Classic Glazed Lemon Pound Cake
This bakery-style lemon loaf delivers a velvety, close crumb with vibrant citrus flavor, infused with a tart lemon syrup soak and finished with a crackling citrus glaze and freshly grated zest.
Recipe Overview
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Bake Time: 50–55 minutes
- Cooling & Setting Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 1 standard loaf (8–10 slices)
- Pan Size: 8.5×4.5-inch (or standard 9×5-inch) loaf pan
Equipment Needed
- Stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment (or handheld electric mixer)
- 8.5×4.5-inch loaf pan
- Parchment paper
- Fine microplane citrus zester
- Citrus juicer
- Small saucepan (for syrup)
- Pastry brush
- Wire cooling rack
- Sifter or fine-mesh sieve
Ingredients
For the Lemon Pound Cake
- All-Purpose Flour: 240 g (2 cups, spooned and leveled)
- Baking Powder: 1½ tsp (6 g)
- Fine Sea Salt: ½ tsp (3 g)
- Granulated White Sugar: 200 g (1 cup)
- Fresh Lemon Zest: 2 tbsp (from 3–4 large organic lemons)
- Unsalted Butter (room temperature, softened): 115 g (½ cup / 1 stick)
- Neutral Vegetable Oil (or canola oil): 60 ml (¼ cup)
- Large Eggs (room temperature): 3 large (approx. 150 g without shells)
- Pure Vanilla Extract: 1 tsp (5 ml)
- Fresh Lemon Juice: 45 ml (3 tbsp)
- Full-Fat Sour Cream (or Greek yogurt, room temperature): 120 g (½ cup)
For the Lemon Soak Syrup
- Fresh Lemon Juice: 60 ml (¼ cup)
- Granulated Sugar: 50 g (¼ cup)
For the Citrus Sugar Glaze
- Powdered Sugar (confectioners’ sugar): 150 g (1¼ cups), sifted
- Fresh Lemon Juice: 30–45 ml (2 to 3 tbsp)
- Heavy Cream or Whole Milk: 1 tsp (optional, for opacity)
- Fresh Lemon Zest (for garnish): 1 tsp, finely grated
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Prepare Oven and Pan
- Position the oven rack in the center position and preheat to 175°C (350°F).
- Grease an 8.5×4.5-inch loaf pan thoroughly with butter or nonstick baking spray.
- Line the pan with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on the longer sides to create handles for easy removal.
2. Infuse Lemon Sugar
- In a small mixing bowl, combine granulated sugar and freshly grated lemon zest.
- Rub the zest and sugar together between your fingertips for 2 to 3 minutes until the mixture turns pale yellow and resembles fragrant, damp sand. This friction ruptures the citrus oil glands and extracts maximum essential oil into the batter.
3. Cream Butter and Sugar
- Transfer the citrus-scented sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the softened unsalted butter and neutral vegetable oil.
- Beat on medium-high speed for 4 to 5 minutes until light, pale, and fluffy. The addition of oil ensures the cake stays moist for days, while the creamed butter builds the lift and classic pound cake crumb.
4. Incorporate Wet Ingredients
- Reduce the mixer speed to medium-low. Add the eggs one at a time, beating for 30 seconds after each addition until fully incorporated.
- Beat in the vanilla extract, fresh lemon juice, and full-fat sour cream until smooth. If the batter appears slightly curdled due to the acid, it will smooth out once the flour is added.
5. Sift and Fold Dry Ingredients
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and fine sea salt.
- Add half of the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and mix on low speed just until barely combined (about 10 seconds).
- Add the remaining dry ingredients, mixing on the lowest speed until no dry flour streaks remain. Do not overmix; stop as soon as the batter comes together to prevent tough gluten development.
6. Bake the Loaf
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top with an offset spatula.
- Tap the loaf pan firmly against the counter once to release trapped air pockets.
- Bake at 175°C (350°F) for 50 to 55 minutes.
- Test for doneness at the 50-minute mark: a thin wooden skewer or toothpick inserted into the center should emerge clean or with a few moist, tender crumbs attached. If the top browns too quickly after 35 minutes, tent the top loosely with aluminum foil.
7. Apply the Lemon Soak
- While the loaf is in the oven, combine 60 ml lemon juice and 50 g granulated sugar in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves completely; remove from heat.
- Once the cake comes out of the oven, set the pan on a wire cooling rack and let it rest for 10 minutes.
- Pierce the warm cake surface all over with a wooden skewer. Brush the warm lemon syrup evenly over the top using a pastry brush, allowing it to soak deep into the crumb.
- Cool the cake in the pan for another 15 minutes, then use the parchment paper handles to lift it onto the wire rack to cool completely to room temperature.
8. Glaze and Garnish
- In a medium bowl, whisk together sifted powdered sugar, fresh lemon juice, and cream until a thick, opaque, pourable glaze forms.
- Slowly drizzle the glaze over the completely cooled cake, allowing it to naturally drip down the sides.
- Immediately scatter the fresh lemon zest over the wet glaze so it adheres. Let the glaze set for 20 minutes at room temperature before slicing.
Pro Baking Tips
- Temperature Control: Ensure butter, eggs, and sour cream are at true room temperature (around 20°C / 68°F). Cold ingredients break the emulsion, leading to a dense, uneven crumb.
- Cool Before Glazing: Never glaze a warm cake; the icing will melt, turn clear, and run off completely onto the counter instead of forming an opaque shell.
- Storage: Store slices in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days, or refrigerate for up to 1 week. Wrap individual unglazed slices in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 3 months.
