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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I haven’t tried this recipe yet, so my question is : Can I use this recipe in my Easter lamb mold, and would I have to change anything around?
Rosalie,
I can’t say how the cake would turn out if you baked it in the lamb mold. Using a different pan other than the bundt pan specified in the recipe will change the baking time and the over way the cake turns out.
~Carrie
I was right in the middle of mixing tnis cake when i realized I forgot to get my fresh ginger. So I used ground ginger I hope it works its in the oven ??
Diane,
If I don’t have fresh ginger, I just omit it from the recipe. How did the cake turn out?
Hi! My daughter who also has a food blog “Family Table Treasures” said I should leave a comment. One of my grandsons ( and also the rest of the family, who doesn’t?) loves lemon cake. I came across your recipe on Pinterest and decided to make it for dessert tonight after our Salmon dinner. It was fantastic! My daughter who is quite the cake maker (among other things) loved it as well. I got a thumbs up from her. I followed your recipe exactly , (even “sifted” the flour) , luckily I even happened to have had the ginger. The only thing I didn’t do was the Lemon Cheese Frosting, (pressed for time ) and was perfect with just the lemon glaze anyway. But next time will give that a try as well. Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe. It will certainly be in my “go-to” lemon cake recipes . Wonderful ! Perfect!
Diane,
You are so sweet, thank you for the feedback. I am so happy that you enjoyed the cake. It is the most popular recipe on my site and one of my personal favorites. Next time you should try it with the lemon cream cheese frosting, it is amazing!
~Carrie
I have never made the Italian lemon pound cake in mini bundt pans. I can’t tell you whether or not the cake would turn out.
~Carrie
I made the lemon pound cake as directed and it did lol oh come out moist but dry and heavy. The cake did not have much of a lemon taste at all.
Jeanine,
I am sorry the Italian lemon pound cake didn’t turn out. It is hard to say exactly what went wrong. If the cake batter is over mixed it can be dry and heavy. I always recommend mixing the flour into the batter just until it disappears. Did you use the fresh ginger? The fresh ginger really boosts the lemon flavor in the cake.
~Carrie
It’s really looking awesome and so beautiful lemon pound cake. I have remembered it’s recipes and also bookmarked this site for my party for my next birthday. You have really make a very beautiful and innovative cake. Thank you so much for such a nice work.
Ravi,
Thank you so much, you are so kind! I am glad that you are enjoying my recipes.
~Carrie
Awesome lemon pound cake. so light and moist. thank you!
Pam,
Thank you! I am so glad that liked the cake. It is one of my favorites!
~Carrie
I have been making pound cakes for over 50 years and this is the best cake i have ever made!
The lemon flavor holds true to the last bite. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND this recipe.
This recipe is a keeper. And will be hand down to the other cooks in my family.
Thank you for sharing a great recipe. To all cake bakers give ths recipe a try.
Nann,
You are so sweet! You just made my day. I am so glad that you liked the Italian Lemon Pound Cake. It is the most popular recipe on my site and one of my personal favorites. Have a great week!
~Carrie
Would candied ginger work in place of fresh ginger?
Susie,
No, candied ginger would not work in this recipe. It is best to stick with the fresh ginger that the recipe calls for.
~Carrie
I made this last night and it is a hit at Thanksgiving dinner with the entire family! I only made a few (knowing my husbands love of everything lemon and tart), and that was to toss in an extra splashes of lemon juice and zest wherever the recipe called for it. I didn’t have fresh ginger on hand and will try that the next time. Thanks for sharing a knockout recipe!
Daisy,
I am so glad that you enjoyed the cake! It is the most popular recipe on my blog. The fresh ginger really helps boost the lemon flavor, and I think you will really like it.
~Carrie