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Lemon Pound Cake is so easy to make from scratch. A thick, moist, lemony pound cake is generously topped with sweet and zesty glaze. Sorry, Starbucks – we’ve got you beat!
When it comes to copycat recipes, I consider myself quite the connoisseur. There’s just nothing quite as satisfying as replicating all of my favorite restaurant staples right at home! And while I love the lemon loaf from Starbucks (and their chocolate cinnamon bread)…this at-home recipe for lemon pound cake might just (most definitely) be even better. It’s got fresh lemon flavor, a thick zesty glaze and it’s picture perfect!
Why You’ll Love This Lemon Pound Cake
Do you love lemon? Do you love pound cake? Perfect – this is the recipe for you! Allow me to elaborate if you need even more convincing:
- Real Lemon. While there’s a splash of lemon extract to seal the deal on that vibrant flavor, the majority of lemony goodness comes from lemon zest and freshly squeezed juice.
- So Easy. You’ll only need about 15 minutes out of your day to prepare the pound cake batter. After that the oven does all the work for you!
- Budget Friendly. It’s no secret that Starbucks notoriously leans towards the pricier side. You can make this pound cake recipe for less money than you’d spend on several slices of their lemon loaf!
- Copycat. Honestly, making copycat recipes is just plain fun. This Starbucks lemon loaf copycat recipe is so close to the real deal… only better!
How to Make Lemon Pound Cake
- Prepare. Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a loaf pan with nonstick spray. Set aside.
- Mix the wet ingredients. Add the milk, eggs, and all extracts to a bowl. Beat together to combine.
- Mix the dry ingredients. Sift the flour, sugar, and baking powder together in the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the lemon zest, stirring to combine.
- Add butter. Add softened butter to the dry ingredients, mixing on low until just combined.
- Make the batter. Slowly pour the wet ingredients into the dry. Beat on medium speed until a batter forms. Then, turn the speed to high and beat for another 20-30 seconds.
- Bake and let cool. Pour the cake batter into the loaf pan. Bake for 45-50 minutes. Let the pound cake cool for about 15 minutes in the pan before flipping it onto a wire cooling rack with parchment paper underneath.
- Make the glaze. Mix together the powdered sugar and the juice of 1 lemon. You can choose to leave it on the thicker side or thin it out with more lemon juice. Whatever floats your boat!
- Add the glaze. Once the cake has cooled, pierce little holes all across the top of it with a fork. Pour the glaze evenly all over the top. Let it sit for about 10-15 before slicing and serving. Serve with your coffee or tea.
- How to store. Wait for glazed lemon pound cake to totally cool to room temperature prior to storing! In an airtight container at room temperature, it’ll stay fresh for up to 1 week.
Lemon Pound Cake Variations
- Add some toppings. Sprinkle on some lemon zest or fresh berries for a pop of color! If you’re feeling fancy, you could always add some edible flowers right on top of the icing as well.
- Change the icing consistency. Everyone likes their glaze a little different. If you prefer the glaze be on the thicker side, use the juice of just 1 lemon. Too thick? slowly add more fresh lemon juice until you reach the desired consistency.
FAQs
Cake flour is my not-so-secret weapon when I really want a soft, tender cake. Don’t swap it with all-purpose flour – you’ll have to change the measurements.
The culprit of this, more often than not, is too much flour. Avoid this mishap by spooning the cake flour into the measuring cup rather than dunking the cup into the flour container. When you dunk the measuring cup into the flour, you pack it. Packed flour is too much flour!
Lemon Pound Cake
Equipment
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 15 tablespoons (210 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 3 tablespoons milk
- 3 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon lemon extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- 1 ½ cups (188 g) cake flour
- ¾ cup (150 g) sugar
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- Zest of 2 lemons
For the glaze:
- 2 cups (240 g) powdered sugar
- Juice of 2 lemons, use the lemons you used for the zest
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 °F (177 °C). Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray and set aside.
- Beat milk, eggs, and the extracts in a bowl and set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, sift together flour, sugar, and baking powder and add the lemon zest. Stir to combine.
- Add the softened butter to the flour mixture and mix on low until just combined, about 30 seconds.
- Then slowly add in the milk mixture, beating on medium speed until batter is combined. Turn the mixer speed on high and beat for an additional 20-30 seconds.
- Pour batter into prepared loaf pan and bake for 45-50 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the center of the cake.
- Allow cake to cool for 15 minutes then un-mold.
- While cake is cooling, make the glaze. Combine powdered sugar and juice of 1 lemon, at first then slowly add the juice of the other lemon. Everyone likes their glaze consistency different so if you like it thicker, add less lemon juice, if you like it runnier, add more lemon juice.
- Once cake is cooled, take a fork and pierce all over the top of the cake. Unmold and set on a wire rack with parchment or wax paper underneath. Pour the glaze evenly over the top and let it cool for 10-15 more minutes before slicing.
- Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
do I have to use Cake
do we have to use Cake flour
i would definitely recommend using the ingredients listed in the recipe.
Can I use lemon juice to replace the lemon extract? How much lemon juice?
you could but lemon extract is so much stronger than lemon juice in terms of flavor that this may not turn out to be a very lemony pound cake if you substitute it. if you must, i would use the same amount, 1 teaspoon.
Absolutely delicious and easy to make. My only addition was poppy seeds! YUMMY! Thank you.
Is this 5 tablespoons of butter…or 15? The font is hard to read
15 tablespoons
do you pierce it all over the top while it is still in the loaf pan or after you unmold or does it matter?
i did it in the loaf pan then i unmolded but it doesn’t matter which way you do it!
Can’t wait to bake this lemon delight!!
The pound cake turned out moist and flavorful. Everyone liked it, saying it tasted better than mine and more like a bakery pound cake. LOL…thanks?
I had to bake the pound cake for an extra ten or so minutes, but it came out of the oven a lightly golden color before serving. Awesome recipe!
been trying to unsub for days
You’re obviously getting the browser notifications, which you willingly opted in for when you clicked “allow” notifications in your browser window when you first came to my site. You need to Google how to remove my site from browser notifications based on what browser you are using.
Oops, I thought I was commenting on Liz’s page! Please delete the reference to her new house! Thanks!
What’s funny is, I did move into a new house, lol – maybe Liz did too!
I guess I had a Senior Moment thinking I was answering Liz!!? Yes, Liz and her family are moving into a new house too!!LOL!! She is very exited about it of course and especially because she’ll be able to have a garden! My husband and I have had an organic garden for over 50 years, so we can give her a few tips!! Wishing you much happiness in your new home!!❤️
Yum!!! Another great recipe, Liz!! Now that I am over this “bug” that’s been going around, I am in the mood for baking!! (Had it off and on for a month!) I love, love lemon pound cake!! I am so happy you’ve moved into your new house–can’t wait to see pictures of the house and the back yard where you hope to have your own garden!
Time to go pin the recipe!!❤️?❤️