Lemon Pound Cake

Dense, flavorful, and moist, this classic Lemon Pound Cake recipe is one you'll turn to again and again. Drizzled with a tangy lemon glaze, it can be served for breakfast, an after-dinner dessert, or anything in between.

Lemon Pound Cake

Yes my friends, bust out your baking dishes, whisks, and fresh lemons because today we are making a fabulous Lemon Pound Cake!

For some reason, I'm always craving lemon recipes in the spring. In fact, I enjoy lemon recipes so much that I have an entire blog post dedicated to 14 of my favorite lemon recipes. You can find that HERE if you're a lemon lover too.

Recently I spent the day in my kitchen whipping up some new spring treats and this Lemon Pound Cake was one of the recipes on that list. I don't want to compare it to the popular Starbucks lemon pound cake, but it's really close. Let's just say it's better because it's homemade.

As you know, I love specialty cake pans, so when I saw this adorable lemon-inspired loaf pan, I knew some delicious lemon quick bread needed to happen.

Speaking of specialty cake pans, I'm kind of an expert with them. I've made gingerbread houses, a beehive, individual shortcakes, and even a chocolate skull cake. I put together an entire blog post with all of my creations HERE. They are pretty special.

How to Grease Speciality Cake Pans:

When I do use pans like these, I often get asked how to grease them properly so the cake will come out nicely and easily. I'm going to break it down for you into four simple steps.

1. Evenly spray the pan with a baking spray. The key is BAKING spray, not cooking spray. I recommend PAM Baking Spray or Baker's Joy.
2. Use a pastry brush (I like this silicone type) to press the baking spray into all the nooks and crannies.
3. Sprinkle lightly with flour. Then, shake the flour all around the pan. Dump out any excess flour.
4. My final tip is to wait until the cake cools slightly before you try to remove it from the pan. It all depends on the size of the cake, but it's typically a good 15-20 minutes.

That's it! I hope that helps!

You can find the lemon cake pan I used for this recipe HERE.

Okay, now that we have all of the important details out of the way, let me show you how to make this Lemon Pound Cake.

How to Make Lemon Pound Cake:

Begin by preheating your oven to 325 degrees F.

Prepare your baking pan by spraying it with baking spray. Then, use a pastry brush to make sure all the nooks and crannies of the pan are coated with the spray. Set aside.

You can find the lemon cake pan I used for this recipe HERE.

With an electric mixer, cream together the cream cheese, butter, and sugar. Mix until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time and beat to combine. For your convenience, there is a full ingredient list and detailed instructions on the printable recipe card below.

Next, add the zest and juice from one lemon along with the vanilla extract. Mix well. Add in the flour and salt and mix until just combined.

Add this mixture to your prepared baking pan and bake for 55-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.

Allow the loaf to cool in the pan for about 15 minutes. Then invert onto a cooling rack and remove from the pan. Allow the cake to completely cool before topping it with a confectioners' sugar glaze.

To make the glaze, in a medium-sized bowl, start with the confectioners' sugar. Then, add the half and half one tablespoon at a time to reach the desired consistency. Whisk to combine. Mix in the vanilla extract and optional food coloring.

Whisk well until the glaze is smooth and no sugar clumps are visible. Drizzle onto your cake with the whisk or a spoon.

Ta-da! Your delicious lemon pound cake is complete!

Now I know that whipping cream cheese into this recipe might sound a bit odd, but it's the secret ingredient that adds creaminess, moisture, and a subtle tang that pairs perfectly with all that lemon goodness. Trust me on this one.

When you see things like sour cream, buttermilk, and cream cheese in a cake or bread recipe, you'll know it's going to be moist. (And I know a lot of people hate that word, but I love it because that's exactly how I want recipes like this to be.)

And speaking of moist, I served this lemon cake alongside my Vegetable Garden Mini Cakes. They are adorable and so delicious. If you missed that recipe, you can find it HERE.

As always, thank you for joining me here on Inspired by Charm. I hope you'll give this recipe a try and let me know what you think.

Happy Baking!

Lemon Pound Cake

Lemon Pound Cake

Dense, flavorful, and moist, this classic Lemon Pound Cake recipe is one you'll turn to again and again. Drizzled with a tangy lemon glaze, it can be served for breakfast, an after-dinner dessert, or anything in between.

• 4 ounces cream cheese (softened)
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter (softened)
• 3 eggs
• 1 lemon (zested and juiced)
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Glaze:

• 1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 4-5 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Begin by preheating your oven to 325 degrees F.
2. Prepare your baking pan by spraying it with baking spray. Then, use a pastry brush to make sure all the nooks and crannies of the pan are coated with the spray. Set aside.
3. With an electric mixer, cream together the cream cheese, butter, and sugar. Mix until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time and beat to combine.
4. Next, add the zest and juice from one lemon along with the vanilla extract. Mix well. Add in the flour and salt and mix until just combined.
5. Add this mixture to your prepared baking pan and bake for 55-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.
6. Allow the loaf to cool in the pan for about 15 minutes. Then invert onto a cooling rack and remove from the pan. Allow the cake to completely cool before topping it with a confectioners' sugar glaze.
7. In a medium-sized bowl, start with the confectioners' sugar. Then, add the half and half one tablespoon at a time to reach the desired consistency. Whisk to combine. Mix in the vanilla extract and optional food coloring.
8. Whisk well until the glaze is smooth and no sugar clumps are visible. Drizzle onto your cake with the whisk or a spoon.

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