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This Ultra Moist Lemon Pound Cake is topped with lemon glaze made of low GI sugar, Nutella hazelnut spread and roasted pistachio ground. Every bite is bursting with fresh lemon flavour and buttery fragrance. Perfect served with a cup of tea of coffee for breakfast or afternoon sweet treats! It certainly satisfies your taste buds!
A perfect pound cake recipe for lemon lovers. From a vibrant lemon flavour to the buttery moist and tender cake crumb, and perfectly paired with tangy refreshing taste of lemon glaze. Drizzled with a delicious Nutella hazelnut spread and fragrant roasted pistachio ground, these toppings elevate the flavour of this pound cake. Every element works harmoniously to create a dessert experience that will have you hooked after just one bite and leaves a lasting impression. This is one of my favourite cakes and my family love it so much too! The whole loaf of cake is gone within 2 days, whenever I make it.
Embark on this baking journey with me and I will guide you through with our easy step-by-step instructions to create a delightful homemade pound cake that will impress your family and friends.
RECIPE HIGHLIGHTS:
Easy to make: This recipe is straightforward even for beginner bakers. The step-by-step instructions will guide you through the entire process, making it easy to achieve a successful final product. With basic mixing and baking techniques, you can create a tasty and delicious pound cake. It is an easy and approachable recipe that anyone can confidently bake from scratch and enjoy the impressive results.
Simple ingredients: This recipe uses simple and easily accessible ingredients. You may already have some of the ingredients in your pantry now, otherwise you can easily get them from any local grocery store. You do not need any fancy ingredients for this cake.
Bursting with fresh lemon flavour: The Ultra Moist Lemon Pound Cake is infused with the vibrant and tangy refreshing taste of fresh lemons. The addition of lemon zest and lemon juice provides a burst of citrus flavour that lingers on the palate and balance up with the buttery flavour of the cake.
Moist and tender texture: One of the key features of this pound cake recipe is supremely moist and tender texture. The combination of carefully measured and blend in the ingredients, such as butter, eggs, sour cream and lemon juice, ensures the pound cake is incredibly moist and soft.
Pleasant sweetness: This pound cake base itself is not too sweet, it gives you pleasant sweetness when you enjoy the cake together with the toppings. If you prefer not overly sweet desserts, this recipe is just right for you.
Servings: A 9x5 inch loaf size cake (10 slices).
WHAT YOU WILL NEED TO MAKE ULTRA MOIST LEMON POUND CAKE:
1. FOR THE CAKE:
2. FOR THE LEMON GLAZE TOPPING:
3. FOR THE OTHER TOPPINGS (GARNISHING):
INGREDIENT NOTES:
Butter: Butter is one of the core ingredients of any pound cake. Make sure you bring the butter to room temperature so it will cream properly. Room temperature butter refers to semi-solid stage so when you can gently press onto it, your finger leaves a small indention. It should feel slightly cool still, not greasy or melted. I recommend using unsalted butter, this is to ensure the pound cake doesn’t turn out too salty.
Lemon: I highly recommend using freshly squeezed lemon juice. Fresh lemon juice provides a distinct brightness and authentic freshness of tangy lemon flavour than bottled lemon juice. Lemon juice adds moisture to the pound cake, contributing to its moist and tender texture. The acidity in the lemon juice reacts with the other ingredients such as baking powder and eggs, resulting in a softer and more delicate crumb.
Sour cream: Sour cream adds richness to the pound cake. The acidity in sour cream also helps to tenderize the pound cake, leading to a moist and tender crumb.
Eggs: Make sure to use room temperature eggs so it will incorporate properly into the batter. The inclusion of 4 large eggs for this recipe, ensures a tender and moist crumb. The eggs bind the other ingredients together while providing the necessary structure for the cake to rise.
Vanilla extract: I like to use 100% pure Vanilla Extract for my recipes. This recipe calls for 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, while it may seem like a humble addition. But trust me, a touch of Vanilla Extract brings subtle warmth that harmonizes beautifully with the bright and citrusy notes of the fresh lemons. Both Vanilla and Lemon complement each other.
Flour: I prefer to use all-purpose flour when making pound cakes, but you can substitute with cake flour for this recipe. Cake flour gives a fluffier texture to the cake, since I prefer to make a pound cake with a denser and moist crumb which is more similar to a classic pound cake texture, hence all-purpose flour is my go-to.
