Lemon Pound Cake Recipe
Life gave too much lemons or just looking for an easy cake? Let’s whip up this easy lemon pound cake and give life a brake!
Pound cakes are the grandfathers of all the cakes. A grandfather who has love children all over the world. These offsprings may not be similar looking or tasting cakes but all have been originated from the same ancestor, although differ in every other feature.
It goes as far as pound cakes aren’t even pound cakes anymore, save in name.
Pound cakes as the name implies are cakes made from pounds. Originally one pound of every ingredient was used to make the batter. Although in Germany these kinds of cakes are called quarter cakes as every ingredient made only one quarter of the whole.
This brings us to the ingredients that are historically sparse. Only four ingredients are needed to make up the original pound cake. Hence the name of quart cake in German as well because only flour, butter, eggs, and sugar was used in equal parts to create the pound cake.
Although, it isn’t among us since medieval times, as sugar wasn’t abundant prior discovering America, but it is still with us since the 1700s. Even then it was modified with various ingredients, substituting the wheat flour with corn as a cheaper alternative and baptized as Indian pound cake.
Given its plainness not only Germany but almost every country with a slight affection towards wheat has its variation of this simple dessert modified with nuts, dried fruit, frosting or whatever came to people’s mind.
As culinary practices evolved during the years so did the pound cake. At its roots, it doesn’t come with any leavening agent thus being a robust and dense cake by nature. This fact though hasn’t stopped anybody sprinkling a bit of baking powder into the batter resulting a bit airier texture.
From there it wasn’t a big leap adding yeast and making Gugelhupf but that’s another story entirely. Or is it?
As this recipe being a sugar free recipe can’t include a pound sugar nor would be a wise thing pouring a quarter of the whole mass in honey or any other sweetener into the batter. Sweet flavors should be used sparingly and only as much as necessary to our taste. Otherwise our body gets used to it and craves for more and more inducing a vicious cycle.
But let’s not us steer into the behavioral science territory as we have a cake to make.
Pound cakes are forgiving creatures grown big on the approximate measurements of cups and tablespoons so we shouldn’t be afraid to make mistakes because we can’t.
This particular pound cake recipe is a lemon pound cake recipe so we must add some lemon or lemon flavoring along the way that acidity will hinder the baking powder ability to raise the bread.
In fact, every fruit we use in baking has this effect, some are more than the others. Luckily the acid dwarfing effects can be countered either by the mixing technique or adding baking soda to the baking powder. More about the differences of baking powder and baking soda in the Knowledgebase.
So, if the cake doesn’t come up nice and spongy then it’s because of we have a wrong technique or not enough leavening agent for the acidity of our ingredients. Worry not though, as it will turn out to be edible all the same and pound cakes supposed to be dense anyway.
Ingredients
Type 1 – The one
- 2½ cup / 300g Flour
- 1 tablespoon / 10g Baking powder (follow instruction on packaging)
- 10 tablespoons / 150g Butter or shortening
- 4 medium / 200g Eggs
- 3 tablespoons / 60g Honey or sweetener of choice
- 2 medium / 15g Lemon’s zest
- 1 medium / 50g Lemon’s juice
- 1 medium / 150g Orange’s juice
Type 2 – Lower fat
- 2½ cup / 300g Flour
- 5 tablespoons / 75g Cooking oil or shortening
- 4 medium / 200g Eggs
- 3 tablespoons / 60g Honey or sweetener of choice
- 2 medium / 15g Lemon’s zest
- 1 medium / 50g Lemon’s juice
- 1 medium / 150g Orange’s juice
Kitchen utensils
- Ø8.5″ / Ø21cm Baking tray
How to make Lemon pound cake
- Whisk the butter and honey on high speed until creamy.
- Beat the egg whites until hard.
- Work together the yolks and the beaten butter.
- Mix in flour and baking powder. If working without a machine mix flour and baking powder beforehand.
- Add lemon zest, lemon juice and orange juice to the batter. If we want to see any effects of the baking powder on our cake then giddy up now as the acid in the lemon already started to get in reaction with it and soon all its power is gone.
- To add extra volume to the cake fold the beaten egg whites in by hand. This step is important especially if we don’t use baking powder or destroyed it already.
