sugar: Main sweetener, pure carbs, raises browning and moistness, empty calories.
Powdered sugar glaze: Adds sweet shiny finish, mostly sugar, thin with lemon juice or milk.

Ingredient Quantities

2 cups (240 g) all purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon fine salt

1 cup (2 sticks / 226 g) unsalted butter, softened

1 3/4 cups (350 g) granulated sugar

4 large eggs

1 cup (240 g) full fat sour cream

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Zest of 2 lemons (about 2 tablespoons)

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 to 1 1/4 cups (120 to 150 g) powdered sugar for glaze

1 to 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice for glaze (plus a splash of milk if needed)

Optional: 1 tablespoon coarse or sanding sugar for sprinkling

How to Make this

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1. Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C). Grease and flour a 9×5 loaf pan or a 10-cup bundt pan, or line a loaf pan with parchment; set aside.

2. Whisk together 2 cups (240 g) all purpose flour, 1 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda and 1/2 tsp fine salt in a bowl.

3. In a large bowl beat 1 cup (2 sticks / 226 g) softened unsalted butter with 1 3/4 cups (350 g) granulated sugar and the zest of 2 lemons (about 2 tbsp) until light and fluffy, about 3 to 5 minutes. Rubbing the zest into the sugar first helps release the oils, do that if you want extra lemon punch.

4. Add 4 large eggs one at a time, beating well and scraping the sides after each so the batter stays smooth.

5. In a small bowl stir together 1 cup (240 g) full fat sour cream, 2 tsp pure vanilla extract and 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture in three additions, alternating with the sour cream mixture, beginning and ending with the dry. Mix just until combined, dont overmix.

6. Pour batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. If using, sprinkle 1 tbsp coarse or sanding sugar on top for sparkle.

7. Bake until a toothpick or skewer in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs, not wet batter. For a 9×5 loaf expect about 65 to 75 minutes; for a 10-cup bundt about 55 to 70 minutes. If the top browns too fast, tent with foil.

8. Let the cake cool in the pan about 15 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack and cool until just slightly warm or completely cool depending on how runny you want the glaze.

9. For the glaze whisk 1 to 1 1/4 cups (120 to 150 g) powdered sugar with 1 to 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice, adding a splash of milk if it needs thinning. Drizzle over the cake, let set a few minutes, then serve.

Equipment Needed

1. 9×5 loaf pan or 10-cup bundt pan (or line a loaf pan with parchment)
2. Electric hand mixer or stand mixer (or a sturdy whisk if you’re feeling brave)
3. Mixing bowls — one large and one small
4. Measuring cups, measuring spoons and a kitchen scale for grams
5. Microplane or fine grater for lemon zest
6. Rubber spatula and wooden spoon for scraping and folding
7. Whisk for dry ingredients and for the glaze
8. Wire cooling rack and a toothpick or skewer to test doneness
9. Parchment paper, nonstick spray and foil for tenting if needed

FAQ

Q: Can I swap the full fat sour cream for something else?

Yes. Full fat Greek yogurt or crème fraîche work almost 1 to 1 and keep the cake tender, but skip fat free versions, they'll make the cake dry. You can also do half sour cream half yogurt if thats what you have.

Q: My cake turned out dense, what went wrong?

Common causes: under-creamed butter and sugar, overmixing after adding flour, packing the flour when you measure, old baking powder or soda, or wrong oven temp. To fix it cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, fold flour gently, spoon and level flour when measuring, and check your leavening is fresh.

Q: How do I know when the cake is done?

Stick a toothpick in the center it should come out with a few moist crumbs not wet batter. The top should spring back and the edges pull slightly from the pan. If you use a thermometer aim for about 200 to 205°F in the center.

Q: Can I bake this in a bundt pan, loaf pan, or as cupcakes and how long?

Yes. For a 9×5 loaf bake at 325°F for about 60 to 70 minutes. For a bundt pan bake similar time 50 to 70 minutes depending on depth. For cupcakes, bake at 350°F about 18 to 25 minutes. Always check with a toothpick cause ovens vary.

Q: How do I make the lemon glaze just right?

Start with about 1 cup powdered sugar and 1 tablespoon lemon juice, whisk and add a splash of milk if too thick, or more lemon juice if too thick. You want pourable but not runny. If it's too thin add more powdered sugar a little at a time.

Q: How should I store or freeze the cake?

At room temp keep the cake wrapped or in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days. Refrigerate up to a week if you like. To freeze wrap tightly in plastic then foil, freeze up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge or on the counter overnight.

Lemon Sour Cream Pound Cake Recipe Substitutions and Variations

All purpose flour: swap with cake flour 1:1 for a softer, finer crumb. Or make a DIY cake flour by removing 2 tbsp flour per cup and adding 2 tbsp cornstarch (so for 2 cups AP, take out 4 tbsp flour and stir in 4 tbsp cornstarch).
Unsalted butter (1 cup / 226 g): use salted butter 1:1 and cut the recipe salt to 1/4 tsp, or use solid coconut oil 1:1 for a dairy free option, note it will give a slight coconut flavor and a a slightly denser cake.
Full fat sour cream (1 cup): replace with full fat Greek yogurt 1:1 for the same tang and richness. You can also use buttermilk 1 cup but it’s thinner so the batter will be looser and texture a bit more open.
4 large eggs: for vegan or egg-free, use flax “eggs” (1 tbsp ground flax + 3 tbsp water per egg, let gel 5 minutes) or use 1/4 cup applesauce per egg for moisture, but know the cake will be denser since eggs add structure.

Pro Tips

1) Rub the lemon zest into the granulated sugar before you cream the butter, it really unlocks the oils and gives way more lemony punch, dont skip this if you want big flavor.

2) Get the butter and eggs near the same temperature so the batter stays smooth, and when you add the flour and sour cream do it in alternating additions and mix only until you see no streaks, overmixing makes it dense and chewy.

3) Start checking the loaf about 10 minutes before the end of the listed time, you’re looking for a few moist crumbs not wet batter. If the top is getting too dark tent with foil shiny side up, and let the cake cool in the pan a short while before flipping so it doesnt crack or sink.

4) For the glaze, add liquid gradually so you can control thickness, and if you want the flavor to soak in brush a quick warm lemon syrup on the warm loaf first (about 1 tbsp sugar dissolved in 1 tbsp lemon juice), then drizzle the glaze.