Eventually, I got up the courage (and the desire) to give it a try. I reworked an old family recipe for lemon cream cheese pound cake and… wow. I mean WOW! This stuff is good. I’ve been making this particular pound cake for decades.
I’m now a huge pound cake believer and moreover pound cake lover!
It’s tender, it’s moist, and not as tart as some other pound cakes I’ve tried.
This lemon cream cheese pound cake recipe is an awesome spring or summer treat.
Whether it’s a family reunion, a birthday party, or just an evening with friends, this lemon cream cheesecake is sure to be a hit. And, to be honest, half the reason I make it when there are guests around is that I can’t trust myself alone with it!
One of the great things about cream cheese pound cake is that it can easily be made ahead of time.
If you want to store it for longer, you should freeze it.
Store-bought cake doesn’t even begin to compare to lemon cream cheese pound cake from scratch.
I’d recommend letting your eggs warm to room temperature too.
I’ll often make my pound cakes with sour cream. This follows basically the same recipe but substitutes sour cream for cream cheese as a moistening ingredient.
These three lemon components in combination really intensify the flavor of the pound cake—using lemon juice alone just can’t compare.
When I’m not feeling like lemon pound cake, some simple changes to the recipe make another of my favorite desserts: strawberry cream cheese pound cake.
Recipe Notes:
The Batter:
Some pound cake recipes call for using shortening instead of butter. In my opinion, butter almost always is a better tasting choice. A good, old-fashioned, authentic pound cake needs butter. I can’t think of a single reason to substitute shortening for butter in this recipe. When creaming, the sugar cuts through the butter to create air pockets.
Accuracy is incredibly important in a good pound cake. Extra sugar might cause the cake to fall. Adding extra flour might make it dry. (Tip: to ensure that you don’t add extra flour, use the “fluff and spoon” method rather than just scooping it up. Fluff up the flour with a fork, then use a spoon to put it in your measure cup. Level off with a knife. This will make sure the flour isn’t so densely packed and you don’t add extra.)
Only use name-brand ingredients. Store brands of sugar tend to be more finely ground than name brands. This will result in more sugar per cup, possibly causing the cake to fall. Store brands of butter ten to have more liquid fat, making the cake too heavy. This is why I never make lemon cream cheese pound cake from cake mix—I don’t trust the ingredients.
You might be tempted to ignore the recipe’s direction to add the eggs one at a time. Don’t. Make sure one egg is totally mixed into the batter before adding the next egg. This will help prevent the batter from curdling. (If your batter does end up curdling, don’t worry too much. The flour will help smooth it out.)
Make sure to beat your sugar, butter, eggs, and cream cheese together until the mixture is light and fluffy. It should be noticeably lighter in color. However, you also don’t want to overbeat the eggs. Overbeating may cause the batter to overflow from the sides of the pan when baked.
Some folks recommend adding baking powder to the batter. I don’t really think it’s necessary, but it doesn’t hurt anything to add it. Use your own discretion. I personally leave it out of this recipe.
Baking:
There are a few different methods to effectively grease your Bundt pan. Butter is a great way that will really contribute to the overall flavor of the cake. Some recipes will have you use flour in combination with the butter. A simple spray-on cooking spray will also work. The best one I’ve found is Pam baking spray with butter (not a paid endorsement).
Once the batter has been poured into the Bundt pan, tap the pan onto the counter a few times to help the batter settle and remove any air pockets. Here’s my Favorite Bundt Pan, check it out if you need a good one!
If you’re using a dark-colored Bundt pan, set the oven to 300 degrees instead of 325.
Ensuring that the center of your pound cake gets cooked thoroughly is important. Because the cake is dense, it can be tempting to pull out the cake too early. But you need to make sure that the center is good and cooked. To check it, just use the old toothpick trick. Insert a toothpick into the center of the cooked pound cake, it if comes clean then the cake is ready to come out.
Pound Cake Recipes!
- Orange Pound Cake with Orange Syrup and Orange Glaze
- Kentucky Butter Cake
- Lemon Pound Cake
- Coconut Buttermilk Cake
- Easy Bourbon Pecan Cake with Caramel Glaze
More Lemon Desserts…
Lemon Cream Cheese Pound Cake
Ingredients
Cake:
- 1 1/2 Cups Unsalted Butter Softened
- 1 8 Ounce Box Cream Cheese, Softened
- 3 Cups Sugar
- 6 Large Eggs
- 3 Cups All-Purpose Flour
- 1/2 Teaspoon Salt
- 1/4 Cup Fresh Lemon Juice
- 1/3 Cup Fresh Lemon Zest
- 1 Tablespoon Lemon Extract
- 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
Glaze:
- 2 Cups Powdered Sugar Sifted
- 2-4 Tablespoons Fresh Lemon Juice
Instructions
Make the Cake:
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease a 12 cup bundt pan.
