Lemon Pound Cake with Glaze (Printable Version)

Dense butter cake with fresh lemon flavor and tangy glaze, perfect for tea time or dessert.

# What You'll Need:

→ Cake Components

01 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
02 - 2 cups granulated sugar
03 - 4 large eggs, room temperature
04 - 1/4 cup whole milk
05 - 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
06 - 2 tablespoons finely grated lemon zest
07 - 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
08 - 1 teaspoon baking powder
09 - 1/2 teaspoon salt

→ Lemon Glaze

10 - 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
11 - 2-3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 9x5-inch loaf pan or line with parchment paper.
02 - Beat butter and sugar in large bowl until light and fluffy, approximately 3-4 minutes.
03 - Add eggs individually, mixing thoroughly after each addition.
04 - Combine milk, lemon juice, and lemon zest in small bowl.
05 - Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in separate bowl.
06 - Blend flour mixture into wet ingredients in three additions, alternating with milk mixture. Begin and end with flour. Mix only until incorporated.
07 - Transfer batter to prepared loaf pan, level surface. Bake 50-55 minutes until toothpick inserted center exits clean.
08 - Rest cake in pan 10 minutes. Remove to wire rack and cool fully.
09 - Whisk powdered sugar with lemon juice until smooth and pourable. Drizzle over cooled cake. Let glaze set before slicing.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The texture is incredibly dense and buttery, like something from an old fashioned bakery
  • Fresh lemon flavor comes through in every single bite, not just the glaze
  • Simple ingredients create something impressive enough for guests but easy enough for Tuesday
02 -
  • Overmixing once the flour is added will make your cake tough—stop as soon as everything combines
  • The glaze must go onto a completely cool cake or it will melt right off instead of setting beautifully
  • Freshly zested lemon makes a massive difference compared to zest that has been sitting around
03 -
  • Use room temperature ingredients throughout for the best texture
  • Let the glaze drip down the sides naturally—dont try to spread it or it will look messy
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