Italian Lemon Pound Cake Recipe

Name: Italian Lemon Pound Cake Recipe
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 70 min
Ingredients: 2 ⅔ cups all-purpose flour; 2 teaspoons baking powder; 1 teaspoon kosher salt; 3 cups granulated sugar; 1 cup unsalted butter (room temperature); ½ cup coconut oil (solid); 5 large eggs (room temperature); 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; ½ cup buttermilk; ½ cup full-fat sour cream (or plain Greek yogurt); 4 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (from about 2 large lemons); 2 tablespoons lemon zest (from about of 2 large lemons); 2 cups powdered sugar (sifted); 4 tablespoons buttermilk; 1 tablespoon lemon zest; 2 teaspoons lemon juice

Jump to Recipe

Bright and lemony, this Italian Lemon Pound Cake is super moist and bursting with lemon flavor from the lemon juice and lemon zest. This lemon bundt cake recipe is perfect for all the lemon lovers in your life!

This cake is made in a bundt pan and kept super moist with the addition of sour cream, buttermilk and coconut oil. And it's topped off with a simple lemon glaze for the perfect finishing touch.

Love bundt cakes? Try Moist Chocolate Chip Pound Cake and Classic Pillowy Soft Angel Food Cake.

Half a lemon pound cake with a glaze drizzled over it sitting on a cake stand.

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Why you’ll love this recipe

Here are some of the many reasons you'll love this cake:

Lemon is such a wonderful flavor for a bundt cake! Fresh lemons serve double duty with their zest and juice in the cake batter, making for a bright, flavorful cake
Bundt cakes make for the perfect special occasion dessert. They are beautiful to serve on a cake platter or cake plate and make for a delicious cake for your guests
This recipe makes for one super moist lemon cake with a tender texture

If you are a true lemon lover looking for another delicious dessert recipe, you'll definitely want to try this Lemon Olive Oil Cake recipe! If you're more of a cookie person, try my Lemon Crinkle Cookies or my Lemon Thyme Shortbread Cookies.

Italian lemon cake with glaze sitting on a glass cake display with lemon wedges around the base.

Ingredients & Substitutions

As far as lemon desserts go, this is one of the great recipes! Here is an aggregated list of the key ingredients you'll need to make this ultimate dessert recipe. See the recipe card below for specific amounts:

All-purpose flour: be sure to measure the flour using the scoop and level technique. Scoop the flour into the measuring cup (or weigh it for more precise measurements), then level off the top with the back of the spoon. This ensures you won't end up with a dry, dense cake from mis-measuring
Baking powder: check to make sure the baking powder in your cabinet or pantry is not expired. Do not substitute for baking soda
Salt: I like to use kosher salt in most of my baking, however, use whatever type of salt you have in your kitchen. And feel free to adjust the amount based on your preferences
Granulated sugar
Butter: Use unsalted butter. Remove the butter from the fridge at least 30-60 minutes prior to baking to allow it to come to room temperature
Coconut oil: This is one of my favorite ways to obtain a super moist texture in a cake! Do not melt the coconut oil or your cake may end up greasy. Add it to the cake batter in its solid form. If you are afraid the cake will have a coconut flavor, be sure to use refined coconut oil which has a more neutral taste compared to unrefined coconut oil
Eggs: You'll need 5 large eggs. Be sure to remove them from the fridge at least 30 minutes prior to baking to allow them to reach room temperature. Cold eggs will not incorporate evenly into the wet ingredients while room temperature eggs will
Vanilla extract
Buttermilk: Do not substitute for regular milk, as the texture and flavor are very different
Sour cream: Use full-fat sour cream. May be substituted for plain full-fat Greek yogurt
Lemon juice: freshly squeezed is highly recommended. You'll need about 2 large lemons. Some recipes call for lemon extract. I find fresh produce to make the absolute best flavor!
Lemon zest: Zest the 2 large lemons first then juice them. For a different flavor, try making this recipe using meyer lemons to make a delicious, moist meyer lemon pound cake!
Powdered sugar: Otherwise known as confectioners' sugar, you'll need this for the simple recipe for buttermilk lemon glaze

Top view of an Italian lemon pound cake sitting on a cake plate with buttermilk lemon glaze in a carafe beside it alongside lemon rounds.