- In a medium mixing bowl, using an electric hand-held mixer beat butter and cream cheese together until smooth and creamy. Add sugar slowly, beating on medium speed until mixture is light and fluffy. Add eggs to the batter, one at a time, beating just until yolk disappears.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together flour and salt; add to butter mixture, alternating with lemon juice, beginning and ending with flour. Beat batter on low, after each addition, until blended. Add lemon zest, lemon extract, and vanilla extract and stir until incorporated. Pour batter into prepared bundt pan.
- Bake for 1 hour and 30 minutes to 1 hour and 35 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in the center of the cake come out clean. Cool cake in pan on a wire rack 10-15 minutes. Remove cake from pan and cool completely on a wire rack.
Make the Glaze:
- Make the glaze by combining the powdered sugar and 2 tablespoon lemon juice in a medium bowl. Using a hand held electric mixer, mix until smooth. Add more lemon juice, a teaspoon or so at a time, as needed to reach a thick but pourable consistency. Pour the glaze over cake. Let the cakes sit out until the glaze has dried well.
Cheri says
February 24, 2020 at 3:33 pmCan I make this without the lemon zest?
Kathleen says
February 24, 2020 at 7:18 pmHi Cheri! Yes, you can, however, the lemon zest is where most of the flavor comes from. I would not omit it. <3
David Griffin says
January 11, 2020 at 9:41 pmI made this lemon cream cheese pound cake it was very easy to make my co workers from fire/ EMS they all love this cake I didn’t have enough so I. Made another cake i just want to say thank you
Kathleen says
January 14, 2020 at 12:46 amYou’re welcome, David! So HAPPY to hear your coworkers liked it! ❤️
Karen says
August 17, 2019 at 8:56 pmWhat do you consider to be a dark bundt pan? All of the pans I’ve ever used where some form of gray.
Kathleen says
August 20, 2019 at 3:43 amHi Karen,
Yes most pans are some form of gray and they range in shades from light to charcoal. The darker your pan, the quicker your cake will bake. The darker pans absorb and distribute heat quicker. Knowing that is most important and it will help you discern whether you should adjust your cook time/temp or at least start checking your cake a bit earlier. Hope this helps!
Black_Bird11 says
July 28, 2019 at 4:27 pmI’m making it now. I’m totally scarred it want rise without the baking powder but it’s my 1st time. I’m hoping it comes out great! Taking it to a big family dinner. Thank you for the recipe.
Kathleen says
August 16, 2019 at 8:03 pmHi there!
I was scared at first too but this recipe works! If you follow the directions it should rise just fine without the baking powder but it is up to your discretion. It won’t hurt anything if you want to add some. I know the first time can be a little nerve wracking but take your time and it will be fine. Let me know how it comes out!
Anna says
July 22, 2019 at 7:12 pmOk, I answered my own question about baking cupcakes. I used all the batter in a 24 cup cupcake pan & they came out perfect-didn’t spill over-at about 30 minutes at 325. Haven’t tasted the finished product but the batter was amazing! I added a little bit more lemon extract because I didn’t have enough zest. It was so fluffy!
Kathy says
March 22, 2019 at 10:34 pmDoes this recipe freeze well?
Kathleen says
March 23, 2019 at 6:04 pmHey Kathy. It sure does! 🙂
Brenda says
December 21, 2018 at 7:51 pmHello, I’m baking this cake now. I can’t wait to take it out of the oven. It smells so good.
Brenda says
December 21, 2018 at 7:48 pmOk , I just finish making this cake. I really LOVE the R eceipe. I enjoyed making it. It’s in the oven baking now. I smells so so good. I’m making it to give to my best friend. I have not been in the mood to bake since the holidays 2014. I am a CHF patient snake then I baked at least 20 cakes . This R eceipe has got me going again. Thank you so much.
Kathleen says
December 23, 2018 at 8:31 pmHi Brenda! I’m so happy to hear this cake inspired you to start baking again! I hope you best friend enjoys <3
Alesia says
December 17, 2018 at 7:48 pmFirst attempt to make a lemon pound cake. It is amazing, Loved it.
Kathleen says
December 20, 2018 at 6:36 pmSo glad you thought this was amazing, Alesia <3
Anna says
July 22, 2019 at 5:43 pmIf I make cupcakes, how long should I bake?
Dariann Gatison says
September 11, 2016 at 9:57 pmThis a very delirious and moist.
Sherri says
September 11, 2016 at 6:20 pmThe cake was great but 1 1/2 hours is too long to cook.