Sugar: I prefer to use caster sugar in baking. Caster sugar, also known as superfine sugar, it has more finely grains than granulated sugar which means it dissolves faster into the batter than granulated sugar. If you don’t have caster sugar in your pantry, granulated sugar will work just fine as caster sugar alternative. For the lemon glaze, I use low GI sugar. They’re slowly absorbed and digested resulting a slower and smaller rise in blood sugar levels which is a better option compared to regular white sugar.
Salt: Adding a pinch of salt to this pound cake recipe is recommended, salt is to enhance the flavour of the final product.
Baking Powder: For a traditional pound cake recipe containing only 4 simple ingredients such as butter, sugar, eggs and flour with no leavening agent, salt and flavorings. But I like to use a bit of baking powder to help the cake rise and lighten up the crumb.
STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE LEMON POUND CAKE:
1. Preheat the oven to 356°F (180°C). Prepare the pan: Grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan with baking spray or butter and line with non-stick parchment paper.
2. Prepare the fresh lemons zest, lemon juice and lemon sugar: It is much easier to zest the fresh lemon before juicing, so be sure to zest first using lemon grater/zester. Next, in a small bowl juice the fresh lemons and set it aside. In another medium bowl, combine caster sugar with grated lemon zest by rubbing them with your fingers until fragrant. Set aside the lemon sugar.
3. Whisk dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
4. Combine eggs and vanilla extract: Mix the 4 large eggs with vanilla extract in a measuring cup for ease of pouring the eggs mixture into the batter (or you can use a small bowl). Set aside.
5. Whisk wet ingredients (creaming method): In a large bowl with an electric hand mixer (or the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment), cream the softened butter in lightly on medium speed for 1 minute. Gradually add in the lemon sugar and continue to cream them together on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Stop and scrap down the side of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
6. Mix the eggs mixture and sour cream: Beat in the egg's mixture bit by bit in every 30 seconds interval, beating well after each addition, about 4 minutes. Next, add in the sour cream, beating until well-combined, about 30 seconds. Stop and scrap down the side of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed.
7. Fold in the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients: Shift in the flour mixture. Fold in the dry ingredients into wet ingredients evenly and gently with a rubber spatula until just incorporated. This is to avoid over-mixing the batter. Make sure to scrape the bottom of the mixing bowl to ensure everything is well mixed.
8. Mix lemon juice: Add in the fresh lemon juice. Mix evenly using a rubber spatula until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.
9. Fill in the pan: Scrape the batter evenly into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top using a rubber spatula.
10. Baking: Bake in the preheated oven at 356°F (180°C) for 10 minutes and then lower the oven temperature to 338°F (170°C) for 35-40 minutes until golden brown and/or a cake tester, stainless steel cake skewer (or bamboo skewer stick) inserted into the center and comes out clean.
11. Cooling: Once baked, remove the pound cake from the oven and let it cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Then transfer the cake onto a wire rack and let it cool completely.
STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS FOR ROAST THE PISTACHIO NUTS
(FOR GARNISHING):
Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
Roasting: Spread evenly the pistachio nuts on a baking tray. Roast them in the preheated oven for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown.
Cooling: Remove the pistachios from oven and allow to cool at least 30 minutes before blending.
Blend into ground: Once the pistachios cooled down, transfer them into a food processor and blend them into ground. Set aside.
STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE LEMON GLAZE TOPPING:
To make lemon glaze: In a small bowl, whisk together ¼ cup low GI Sugar (50G) with 2 teaspoons of fresh lemon juice (10ml) until thick but pourable glaze. Add more low GI sugar or fresh lemon juice as needed to reach the desired consistency.
Prepare for decorating the cake: Transfer the lemon glaze into a piping bag without nozzle.
Decorating the cake: Once the pound cake has cooled completely, you can start to decorate the cake or add the toppings. Trim off the top of the piping bag and start to drizzle evenly the lemon glaze onto the top of pound cake in a zigzag line design.
STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE OTHER TOPPINGS (GARNISHING):
Prepare Nutella hazelnut spread: Transfer the Nutella hazelnut spread into a piping bag without nozzle (Pro Tip: You can fill up the piping bag with more Nutella for easier piping on top of the pound cake).
