Italian Lemon Pound Cake is a delicious citrus treat any time of day and makes a particularly cheerful gift, sort of like sharing a bit of sunshine. The soft, dense cake is topped with two layers of lemony goodness, lemon syrup and lemon glaze, ensuring lots of flavor in every bite!
Why you'll love this recipe
This super lemony loaf has the soft, dense crumb unique to pound cake. Two additional lemony layers, a syrup and a glaze, provide extra flavor and extra moisture that help keep the loaf from drying out.
This is a cake recipe you should bake when you are looking for a luscious citrus treat to enjoy with your tea and when you want to bake a gift that will brighten the day.
I baked this recipe as five mini lemon loaves, ideal for mailing of gifting. The delicious citrus loaf can also be baked as two regular sized loaves.
If you love this glazed fruity loaf, next time try Cherry Bread another moist quick bread with a beautiful pink glaze.
Instructions
This is an overview of the instructions. The full instructions are in the recipe card below.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.
- In a separate bowl, combine the buttermilk, lemon juice, and vanilla.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, and the lemon zest.
- Alternate adding the flour and buttermilk mixtures to the batter.
- Pour batter evenly into the pans. This batter will fill 5- 5 ½ inch mini loaf pans or 2- 9” inch loaf pans Use a spatula to smooth the tops.
- Bake mini loaves for 30-35 minutes and regular loaves for 45-55 minutes. Loaves are ready when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool the cakes completely before removing from the pan.
- Make the lemon syrup by combining lemon juice and granulated sugar and stirring until the sugar dissolves.
- Brush the tops of the loaves, coating completely with the syrup.
- Let set for 30 minutes or until dry.
- To make the lemon glaze, whisk together the confectioners’ sugar, lemon juice, and butter until smooth.
- Spread the glaze over the tops of the loaves.
Storage
Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week. Individually wrapping each cake in wax paper, then plastic wrap will help retain moisture in the loaves.
Baking tips
- Zest the lemons first, then squeeze the lemons for the required juice. I love using my Microplane to quickly and easily create fine zest that never digs into the bitter white pith.
- For the best tangy lemon flavor, don’t skimp on the ⅓ cup of lemon zest added to the batter. You will need 6-8 lemons (depending on size) which are used for both zest and for juice.
- This recipe can also be used in one 10-inch Bundt pan.
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Tips for gifting and shipping
- Do NOT ship lemon cake in hot weather. Moist, sugary cake will mold quickly in the heat.
- The extra step of brushing on the lemon syrup makes these loaves good for cool weather, short distance (up to 5 travel days) care packages. The syrup provides extra moisture to help keep the loaves fresh longer.
- Well wrapped to seal out as much air as possible, these loaves stay fresh for up to 1 week.
- These loaves make lovely gifts whether removed from baking pans or gifted inside baking pans or disposable foil pans.
- For mailing in care packages, wrap each loaf in wax paper followed by plastic wrap. Then place the wrapped loaves in a freezer weight ziplock bag. Squeeze out as much air as possible before sealing the bag.
- For a pretty, in-person gifting presentation, wrap each loaf or pan with a strip of wax paper then a strip of colorful ribbon or wrapping paper. Place the wrapped loaf into a clear cellophane bag and tie closed.
More lemon recipes
Lemon Biscotti are the perfect biscuit to have with hot or cold tea. Crunchy and refreshing!
Lemon and Lime Butter Cookie Rosettes are both beautiful and delicious. They make a wonderful Mother's Day gift.
Italian Easter Cookies, Taralli Dolci Di Pasqua, are coated in a crisp, lemon icing. So pretty and delicious!
Lemon Shrewsbury Biscuits are a popular British biscuit to serve at tea time. Their pretty design is fun and easy to create.
Italian Lemon Cookies are like soft lemon pillows!
My experience with this recipe
Recently, I shared an Instagram Story about my favorite baking cookbooks and asked for recommendations for books I should add to my collection. I received a bunch of great suggestions which I bought or borrowed from the library.
My blogging friend Cindy from Salt and Serenity is a baker extraordinaire. When she suggested "Bobbette and Belle, Classic Recipes from the Celebrated Pastry Shop", I knew it would be a winner.
I’ve enjoyed everything I’ve baked from the book so far, and a big bonus is that several of the recipes are adaptable for shipping and gifting. If you are looking for a cookbook with everything from cookies to fancy cakes, you are sure to enjoy this one.
This recipe for Italian lemon pound cake is adapted just slightly from "Bobbette and Belle". Though not a good choice for long distance or hot weather shipping, these little tea cakes are wonderful gifts for nearby friends and neighbors.
