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
*This post contains affiliate links which means I receive compensation if you purchase something from these links.
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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Will salted butter make a real difference? Can i do this without ginger?
I made it without ginger and it was still tasty. I bet ginger is just one of those little things that add a little something but not necessary.
Salted versus unsalted is a total taste preference. I can’t tell the difference but if you’re sensitive to salty things you might. It doesn’t change how things cook or bake.
Talicia,
I am glad that you liked the cake without the fresh ginger. The fresh ginger makes the lemon in the cake a lot more pronounced. No, it is not necessary for the overall structure and texture of the cake, but the cake is a lot more flavorful with it.
I am aware that using salted butter verses unsalted butter will not change the overall out come of a recipe, but it can affect the flavor. Thank you for your comment. I hope you have a great week.
~Carrie
I’d like to make this recipe the night before. When would you suggest putting the frosting on?
Tessa,
I usually make the cake and frost it and then store it in the fridge overnight. It gives the frosting time to really soak into the cake.
Enjoy!
Carrie
Made this today and it’s wonderful.
Patricia,
I love this cake! I’m glad that you enjoyed it too!
~Carrie
I’m baking this as I speak! Smells so good! Will post when done. Thanks for recipe!
Elesha,
I am so glad that you are enjoying the recipe! It is one of my favorites!
~Carrie
Oh my, but this is a wonderful cake! Thank you so much for perfecting and sharing it with us. I’ve baked it with and without the ginger, and just love the hint of “bite-yness” the ginger adds. One hot day while sipping limoncello and sparkling water in the afternoon, a light bulb clicked and the next time I baked this cake I substituted limoncello for the lemon juice in the glaze. Sublime, and quite popular with friends and family.
Rusty,
Thanks for the feedback. I’m glad you are enjoying the recipe!
~Carrie
Is it okay to use ground ginger instead of minced ginger? I am having trouble finding some locally in my area. Thank you.
Brandon,
I would not recommend using dried ginger in the recipe. It has a completely different flavor than fresh ginger. You can usually find fresh minced ginger in the produce section by the bottled garlic. I hope this helps!
~Carrie
Does it need to be refrigerated?
Fran,
If you put the lemon cream cheese frosting, yes it will need to be refrigerated. Without it, it is fine to not be refrigerated.
~Carrie
How many cups does this make?
Brooke,
I use a 10 cup bundt pan.
~Carrie
Can you use this recipe for cupcakes?
Linda,
I have never made cupcakes with this recipe, so I can’t give you any advice on making them. Sorry!
~Carrie
My batter came out thick so I am unable to pour in cake pan. Did I do something wrong or is it suppose to be that way? The batter tastes good though
Kristal,
Don’t worry, you didn’t do anything wrong. The batter will be very thick.
~Carrie