Oh my goodness, get ready for the most incredible lemon pound cake you’ll ever taste! After my unforgettable trip to Sicily and Rome last year, I couldn’t wait to recreate the amazing Italian desserts I encountered. This Italian Lemon Pound Cake recipe brings back such wonderful memories of enjoying sweet treats at charming cafes along cobblestone streets.
The moment you slice into this cake, you’ll notice its perfectly tender crumb and bright citrus aroma. It’s the kind of dessert that makes you close your eyes and smile with that first bite – trust me, I may have done exactly that while recipe testing! The secret is using fresh lemons for both zest and juice, which infuses every bite with pure, vibrant flavor.
Why You’ll Love Making This Recipe
Let me tell you why this cake holds such a special place in my heart (and kitchen!). First, it’s wonderfully moist and rich, thanks to real butter and sour cream in the batter. The texture is absolutely perfect – dense enough to feel indulgent but still light enough to enjoy any time of day. If you loved my other global-inspired recipes, you’ll appreciate how this authentic Italian treat brings a taste of Europe right to your kitchen.
What really makes this recipe shine is its versatility. It’s elegant enough for Easter brunch or afternoon tea, but simple enough to whip up when you’re craving something sweet. The best part? You can have it in the oven in just 10 minutes! I love serving thick slices with coffee in the morning (because cake for breakfast is totally acceptable when it’s this good!) or as a refreshing dessert after dinner.
The lemon glaze on top? Pure magic. It creates this perfectly sweet-tart coating that crackles ever so slightly when you cut into it. When life gives you lemons, forget lemonade – make this pound cake instead!
Essential Ingredients Explained
Let’s talk about what makes this Italian Lemon Pound Cake truly special! Just like my favorite honey-infused recipes, every ingredient plays a crucial role in creating that perfect texture and flavor.
Key Components:
• Fresh Lemons: We’re using both zest and juice here. The oils in the zest pack an intense citrus punch, while the juice adds brightness and helps create that tender crumb. Pro tip: zest your lemons before juicing – it’s much easier!
• Unsalted Butter: This is our flavor foundation. Use room temperature butter that’s still slightly cool to touch. When creamed with sugar, it creates tiny air pockets that give your cake that dreamy, velvety texture.
• Sour Cream: My secret weapon for incredible moisture! The tanginess complements the lemon perfectly, while its fat content keeps the cake tender for days. If you’re out of sour cream, full-fat Greek yogurt works beautifully too.
• Cake Flour: While all-purpose flour works, cake flour’s lower protein content gives you that melt-in-your-mouth texture we’re after. The science behind it? Less protein means less gluten development, resulting in a more delicate crumb.
Success Tips & Tricks
Getting that perfect pound cake isn’t just about ingredients – it’s about technique! Just like making my favorite pasta dishes, attention to detail makes all the difference.
Essential Techniques:
• Room Temperature Magic: Pull your eggs, butter, and sour cream out 1-2 hours before baking. Room temp ingredients blend seamlessly, creating a uniform cake batter that rises beautifully.
• Proper Measurement: Fluff your flour before measuring and spoon it into your measuring cup – don’t scoop! Excess flour is the number one reason for dry pound cakes.
• Creaming Process: Beat butter and sugar until truly light and fluffy – we’re talking 3-5 minutes. This step creates the structure that makes your cake rise properly.
• Don’t Overmix: Once you add flour, mix just until combined. Overmixing develops gluten, leading to a tough cake. Nobody wants that!
Remember: A few extra minutes of prep makes the difference between a good pound cake and an amazing one that your family will beg you to make again and again!
Step-by-Step Instructions
Let me walk you through making this incredible Italian Lemon Pound Cake! I’ve made this recipe countless times and picked up some helpful tricks along the way.
Preparing Your Ingredients
First things first – pull out your butter, eggs, and dairy products at least 1 hour before starting. Room temperature ingredients are key for achieving that perfectly tender crumb! While you wait, prep your workspace:
- Preheat oven to 350°F
- Grease and flour a 10-inch bundt pan thoroughly
- Zest and juice your lemons (you’ll need about 3-4 medium lemons)
- Measure remaining ingredients
Making the Cake Batter
1. In a large bowl, whisk together flour and baking powder. Just like my favorite comfort foods, the key is properly measured dry ingredients.
2. In your stand mixer bowl (or large bowl with hand mixer), cream butter and sugar for 3-4 minutes until light and fluffy. This step is crucial – don’t rush it!
3. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Scrape down bowl as needed.
4. Mix in vanilla and lemon zest until fragrant.
5. Combine sour cream and lemon juice in small bowl.
6. Alternating between wet and dry, add ingredients to butter mixture in this order:
- 1/3 flour mixture
- 1/2 sour cream mixture
- 1/3 flour mixture
- Remaining sour cream
- Final flour portion
Mix just until combined between each addition. Don’t overmix!
