Mimi's Organic Eats » Recipes » Cakes & Cupcakes » Best Meyer Lemon Pound Cake

Best Meyer Lemon Pound Cake

Name: Best Meyer Lemon Pound Cake
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 75 min
Total time: 90 min
Ingredients: 113 grams salted butter ((softened)); 340 grams cane sugar; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 3 large eggs ((room temperature)); ½ cup milk ((room temperature)); 212 grams cake flour; ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt; 1 Meyer lemon ((zest)); 212 grams powdered sugar ((sifted)); 2 to 3 tablespoons Meyer lemon juice

Winter • Cakes & Cupcakes • High Altitude | Published December 28, 2023 by Mimi Council

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Dense, buttery, and sweet. This lemon loaf cake is made with Meyer lemons and topped with a lemon glaze. This is the best Meyer Lemon Pound Cake you’ll ever have!

If you love pound cake as much as I do, be sure to check out some of my other favorites like my Chocolate Pound Cake, Traditional Butter Pound Cake, or my Earl Grey Green Tea Pound Cake.

Why You'll Love This Recipe
Ingredients
Tools Needed
Step by Step Instructions
Baker's Tips
FAQ's
Craving More?

This lemon loaf cake is a delightful twist on the classic dessert, offering a bright, citrusy flavor that’s light and refreshing. This is a variation of my best pound cake recipe ever, using fresh Meyer lemons! Meyer lemons are known for their sweet and floral notes, bring a delicate balance to the richness of the pound cake, making each bite the perfect harmony of sweet and tart. This pound cake’s dense yet tender crumb is infused with the vibrant essence of Meyer lemon juice and zest! This Meyer Lemon Pound Cake is a dessert that feels luxurious without being overly heavy.

If you're looking for a light and refreshing cake, this is the best pound cake recipe that is simple and easy! It’s the perfect treat for everything from casual afternoon tea to a birthday celebration (it would look great with a candle!). The lemony aroma that fills your kitchen as it bakes is irresistible, and the finished lemon loaf cake pairs wonderfully a side of berries, glass of milk or cozy cup of tea. Its flavor and texture improve with time, making it a great make-ahead dessert. I'll let you in on a little secret, I always make pound cakes the day before as I feel they are best when they sit for 24 hours!

Why You'll Love This Recipe

Buttery: The best thing about pound cake is the rich buttery flavor. And this is the best Meyer Lemon Pound Cake as it is rich, buttery, and sweet with a slight tart and tangy flavor thanks to the Meyer lemons.

Dense: Pound cake should be dense. It’s part of why I love it so much, and this one is an absolutely perfect texture. This dense and sweet cake pairs perfectly with a cup of tea, glass or milk, or coffee.

Meyer Lemon: It’s Meyer lemon season, and these lemons are a bit more sweet than traditional lemons. This makes them great for baking and I love the sweeter lemon flavor they provide! But you can also use traditional lemons if you want, which makes this recipe easy to make all year round!

Make Ahead: This is a great cake recipe to make ahead of time. I always prefer to bake pound cakes in the evening and glaze them the following day. I believe this type of cake is best if it cools completely before glazing and I like this method best. So, this is a great cake to bake ahead of time!

Ingredients

Butter: I use Organic Valley Salted Butter. Be sure to use a high quality organic butter, this is key ingredient for pound cake.
Cane Sugar: I use organic cane sugar.
Vanilla Extract: My favorite is Simply Organic. Be sure to use a high quality vanilla extract, not imitation.
Eggs: I use organic large eggs. When you use eggs that are too small (medium in this case) batter can become dry, resulting in a dry cake. Eggs that are too large (extra large in this case) your batter can be too wet and it can sink.
Cake Flour: I use my homemade organic cake flour, but store bought also works. Cake flour is key for it's light texture and will result in the perfect crumb.
Salt: You'll need a fine sea salt.
Powdered Sugar: I use organic powdered sugar for the glaze, be sure it's sifted to prevent lumps.
Meyer Lemons: And last, you'll need organic Meyer lemons! If you don't have Meyer lemons or want to make this when they are not in season, you can use regular lemons too. It will have a little different flavor, but it will be just as delicious!

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Tools Needed

Scale: Always use a digital food scale for the best results.
Mixer: You'll need a stand mixer, but if you prefer to use a hand mixer that's okay too, it will just take longer.
Loaf Pan: You'll need a 1-pound loaf pan.
Parchment Paper: I always use parchment paper as it allows cakes to be removed so easily! My favorite nontoxic parchment paper is Kana.
Mixing Bowl: You'll need a mixing bowl to whisk the glaze.
Whisk: You'll need a whisk to make the glaze.

Step by Step Instructions

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 1-pound loaf pan with parchment paper, letting it fold over the sides for easier removal.

Step 2

To make the batter: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, cane sugar, and vanilla extract. Mix on low until combined and there are no butter chunks.

Add in the eggs and mix on low until combined. Scrape down the side of the bowl and mix again until combined.

Add the milk, cake flour, sea salt, and lemon zest in that order, and mix on low until combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed to ensure a smooth batter and everything is mixed.

Step 3

Pour the cake batter into the loaf pan and spread evenly. Bake for 1 hour 15 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. (Be sure to check the Notes for high altitude baking time.) Allow to cool completely in the cake pan.

Step 4

To make the glaze: In a medium bowl, add the powdered sugar and lemon juice. Whisk until combined into a smooth glaze. Spread the glaze over the top of the loaf cake. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Baker's Tips

Make sure your butter is soft! Pound cake has very few ingredients, so they really matter! And soft butter is key. I prefer to leave butter out on the counter overnight to soften naturally. If you have to microwave it, then only do 10 second intervals per 1/2 cup.
Use whole milk — always! Whole milk is best for baking as it has the most fat. If you use 2% or skim milk, it has more water (and less fat). And water will actually dry out baked goods. So, this is why whole milk is always best for baking.
I use Meyer lemons in this recipe. But you can definitely make it with traditional lemons too! It will have a tarter flavor if you use regular lemons and a sweeter flavor if you use Meyer lemons.
If you don’t have cake flour, you can easily make your own with my recipe for Homemade Cake Flour.
I love making this cake ahead of time. I usually bake it in the evening, let it cool overnight, and then glaze it the following day.
Be sure to store this cake in an airtight container so it stays moist. I prefer to store this in a cake dome, but a Tupperware will also do.

FAQ's

Can I use regular lemons?

Yes, of course. If Meyer lemons are not in season you can definitely use regular lemons! This cake will have a slightly different flavor with Meyer lemons versus regular lemons. Check out my article Difference Between Lemons and Meyer Lemons.

How should I store pound cake?

This cake should be stored in an airtight container or a cake dome so it retains its moist and buttery texture.

Can I make this in a bundt pan?

Yes! If you want to make this recipe in a bundt pan you will need to double the recipe and then you'll have enough batter for a bundt pan. Be sure to check to make sure the cake is done, it may need a little longer in the oven if you are baking it in a bundt pan.