Lemon cream cheese pound cake is a decadent, dense and buttery lemon pound cake made with cream cheese. Top this lemon cake with a sweet and tart lemon glaze for even more lemon flavor. Enjoy this easy to make, old fashioned lemon pound cake for breakfast, brunch or dessert.
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Why Should You Make This Recipe
I absolutely adore a simple, but decadent cake. Pound cakes are endlessly versatile, incredibly delicious and so simple to make. My Buttermilk Pound Cake, Pineapple Pound Cake, Key Lime Pound Cake, Chocolate Chip Pound Cake, Blueberry Pound Cake and Blackberry Pound Cake are just a few of my favorite pound cake recipes on the blog. This glazed lemon pound cake is another buttery bundt cake I am so excited to share with you.
- It has the perfect rich, buttery and tender texture. This lemon cream cheese cake has the perfect classic pound cake crumb, filled with fragrant vanilla and tart lemon flavor.
- Easy to make with simple ingredients. This old fashioned lemon pound cake with cream cheese is made with simple ingredients that come together quickly and easily making it the perfect cake for any occasion.
Ingredients
This from scratch lemon pound cake requires only a handful of simple ingredients to make.
Dry Ingredients: Gather all purpose flour and salt.
Wet Ingredients: Gather granulated sugar, lemon zest, butter, Philadelphia cream cheese, eggs, vanilla extract, lemon extract and lemon juice.
Lemon Glaze: Gather powdered sugar, lemon juice and lemon zest.
Substitutions
This lemon with cream cheese pound cake is as easy to make as it is delicious. Here are my recommended ingredient substitutions if you need them.
- All purpose flour: To make this pound cake gluten free, use a good 1-1 gluten free flour. I recommend using the one from Bob’s Red Mill.
- Granulated Sugar: This glazed lemon cream cheese pound cake calls for granulated sugar, but maple sugar would also work well to make this refined sugar free.
- Lemon Zest and Juice: It’s essential to use both the zest and the juice in order to get the most lemon flavor in this recipe. If you don’t have any lemons, feel free to use any other tart citrus, like lime.
- Unsalted Butter: Feel free to use an equal amount of salted butter in place of the unsalted butter. Just make sure to omit the added salt.
- Cream Cheese: Use a full fat block cream cheese such as Philadelphia cream cheese. Mascarpone cheese is a good substitute for the cream cheese. Otherwise, use 1 cup (240 g) full fat sour cream, but note that the sour cream should be mixed in at the end, alternating with the dry ingredients.
- Eggs: This recipe has not been tested without eggs.
- Vanilla Extract: This is more for background flavor and nicely enhances the flavors of the other ingredients.
- Lemon Extract: This is optional, but highly recommended in order to get the most lemon flavor baked inside this lemon cream cheese pound cake.
- Lemon Glaze: This lemon pound cake with cream cheese is made truly decadent when topped with a lemon glaze. However, you can enjoy plain or with a dusting of powdered sugar.
Variations
Lemon Cream Cheese Pound Cake Loaf: This recipe for lemon and cream cheese pound cake can easily be made in a loaf pan. If you would like to follow the recipe as written, divide the pound cake batter into (2) 9 x 5 loaf pans. Bake at 350 F (177 C) for 50 - 65 minutes.
Lemon Pudding Mix: Omit the lemon zest, lemon juice and lemon extract and replace them with ¼ cup instant lemon pudding mix. Whisk the mix into the dry ingredients and follow the recipe as written.
How To Make
Here’s how to make lemon cream cheese pound cake in a few easy steps.
- Preheat the oven to 325 F (163 C). Move the middle rack to the next lowest position in your oven. Grease a 10- inch (12 cup capacity bundt pan) with nonstick spray. Use a pastry brush to work the nonstick spray into all the grooves of the pan. In a large bowl, whisk the flour and salt together until well combined.
- In a small bowl whisk or use your fingers to mix the lemon zest and sugar together until a wet, sand like consistency forms.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream the butter and cream cheese together on low until smooth and well combined. On low, mix in the sugar. Once all the sugar has been added, cream the mixture on medium speed until light and fluffy.
- On low mix in the eggs, vanilla extract and lemon extract one at a time, waiting until the previous ingredient is just combined before adding the next. Mix until well combined. By hand or on the lowest mixing speed, mix the dry ingredients into the wet alternating with the lemon juice until the batter is just combined.