Recipe Variations
This versatile recipe can be adapted in so many delicious ways. Here are my tested favorites:
Pan Options
• Two 9×5 loaf pans: Reduce bake time to 45-50 minutes
• 12-cup muffin tin: Bake 20-25 minutes
• Sheet cake: Use 9×13 pan, bake 35-40 minutes
Flavor Twists
Similar to how I love putting twists on classics like my favorite rice bowls, try these pound cake variations:
• Orange-Cranberry: Replace lemon with orange zest/juice, add 1 cup chopped cranberries
• Almond-Lemon: Add 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• Lemon-Blueberry: Fold in 1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries
• Lemon-Thyme: Add 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
• For an extra special treat, serve with your favorite pasta dish for a complete Italian-inspired meal
Glaze Options
• Classic Lemon: Mix powdered sugar with lemon juice until pourable
• Cream Cheese: Beat softened cream cheese with powdered sugar and lemon juice
• Vanilla Bean: Seeds from 1 vanilla pod mixed into basic glaze
• Limoncello: Replace some lemon juice with limoncello in glaze
Remember to let your cake cool completely before glazing – about 2 hours. The wait is worth it!
Frequently Asked Questions
Having baked this cake hundreds of times (and fielded lots of questions!), here are the most common things folks ask about this Italian Lemon Pound Cake:
Can I make this cake ahead of time?
You sure can! The cake actually develops even more flavor after a day. I often bake it the evening before serving, just like I do with my favorite make-ahead meals. Store it covered at room temperature for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 2 months.
Why did my cake crack on top?
A crack along the top is actually perfectly normal for pound cakes! It happens as the exterior sets before the interior is fully baked. Just make sure your oven temperature is accurate – I keep an oven thermometer handy for precisely this reason.
Can I reduce the sugar?
I wouldn’t recommend reducing the sugar by more than 1/4 cup. Sugar does more than just sweeten – it keeps the cake moist and helps create that tender crumb we’re after. Trust me on this one – I tested this recipe countless times to get the balance just right!
After years of baking this cake (and hearing from many of you!), here are my top tips for success:
• Room Temperature Magic: I can’t stress enough how important room temp ingredients are. I’ve forgotten to set mine out before and the texture just isn’t the same!
• Measuring Matters: For flour, spoon it into the measuring cup and level off – don’t scoop directly with the measuring cup. This prevents using too much flour which can make your cake heavy.
• Pan Prep: Be generous when greasing your bundt pan. I’ve had my share of sticky situations, and now I make sure to get every nook and cranny!
• Timing Tips: Start checking your cake at 50 minutes. Every oven is different – mine usually takes exactly 55 minutes, but yours might vary slightly.
Remember, baking is meant to be fun! If something doesn’t turn out perfectly the first time, don’t get discouraged. I still have the occasional kitchen mishap, and each one teaches me something new. Happy baking, friends!
Let me know if you try this recipe – I love seeing your creations and hearing how it turned out in your kitchen! ❤️
Italian Lemon Pound Cake
Ingredients
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 2 tsp. Baking powder
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 2 cups sugar
- 6 large eggs room temperature
- 2 tsp. vanilla
- 1 Zest of 1 lemon
- 6 tbsp. Fresh squeezed lemon juice divided
- 1 1/4 cups sour cream room temperature
- 2 tbsp. Heavy whipping cream
- 2 cups confectioners sugar
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and grease and flour a bundt cake pan.
- To a large mixing bowl, add flour and baking powder and whisk together. Set Aside.
- To the bowl of your stand mixer or a large mixing bowl, add butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla, and lemon zest. Mix at medium speed on your stand mixer or with a handheld mixer, until all of the ingredients are combined.
- To a small bowl, add sour cream and 4 tbsp. Lemon juice. Whisk together.
- Turn the stand mixer to low, and add about 1¼ of the dry mixture, followed by 1/2 of the sour cream mixture, 1/4 of the dry mixture, and so on, letting the ingredients get incorporated between each addition, until everything has been added to the bowl. Alternatively, use your hand mixer and add 1/2 the dry ingredients and 1/2 the sour cream mixture, mixing well. Follow with the other half of those ingredients, and mix well again until combined.
- Pour the batter into your bundt pan, and smooth out the top to make it spread evenly.
- Bake at 350 for 55-60 minutes, until a long toothpick inserted into the middle of the pound cake comes out clean.
- Allow the cake to cool completely, and make your icing.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together confectioners sugar, heavy whipping cream, and 2 tbsp. of lemon juice. If needed, you can add more heavy whipping cream to get your desired consistency. It needs to be fluid but if it is slightly thicker you’ll get that nice white glaze on top of your cake.
- Pour the icing around the top of your cake, letting it fall to the sides. It may be helpful to lay paper towels down under your cake if using a wire rack, because the icing will drip into the table.
Notes
If you don’t have sour cream, try using buttermilk. Make quick homemade buttermilk by adding a tablespoon of vinegar to every 1 cup of milk.
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