Decorating the cake: Trim off the top of the piping bag and start to drizzle evenly the Nutella onto the top of pound cake in a zigzag line design (opposite direction of drizzled lemon glaze).
Final touch: Sprinkle the roasted pistachio ground on top of the pound cake. Let it set for 15 minutes. Slice and serve!
PRO TIPS:
Room temperature: Ensure all the ingredients such as eggs, fats (butter and sour cream) and liquid (lemon juice and vanilla extract) at room temperature. We can achieve proper mixing, better aeration, enhance volume, proper emulsification and even baking by using room temperature ingredients. These factors contribute to a cake with a uniform texture.
Proper measuring: Highly recommend using a weighing scale to measure the flour and other ingredients for precise measurements. Too much flour will lead to a dry and tough pound cake. However, if you don’t have a weighing scale in your kitchen, you can use a measuring cup. To measure the flour, spoon the flour into a measuring cup. Scrape a knife across the top of the measuring cup to level the flour. Be sure not to pack the flour down.
Avoid over-mixing: Over-mixing the cake batter will lead to a dense and tough texture. To avoid over-mixing the batter, fold in the dry ingredients into wet ingredients evenly and gently using a rubber spatula until just incorporated. Make sure to scrape the bottom of the mixing bowl to ensure everything is well-mixed.
Preheat the oven before baking: To ensure proper baking and volume in your pound cake, be sure to preheat the oven at least 15-20 minutes before baking. Follow the recipe’s instructions for the recommended temperature. Preheating allows the oven to reach the desired temperature and ensuring even baking.
Don’t open your oven door too often while baking: Every time you open the oven door, you let the heat out, which can affect the baking time and the texture of your final baked goods.
Avoid over-baking: Over-baking can result in a dry and tough texture. If you notice the pound cake browning too quickly, cover the top of the cake with aluminum foil for the final 10-15 minutes of baking to prevent further browning.
Proper baking timing: Baking times can vary depending on factors like individual ovens, recipes and the size of the baked goods. Set a timer for the recommended baking time as stated in the recipe and check your pound cake towards the end of the time to avoid overbaking.
Two methods to check the doneness of your pound cake:
By using a cake tester, stainless steel cake skewer (or bamboo skewer stick) inserted into the center and comes out clean.
By sight (by appearance), the cake turns golden brown colour and you can gently press down the cake with your fingers if the cake bounce back completely it’s baked. But if your fingers leave a dent on your cake, it means your cake needs more baking times.
Proper cooling: Baked goods should be allowed to cool properly before they are served or stored. This allows the flavors to develop and the texture to set.
STORAGE AND SERVING TIPS:
Store properly the left-over lemon pound cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
You can also freeze the baked lemon pound cake without toppings for up to 3 months. Be sure to wrap it tightly in food-grade plastic wrap and place it in food storage plastic bag. Thaw the cake to room temperature on the kitchen counter before serving.
Serve slices of the Ultra Moist Lemon Pound Cake on their own or with lemon glaze and toppings. Perfect served with a cup of tea of coffee for breakfast or afternoon sweet treats. It certainly satisfies your taste buds!
MORE GARNISHING IDEAS:
Dust the top of pound cake with powdered sugar (also known as snow sugar) and add fresh berries for a simple and elegant look. Not recommend using icing sugar for garnishing the cake, as Icing sugar tends to dissolve when chilled, frozen, thawed, wrapped or in high humidity conditions.
Pour over the top of the pound cake with lemon glaze and garnish the cake with candied lemon slices for a delightful and refreshing taste.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
Can I make the pound cake a day ahead?
Yes, this pound cake will stay moist for a few days at room temperature. Just be sure to wrap tightly the baked lemon pound cake without toppings in food-grade plastic wrap or store it in an airtight container at room temperature. Next day, discard the plastic wrap and you can top with lemon glaze and other toppings as per your preference. Best consumed within 2-3 days for optimal taste and flavour.
Can I replace sour cream with something else for this recipe?
Yes, you can replace it with a ratio 1:1 with Greek yogurt. Greek yogurt is the best substitute for sour cream.
Remember to leave a star rating and let me know how it turned out in the comment section below if you’ve tried and loved this recipe. Your support means a lot to me ❤️
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