Italian Lemon Pound Cake is the only lemon cake recipe you will ever need! You are going to love the super moist texture and the rich citrus flavor.
The Italian Lemon Pound Cake is sure to have you hooked after just one bite. It really is that good! Every time I take this cake to a party it is always a huge hit.
Have you ever bit into a lemon dessert and instantly pucker up because the lemon flavor is so overpowering? You don’t need to worry about that with this recipe. It has the perfect balance between sweet and tart, so it is pucker free.
If you have a chance, try making the cake the day before you are going to serve it, because It tastes even better the next day!
Serve this Italian Lemon Pound Cake at a baby or wedding shower or enjoy it while sitting on the back porch on a quiet summer evening.
Who am I kidding, this cake would be amazing no matter where you are or who you serve it to.
With love from my kitchen to yours,
Carrie
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Here are some of the items that I recommend for making this cake.
*UPDATE: I added 1 teaspoon of fresh ginger to the cake batter, because I felt like it needed a little bit of kick to the lemon flavor. It’s amazing how much of a difference it makes. Then I omitted the butter from the glaze, because the butter is very temperamental and can curdle. I brush the glaze on the warm cake and once it has cooled down, drizzle the lemon cream cheese frosting over the cake.
Italian Lemon Pound Cake
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup of sour cream
4 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tsp. of fresh ginger, minced
Zest of 2 lemons ( about 2 tbsp.)
1 teaspoon of vanilla
Instructions
Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees
1. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt and set aside. In another bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Mix in the sour cream, lemon juice, vanilla, ginger, and lemon zest.
2. Mix half of the flour mixture into the butter mixture. Mix in the buttermilk and then add in the remaining flour mixture. Mix just until the flour disappears. Pour the cake batter into a bundt pan that has been generously sprayed with baking spray.
3. Bake for 70 to 80 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Remove the cake from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Turn the cake over on a cake platter. Spread the lemon glaze over the warm cake so that the glaze can soak into the cake. Let the cake cool completely and drizzle the lemon cream cheese frosting over the cake.
Lemon Glaze
1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
3 tablespoon lemon juice, at room temperature
1. Whisk the powdered sugar and lemon juice together and mix until the glaze is smooth.
Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting
4 oz. of cream cheese, softened
1 tbsp. of lemon zest
1/4 cup of lemon juice
2 cups of powder sugar
- Mix the all the ingredients together until smooth and creamy.
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If I were to make this the day before serving, how would you recommend storing? Is it ok to make the cake, put on the glaze to soak in, then cover sitting out on the counter? And add the frosting just before serving? Does the cake need to be refrigerated? Thanks!
Kristen,
Yes, you can leave the cake with glaze out on the counter(covered of course) and then frost it just before serving.
Have a great weekend!
Carrie
I made this cake for my friends at work. What a hit! I served each slice with a spoon of additional icing and a strawberry.
I pierced the cake with a spagetti noodle before pouring the glaze on it. I feel this helps the flavor and keeping the glaze from running off.
Cheryl,
I am so glad the you and your co-workers enjoyed the cake. Poking the cake before you poured the glaze over it is a great idea! I will have to try that.
Have a great weekend!
Carrie
Poking the cake before glazing it is awesome; however, I used linguine instead of spaghetti. You might have to use more than one, because the hot cake will cause them to limp or even break during the poking process.
I sprayed my pan but it stuck even after letting it cook for five minutes. I will grease and flour next time. Taste is great; appearance not so great!
*cool not cook
Tammy,
When all else fails grease and flour the pan. I use a baking spray that is specifically for cakes. My pan is also a non stick pan. I have never had a problem with my cake sticking to the pan, but I know some have. You could try letting the cake rest for 10 minutes before turning it over. If you grease and flour it is crucial that you grease the pan very well. Make sure to grease every little crevice or your cake won’t release very well. I have other cake pans that I have had trouble with getting the cake to release properly. I spray the pan very well with baking spray and then dust it with flour. It really helped.
I hope this helps!
Carrie
If I wanted to use cake flour instead, would it matter? Would the amount of flour needed change?
Aurelia,
I have never used cake flour when making this cake. This cake is a pound cake so it is a heavier cake than a light and airy layer cake that you would generally use cake flour. The cake flour could possibly change the texture of the cake.
If I leave out ginger will it affect the taste??
Chelsey,
The lemon flavor will not be as strong if you don’t add the ginger.
I am anxious to try this recipe .. looks yummy!!!
I believe I know the ‘cream’ and ‘beat’ verbs refer to using a mixer, however need clarification on the ‘mix’ reference. ….. mixer? by hand? other?
Look forward to your response. Thanks!
Lynne,
I would recommend using a mixer to properly mix the cake.
Best ever Lemon Cake! Having a piece right now, just from oven . Mm.m.m.!
Thank you for sharing! I’ll keep it.
Victoria,
Thank you!
What can I use instead of eggs,
My grandsons are alergic
Dee,
Unfortunately, there isn’t a substitution for the eggs in this recipe.
Sounds delicious! Can it be made in loaf pans?
Patty,
I have never made it in a loaf pan, so I can’t say if it would work or not.
my lemon pound cake does not look like this at all. Its not fluffy its a pound cake and its dense and heavy. not sure why yours looks so much like a box cake..
Wendy,
I can assure you, mine is not a box cake! If the batter is over mixed the cake will be heavy and dense.