A classy lemon pound cake that has a delicate and pleasant fresh lemon flavor with a dense, moist crumb. Leave it plain for a simple, everyday snack, or top with cream cheese glaze to turn it into a fancy dessert.
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Why Buttermilk Lemon Cake?
I've always been a chocolate cake girl, I love chocolate and I think it runs in my veins. Lemon cakes on the other had never made an appearance in my mom's kitchen growing up.
Until, one of you guys wanted a lemon bundt for her lemon loving kid. She wanted a cake with moist crumb and not overly strong in the lemon flavor. I tried many recipes and this was it. Using buttermilk made the cake extra moist, added a desirable tangy taste and helped the cake rise beautifully.
Ingredients
- All-purpose flour.
- Lemon juice and lemon zest.
- Eggs and unsalted butter.
- Granulated and confictioners sugars
- Buttermilk
- Simple syrup to moisten the cake.
- Lemon cream cheese frosting, optional for the final touch.
Pro Tip
This cake is even better the next day! For the best results, brush with syrup, cover, and chill overnight. Just hold off on frosting until right before you serve.
Lemon Buttermilk Pound Cake
Ingredients
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons lemon zest
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 cup unsalted butter 2 sticks room temperature
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 4 eggs room temperature
For the syrup:
- 3 tablespoons water
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
For Lemon cream cheese frosting: ( not required)
- 1 8oz package cream cheese. softened.
- ¼ cup butter room temperature
- 2 cups confectioners sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Spray a 10 inch bundt pan with baking spray and set aside.
- In a large bowl combine flour, baking powder and salt, set aside.
- In another bowl mix buttermilk, lemon juice and zest and set aside.
- In a mixing bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer beat sugar and butter until creamy and pale.
- Add eggs one at a time and beat after each addition.
- Sprinkle some of the flour mixture and mix well.
- Add about half the buttermilk lemon mixture and mix.
- Then mix in half the remaining flour mixture followed by the remaining buttermilk mixture.
- Now end with the remaining flour mixture and mix well.
- Pour the batter into the prepared bundt.
- Bake in the center of your oven for about 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
- Take the cake out of the oven, let it cool in the pan for 10 minutes before inverting it onto a wire rack placed over a large baking sheet.
Make the frosting:
- In a large bowl beat together butter, cream cheese, lemon juice ,zest and vanilla with an electric mixer extract until smooth.
- Gradually beat in the sugar ½ cup at a time. Refrigerate until using.
Make the syrup:
- In a small saucepan over medium heat add the syrup ingredients.
- Bring to a boil, stirring consistently for about 5 minutes.
- Brush the warm cake with the hot syrup and let it soak the syrup.
Optional frosting:
- Frost the cake when it has cooled completely
Notes
- All ingredients must be at room temperature.
- This cake tastes even better the next day, so it is perfect for make ahead dessert. Frost before serving.
Nutrition
How to Make Buttermilk Lemon Pound Cake
1- In a large bowl mix the dry ingredients and set aside. In another bowl mix buttermilk, lemon juice and zest.
Using an electric hand mixer beat sugar and butter until light and fluffy.
2- Add eggs one at a time, making sure to mix well after each egg.
3- Mix in the dry and wet ingredients alternating between them. Start and end with the flour mixture.
4- Pour the batter into a prepared bundt pan and bake in the center of your oven for about an hour. When it is done take it out of the oven leave in the pan for 5-10 minutes then invert into a cooling rack placed over a large baking sheet.
5- Make the syrup and the lemon cream cheese frosting. Brusch the cake with the syrup while the syrup is still hot and the cake is warm. Leave the cake to cool completely before frosting.
FAQs
Leftover can be stored in a cake dome in your fridge for a week. After that you can slice it and store in freezer bags for up to three months.
Not at all! While the lemon cream cheese frosting is a treat, the cake is flavorful enough to stand entirely on its own. If you want to skip the heavy frosting but still add a little flair, try one of these lighter alternatives:
1- Simple Lemon Glaze: Whisk together powdered sugar and a splash of lemon juice for a zesty, translucent finish.
2- Classic Dusting: A light sprinkle of powdered sugar through a fine-mesh sieve adds a professional touch without the extra work.
3- Fresh Berries: Serve a plain slice with a dollop of Chantilly cream and fresh raspberries or blueberries.
More Spring/Summer Desserts
- Golden Oreo Berries Pie
- Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes
- Matcha Cupcakes
- Orange Loaf Cake
- Lemon Blueberry Bars
- Strawberry Jello Mold
- Lemon Meringue Cheesecake
- Old Fashioned Strawberry Pretzel Salad
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