Best Traditional Grandma’s Lemon Pound Cake Recipe

Last updated on February 8th, 2024 at 07:59 pm

This old-fashioned Grandma’s Lemon Pound Cake recipe is easy to make and features eggs and buttermilk. It takes around 1 hour and 55 minutes. This recipe will enable you to replicate the taste of your grandmother’s lemon pound cake.

Grandma’s lemon pound cake recipe is a tried-and-true classic that’s perfect for any occasion calling for a bright and tangy dessert. This grandma-approved cake recipe features not one, but two doses of tart lemon curd. A layer of lemon curd is swirled into the batter before baking, and then the cake is topped with even more lemon curd after it comes out of the oven.

We think you’ll adore this grandma’s lemon pound easy cake recipe as much as we do. Whether you’re looking for an easy, moist lemon pound cake, a bundt cake with icing, or an old-fashioned loaf style, this grandma’s lemon pound cake recipe delivers.

The bright, bracing lemon curd provides the perfect counterpoint to the sweet, tender crumb. Give this grandma’s lemon pound cake recipe a whirl and let us know what you think! We hope it becomes your new go-to whenever a lemon dessert craving strikes.

How to Make Grandma’s Lemon Pound Cake

Equipment for Grandma’s Lemon Pound Cake

• Mixing Bowls: One large bowl for mixing the batter and a smaller bowls for separate ingredients like dry ingredients and wet ingredients.
• Whisk: For incorporating dry ingredients and whipping your eggs.
• Spatula: For scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl and smoothing the batter into the pan.
• Measuring cups and spoons: Ensure accuracy for baking success.
• Bundt pan: Choose a pan with a classic fluted design for optimal lemon pound cake presentation. A 9- or 10-inch pan will yield perfect results.
• Grater: Zest the lemons for that essential lemony flavor

Ingredients for Grandma’s Lemon Pound Cake

• 2 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 4 large eggs, at room temperature
• 3 1/2 cups All purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 1/3 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/4 cup lemon curd, plus more as needed for topping
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1 1/4 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1/8 cup lemon zest

Instructions

Step 1: Preheat the oven

Preheating the oven to 350°F makes it hot and ready for baking. Grease and flour a bundt pan so the cake doesn’t stick while baking.

Step 2: Beat the butter

In a mixer, beat the butter and sugar until light and fully combined. Gradually add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Step 3: Mix dry and wet ingredients

In one bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In another bowl, whisk together the lemon curd, buttermilk, vanilla extract, and lemon zest.

Step 4: Add ingredients to butter mixture

With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the flour mixture and lemon curd mixture to the creamed butter and sugar, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Mix just until combined after each addition.

Step 5: Bake the cake

Pour the batter into the prepared bundt pan. Bake for 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Step 6: Cool and remove cake

Allow the cake to cool completely before removing from the pan.

Step 7: Serve

Serve the Grandma’s Lemon Pound Cake topped with extra lemon curd.

Grandma’s Lemon Pound Cake Flavor Profile

Nutritional Facts of Grandma’s Lemon Pound Cake

Calories: 317kcal | Carbohydrates: 56g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 52mg | Sodium: 28mg | Potassium: 76mg | Sugar: 38g | Vitamin A: 100IU | Calcium: 34mg | Iron: 1.4mg

Pro Tips for Perfect Grandma’s Lemon Pound Cake

Use Lemon Extract for a Brighter Lemon Flavor

While lemon curd adds richness and moisture to Grandma’s Lemon Pound Cake, lemon extract will provide a subtler, floral lemon flavor. The extract won’t make the cake as dense, but it will give it a lovely lemony brightness. So, Lemon extract can be used as an alternative to lemon curd or use a combination of both. 

Bring Eggs and Milk to Room Temperature

Allowing the eggs and milk to come to room temperature before baking will help the ingredients combine more smoothly for better texture in the finished Grandma’s Lemon Pound Cake. Take them out of the fridge 30-60 minutes ahead.

Choose a Quality Bundt Pan

When making Grandma’s Lemon Pound Cake, use a top-notch bundt pan like Nordic Ware. The heavy construction will promote even baking. Stick to simple bundt shapes to make releasing the cake easier.

Grease the Bundt Pan Thoroughly

For Grandma’s Lemon Pound Cake, grease the bundt pan evenly with a layer of shortening, using a bare hand to reach all the crevices. This prevents sticking without distorting the cake’s shape.

Flour the Pan Completely

After greasing, add a few spoonfuls of flour to the bundt pan. Turn and tap the pan so flour coats all sides. Hold the pan over the sink when tapping to catch excess. The thorough flour coating helps Grandma’s Lemon Pound Cake release perfectly.

Storing Grandma’s Lemon Pound Cake

Grandma’s Lemon Pound Cake stays fresh covered in the fridge for up to 1 week. For longer storage, slice the cake first then freeze up to 6 months. Freezing pieces separately allows grabbing just what you need.

Fun Ways to Customize Grandma’s Lemon Pound Cake

Grandma’s timeless Lemon Pound Cake recipe is perfect as it is, but you can also tailor it by:

• Adding 2-3 tablespoons of poppy seeds to the batter. The tiny black seeds stud the cake with delightful pops of texture.
• Dusting the just-baked cake with powdered sugar for a pretty yet simple finish. Or drizzle the cake while warm with a vanilla glaze that hardens into a sweet icing.
• Topping slices with a tangy lemon curd or rich caramel glaze that contrast beautifully with the dense cake underneath.
• Baking the batter in a 9×13 sheet pan for a homey, old-fashioned sheet cake. Adjust bake time as needed for even cooking.

Part of the fun of Grandma’s Lemon Pound Cake is tweaking it to your tastes. We hope these ideas inspire you to get creative with this classic cake.

Bottomline

Grandma’s Lemon Pound Cake is pure nostalgia for me. One bite transports me back to childhood visits to her farmhouse kitchen. I can practically smell her just-baked cake cooling on the counter. The burst of tart lemon curd mingled with sweet cake still delivers the perfect flavor balance that I crave.

Beyond taste, this cake represents family tradition. I feel Grandma’s love in every tender crumb. Her timeless recipe connects me to generations past as I bake it for my own family now. Though Grandma is gone, I feel close to her every time I enjoy a slice of her signature cake.

Grandma’s Lemon Pound Cake is so much more than a recipe to me. It provides comfort and stirs cherished memories. I hope you’ll give it a try and experience the magic for yourself. Let me know if it stirs up any special memories for you too!

FAQs about Grandma’s Lemon Pound Cake

How do I get Grandma’s Lemon Pound Cake out of the pan?

Removing a bundt cake can be stressful! First, let the cake cool 10-15 minutes before turning it out. Place a rack over the pan, then flip both together. Give a gentle tap to release the cake. If sticking, flip back over and loosen the sides with a knife. Proper greasing and flouring helps Grandma’s Lemon Pound Cake release perfectly.

Why is it called pound cake?

Originally, pound cakes used a pound each of butter, sugar, eggs, and flour, which gave them their name. In my family, we joked each hefty slice weighed a pound! Nowadays recipes vary, but the dense, rich texture remains the same. No matter what you call it, Grandma’s Lemon Pound Cake is a cherished classic

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