How to make Italian Lemon Pound Cake Recipe

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Spray with nonstick cooking spray or baker's spray or butter and flour one large 10 or 12 cup Bundt pan. Set aside. See below for my pro tip on a fail proof nonstick solution for bundt cakes.

Step 2

In a large bowl, sift together the dry ingredients and set aside

Step 3

In the bowl of a stand mixer or with an electric mixer or handheld mixer, cream butter, coconut oil and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Look for the mixture to stick to the sides of the bowl. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stop the mixer and scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl. Add vanilla and mix until incorporated

Step 4

In a measuring cup, whisk together buttermilk and sour cream. Add dry ingredients in three additions to butter mixture alternately with buttermilk mixture, adding the remaining flour mixture last. Beat at low speed just until blended after each addition. Stir in lemon juice and lemon zest

Lemon pound cake displayed on a cake stand with fresh lemons sitting below the stand.

Step 5

Pour batter into the prepared pan. Bake cake until a toothpick or cake tester inserted inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 55 minutes. Check the cake after 40 minutes or so. If the top is beginning to get very brown, tent aluminum foil over top of the cake to prevent burning or over browning

Step 6

Remove the cake from the oven and cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Place an inverted wire cooling rack over top of the cake. Using oven mitts, grasp the sides of the bundt and the sides of the wire rack and carefully but swiftly overturn the cake onto the wire rack. Lift the bundt pan off the cake and let the cake cool completely

Step 7

Prepare the glaze by whisking together all ingredients in a medium bowl. Drizzle over the entire cake

Small carafe of buttermilk lemon glaze pouring over the top of an Italian lemon pound cake sitting on a cake display.

Pro tips

A simple trick for preparing a bundt pan for baking is to mix equal parts melted butter, shortening and vegetable oil in a jar. Spread liberally on the pan, avoiding any pooling of the liquid in the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle liberally with all-purpose flour. Tilt the pan while tapping the sides to spread the flour over all crevices and sides of the pan. Tap any excess flour into the garbage or sink. Store leftover mixture in the fridge for next time you bake a cake
To store, wrap slightly warm cake in plastic wrap. This will help retain moisture in the cake and prevent the outside from drying out and getting a crust. Store cake at room temperature up to 3 days
To freeze, slice cooled cake and place slices in a single layer on a sheet tray. Freeze at least one hour then place in a freezer safe container or bag for up to 3 months. Defrost at room temperature or place in a 350ºF (177ºC) oven for 10 minutes or until warm. The glaze may melt into the cake when warming the cake
Wondering what to serve with lemon pound cake? Try topping with macerated berries and a dollop of vanilla whipped cream!
Want to know what to do with leftover lemons? Here's the tips on how long lemons last in the fridge and different ways to store them.

Parchment paper with an Italian lemon pound cake sitting on a cooling rack, topped with glaze and lemons cut in half next to it.

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FAQs

What makes a pound cake moist?

Buttermilk and sour cream give this pound cake lots of moister. The secret ingredient to super moist pound cake in this recipe is coconut oil. The buttermilk also helps to create a tender cake.

Can you freeze lemon pound cake?

To freeze, slice cooled cake and place slices in a single layer on a sheet tray. Freeze at least one hour then place in a freezer safe container or bag for up to 3 months. Defrost at room temperature or place in a 350ºF (177ºC) oven for 10 minutes or until warm. The glaze may melt into the cake when warming the cake

Why do they call a pound cake a pound cake?

Historically, pound cakes contained one pound each of flour, sugar, butter and eggs, hence the name! Now, you can find many variations on the traditional pound cake recipe.

How long does a homemade pound cake last?

To store, wrap slightly warm cake in plastic wrap. This will help retain moisture in the cake and prevent the outside from drying out and getting a crust. The cake will last up to 3 days at room temperature. Store in the fridge for up to one week. Freeze for longer storage.

Can this Italian lemon cake be made in a loaf pan?

I would recommend splitting the batter evenly between two greased or parchment lined loaf pans. The baked loaves will surely rival Starbucks lemon pound cake recipe!

FOR ALL MY FAVORITE BAKING TOOLS INCLUDING THOSE USED TO MAKE THIS RECIPE, CHECK OUT MY BAKING RESOURCES PAGE!

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