Simple Lemon Pound Cake Loaf with Lemon Glaze

This moist lemon cake is high up in my top 5 things I love to have as a teatime treat. So easy to put together, this recipe uses heavy whipped cream to make this lemon pound loaf cake extra moist and fluffy. It takes you step-by-step to make lemon cake from scratch. It is delicious, super tasty, full of flavour, and the perfect balance of acidic and sweet - And to top it off, this simple lemon pound cake loaf is covered with lemon glaze. You can also use lemon curd as a frosting if you prefer, it works out great. I can’t wait for you to try it out.

Material & Ingredient notes

• Lemon zest: must be freshly grated. (see below for more tips)
• Heavy Whipping cream: must have full-fat content for it to be able to be properly whipped to soft peaks.
• Butter: use full-fat content butter. It must be incorporated into the batter melted and warm.
• Loaf cake pan: this lemon cake recipe calls for a 21x11x8 cm (8. 5 x 4. 5 x 2. 75 inch) loaf cake pan.

How To Make this Recipe

To make this simple lemon cake you simply:

• Grease the cake pan and prepare the ingredients
• Make the cake batter
• Bake the lemon cake
• Glaze the lemon cake

Make sure to read the notes and tips below to make this best lemon cake you have ever made.

Recipe notes on how to make this lemon cake extra moist and full of flavour

• It is all about creaming the eggs and sugar. This means that you should mix until the eggs and sugar have grown in volume, changed color to a pale yellow, and changed its texture; About 10 minutes if using an electric mixer.
• If you add the already whipped cream to the batter you end up with a very moist lemon cake.
• To properly incorporate the butter, add a little lemon cake batter into the melted butter and mix until combined. Then pour this mixture into the batter and mix it in.
• Let your lemon cake batter rest in the mold for an hour before baking.
• Lemon zest or peel should be added to the batter freshly grated and mixed with the granulated sugar. This way it will not dry up and lose all its flavor, and your cake will be super lemony.

Recipe Notes on Baking

• To be able to properly remove the lemon pound cake loaf from the pan is to grease the cake pan. You can either use cooking spray, butter the cake pan using a brush, or line the cake pan with parchment as shown in the photos below. Make sure to first grease or butter the pan, so that the parchment paper stick to it.
• Whenever I mention baking/cooking times in this blog, it is an approximation- Do not forget. So, the 45-minute baking time needs to be taken into consideration. The baking time will be determined by the oven you have and by the size of the pan you chose to bake your lemon pound cake in.
• So, for instance, if you decide to bake mini lemon cakes, the baking time will be shorter. The important thing to take into consideration: the cake is ready if golden and set.
• When you think your cake is ready, insert a skewer at the center. If it comes out clean, then your lemon cake is ready. If it has crumbs stuck to it, it needs to go back in the oven.
• Finally, do not open the oven during the first stages of baking. Your cake will end up with a crater at the center. To test with the skewer, wait at least until it has risen properly, and it is golden.

Recipe notes on the lemon glaze

You will notice that powdered sugar absorbs a lot of liquid. So you might have to adjust quantities. I suggest you add the lemon juice to the powdered sugar slowly.

The amount of lemon juice you will use will depend on the glaze consistency you are looking for. If you like your icing dense, then you will not be adding all the juice. I sometimes like it more on the liquid side, which will give a nice effect on the cake, I use a little more juice in this case.

Make the lemon glaze however you like it best!

Expert Notes

• You can make this lemon pound cake by hand; it will take a little longer, but that’s it.
• If you do not feel like beating the heavy cream to soft peaks, no big deal. You can always add the cream to the egg/sugar mixture before they have reached that pale-yellow colour and mix for 8 extra minutes. If you can though, the effort pays off.
• You can keep your lemon zest fresh by grating it directly over the sugar and mixing it in.

Storage tips

This lemon pound cake loaf keeps at room temperature for 3 to 4 days.

Once it has been sliced, cover it with with saran wrap to keep the cake moist.

Freezer instructions

This lemon cake freezes super well. Once it has completely cooled down, cover in film wrap, several times and then place in a freezer bag or container. It keeps for up to a month.

To defrost: remove from freezer and let it sit, wrapped, at room temperature overnight. Glaze and enjoy!

How to make ahead

This lemon loaf pound cake can be made ahead:

• Make the batter - don't forget the fresh lemon zest!
• Fill the loaf cake pan.
• Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight and for up to 36 hours.
• Let it sit 30/45 minutes at room temperature before baking.
• Bake following the recipe instructions.

Variations to this recipe

You can make this into a mini lemon cake recipe: simply divide the batter amongst 6 mini cake pans. I usually use these mini bundt cake pans, or you can use rectangular loaf cake pans. And don't forget to adjust baking times.