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Italian Lemon Pound Cake Recipe
Ingredients
LOAVES
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ cup buttermilk room temperature
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs room temperature
- ⅓ cup lemon zest from 6-8 lemons
SYRUP
- 1 ½ tablespoons lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
GLAZE
- 2 cups confectioner’s sugar
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon unsalted butter melted
Instructions
LOAVES
- Preheat the oven to 350° F. Butter and flour 2- 9” loaf pans or 5- 5 ½ ” mini loaf pans.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.
- In a large measuring cup, combine the buttermilk, lemon juice, and vanilla.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Lower the mixer speed and add the eggs, one at a time. Then mix in the lemon zest.
- Alternate adding the flour and buttermilk mixtures to the batter.
- Divide the cake batter evenly between the pans. Fill each mini loaf pan with approximately 1 heaping cup of batter. Batter should be ¾”-1” from the top of each mini loaf pan. Use a spatula to smooth the tops.
- Bake mini loaves for 30-35 minutes and regular loaves for 45-55 minutes. Loaves are ready when a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Place the pans on wire racks to cool completely before removing the loaves.
LEMON SYRUP
- In a small mixing bowl, combine lemon juice and granulated sugar. Microwave for about 30 seconds. Stir until the sugar is dissolved into the juice.
- Brush the tops of the loaves, coating the tops completely with the syrup.
- Let set for 30 minutes or until dry or just slightly tacky to the touch.
LEMON GLAZE
- Whisk together the confectioners’ sugar, lemon juice, and butter until smooth.
- Spread the glaze over the tops of the loaves.
- Allow the glaze to set completely, about 1 hour, before wrapping or storing.
- Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week. Individually wrapping each cake in wax paper, then plastic wrap will help retain moisture in the loaves.
Notes
- Zest the lemons first, then squeeze the lemons for the required juice. I love using my Microplane to quickly and easily create fine zest that never digs into the bitter white pith.
- For the best tangy lemon flavor, don’t skimp on the ⅓ cup of lemon zest added to the batter. You will need 6-8 lemons (depending on size) which are used for both zest and for juice.
- This recipe can also be used to produce one Bundt cake.
Nutrition
First Published: April 25, 2020. Last Updated: February 17, 2022. Updated for additional information and better reader experience.
Taunya Blake
This looks delicious and I am going to make it for sure. Do you think it would be good if I added huckelberries?
Wendy Sondov
I love lemon loaf with all kinds of berries. I've never baked with huckelberries, but my guess is that they would be delicious with this loaf.
Shelly
Can make without the lemon zest?
Wendy Sondov
The flavor will be a lot less lemony without the zest, but you can definitely make the cake without it.
Tammy Roach
It’s very dry.
Wendy Sondov
Sorry you lemon loaf didn't turn out as expected. Baked correctly, as you can see in the photos, this is a moist cake with both syrup and glaze added for extra flavor and moisture. If you made the recipe according to the instructions, dryness could occur if you didn't measure the flour correctly or over baked the loaf. Did you add the syrup and glaze?
Tammy Roach
Yes. I followed the directions.
Cindy
The buttermilk is NOT listed on the recipe! It’s listed on the pop up page though. That’s why it’s dry
Wendy Sondov
I find your comment confusing. Buttermilk most certainly is listed as one of the ingredients and in instruction step 3 on the recipe card. I don't know what you mean by pop up page. The post gives information about baking this loaf and the printable recipe card, as always, is located at the bottom of the page. If your loaf was dry, it has nothing to do with this recipe.
Cindy
Wendy, so glad you got the Bobbette & Belle book. If you ever go to Toronto, you have to visit their bakery. I have not tried the lemon loaf yet, but you've convinced me to add it to my "bake next" list. I love how you wrapped them for shipping. That lemon paper is adorable.
Wendy Sondov
Thanks for the great book recommendation, Cindy! I have your suggested recipes bookmarked, but when I saw that the authors were recommending this loaf for gifting I jumped on it. That and the fact that I absolutely LOVE lemon loaf. The lemon paper was luck. Sheltering at home had me shopping in my basement for wrapping with a spring-like pattern and there was a whole roll of this paper that had been waiting for just this purpose for years! Hoarders luck 😉 I would love to make it to Toronto and to the bakery, when the world gets back on track!
Sally
Hi Wendy,
This Lemon Loaf looks absolutely delicious. I was wondering if you have ever made them as cupcakes? If so would you please advise how long to bake this refreshing lemony goodness?
Wendy Sondov
Hi, Sally! I haven't made these as cupcakes, but I am pretty sure they would be delicious. However, keep in mind that they will probably be more like a dense muffin rather than a fluffy cupcake. (In my opinion that means you can eat cupcakes for breakfast! 😉 ) I am going to guess that cupcakes will take about 20 minutes to bake, but I as I haven't tried, please watch them carefully and test for doneness with a toothpick. Happy baking!