- Pour the batter into the baking form.
- Put it into a 350°F / 180°C preheated oven for 30 – 40 minutes. Check with the toothpick test if it’s baked properly then transfer it to a wire rack to cool.
Pour the batter into the baking form.
Enjoy!
What’s the difference between a banana bread and a pound cake? Let’s taste it out:
- Almond Flour Banana Bread
- Keto Pound Cake Recipe
- Chocolate Banana Bread Recipe [Sugar Free]
- Gluten Free Chestnut Bread Recipe
F.A.Q.
How to you moisten a pound cake?
One way to moisten a pound cake is to brush a simple syrup over the top and sides of the cake. This can be made by dissolving sugar in equal parts of water over low heat until it has completely dissolved, then removing it from the heat and allowing it to cool. Once the cake has cooled, brush the syrup evenly over the top and sides with a pastry brush.
How to increase the flavor of lemon in a cake?
To increase the flavor of lemon in a cake, we can add lemon zest and lemon juice to the batter. The zest is the outer layer of the lemon peel, which contains flavorful oils. Grate the zest using a microplane grater or zester and mix it into the batter. Additionally, adding a small amount of lemon extract can enhance the lemon flavor. Be careful not to add too much, as it can give the cake a bitter taste.
How to keep a pound cake moist?
To keep a pound cake moist, it’s important to store it properly. After the cake has cooled completely, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil and store it at room temperature. If the cake is going to be stored for several days, it can be stored in the refrigerator. Before serving, allow the cake to come to room temperature. Additionally, brushing a simple syrup over the cake can also help keep it moist.
Why is my lemon pound cake dry?
There could be several reasons why a lemon pound cake is dry. One common reason is overbaking. Check the cake a few minutes before the recommended baking time is up to see if it is done. Additionally, not enough liquid or fat in the batter can result in a dry cake. Make sure to follow the recipe carefully and measure ingredients accurately. Finally, storing the cake improperly can also cause it to dry out.
What is the difference between a bundt cake and a pound cake?
A bundt cake is a cake baked in a bundt pan, which is a round pan with a hole in the center. A pound cake is a type of cake that traditionally consists of one pound each of butter, sugar, flour, and eggs. While a bundt cake can be any type of cake baked in a bundt pan, a pound cake can also be baked in a variety of different pans. Additionally, pound cakes are typically denser and have a finer crumb than other types of cakes, while bundt cakes can have a variety of textures depending on the recipe.
Lemon Pound Cake Recipe
Ingredients
- 2½ cup Flour
- 1 tablespoon Baking powder follow instruction on packaging
- 10 tablespoons Butter
- 4 medium Eggs
- 3 tablespoons Honey or sweetener of choice
- 2 medium Lemon's zest
- 2 medium Lemon's juice
- 2 medium Orange's juice
Instructions
- Whisk the butter and honey on high speed until creamy.
- Beat the egg whites until hard.
- Work together the yolks and the beaten butter.
- Mix in flour and baking powder. If working without a machine mix flour and baking powder beforehand.
- Add lemon zest, lemon juice and orange juice to the batter. If we want to see any effects of the baking powder on our cake then giddy up now as the acid in the lemon already started to get in reaction with it and soon all its power is gone.
- To add extra volume to the cake fold the beaten egg whites in by hand. This step is important especially if we don't use baking powder or destroyed it already.
- Pour the batter into the baking form.
- Put it into a 350°F / 180°C preheated oven for 40 minutes. Check with the toothpick test if it's baked properly then transfer it to a wire rack to cool.
Notes
Nutrition
Pin now, Enjoy later!
Happy to see a classic here! Easy and tasty!
Really appreciate it, Thanks!
Lovely piece of cake!
It is indeed ;D
Lovely!
Thanks!
Delicious. A bit too much acid for me, but with a bit of a dark sugar free chocolate it’s all yum.
Thanks for the feedback! You can add less or skip on lemon juice entirely. Sure it won’t make a Lemon pound cake then, except if you add a bit of lemon extract to it but nothing’s perfect. 😉 You may also try different lemons. Some are more acidic than others. Chocolate is a great idea, thanks!