- Evenly scoop the cream cheese lemon pound cake batter into the prepared bundt pan. Bake the pound cake for 60 - 70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the pound cake comes out with a few moist crumbs. Cool the cake in the pan for 10 minutes. Invert the bundt cake pan onto another cooling rack or plate.
- Make the lemon glaze by whisking the powdered sugar with lemon juice until well combined. If needed add more juice for a thinner glaze or more sugar for a thicker glaze. Pour the glaze over the cooled lemon cream cheese cake. Serve topped with with more lemon zest if you like. Allow 30 - 45 minutes for the glaze to set, slice and enjoy.
How To Store, Freeze and Thaw
Store leftover pound cake: Place the slices in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 - 4 days. Transfer to the fridge for another 1 - 2 days.
Freeze the lemon cream cheese bundt cake: Individually wrap each slice of cake in plastic wrap. Place each wrapped slice in a ziplock bag. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months. If you plan on freezing the cake rather than eating it, I recommend freezing the cake without the glaze when possible.
Thaw the pound cake: Remove your desired number of pieces to sit out at room temperature or in the fridge until fully thawed and enjoy!
M’s Expert Tips
- Use a non-stick spray to prevent the cake from sticking to the bundt pan. If needed, take a pastry brush or even a clean paper towel and work the spray into all the grooves of the pan.
- Bring cold ingredients to room temperature: This allows the ingredients to mix together more evenly which requires less mixing, resulting in moist and perfectly mixed pound cake.
- Don’t overmix the cake batter: Always use the lowest speed on your electric mixer or mix in the dry ingredients by hand. Make sure to mix the dry ingredients into the wet until just combined.
- Cool the cake in the pan for no longer than 10 -15 minutes. If you try to remove the cake before 10 minutes, the cake may still be too hot to remove without falling apart. Removing the cake after 15 minutes may cause the cake to stick to the pan more easily.
- Fully cool the cake before applying the glaze. This usually takes about 30 - 45 minutes after the cake has been removed from the pan or about an hour after the cake has been removed from the oven.
FAQs
This can happen when the oven temperature is too high. The simple fix for this is to use a lower baking temperature for a longer period of time. I also recommend using an internal oven thermometer to double check the oven temperature.
A quick and simple fix to any dry cake is to soak the cake in a simple syrup. To do this bring ¼ cup (50 g) sugar, 2 tablespoons (30 ml) lemon juice and 2 tablespoons (30 ml) water to a gentle boil in a saucepan. Remove from the heat and pour over the baked pound cake.
Over mixing eggs and dry ingredients can bring too much air into the cake. Over mixing can also activate the glutens in the flour. A good rule to follow is once the eggs are mixed in, use only the lowest speed on the mixer and mix only until the ingredients are incorporated.
Other Lemon Recipes to Try
If you try this Lemon Cream Cheese Pound Cake recipe please rate the recipe and leave a comment below. Doing so helps other readers decide if this is a great recipe to bake. Don’t forget to tag me on Instagram using @olivesnthyme so I can see what you’re baking! Happy Baking! -M
Lemon Cream Cheese Pound Cake Recipe
Equipment
- 1 10 inch (12 cup) capacity bundt pan
- 1 stand mixer with paddle attachment or electric hand mixer with beaters
- 1 zester
Ingredients
Lemon Cream Cheese Pound Cake
- 3 cups (360 g) all purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2½ cups (500 g) granulated sugar
- 4 lemons, zested
- 1½ cups (339 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
- 6 large eggs (US), room temperature
- 2 teaspoons (10 ml) lemon extract
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract
- ¼ cup (59 ml) lemon juice
Lemon Glaze
- 1½ cups (180 g) powdered sugar
- 3 - 4 tablespoons (45 - 60 ml) lemon juice
- 1 lemon for zesting, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325 F (163 C). Move the middle rack to the next lowest position in your oven. Grease a 10-inch (12 cup capacity bundt pan) with nonstick spray. Use a pastry brush to work the nonstick spray into all the grooves of the pan.
- In a large bowl, whisk the flour and salt together until well combined.3 cups (360 g) all purpose flour, ½ teaspoon salt
- In a small bowl whisk or use your fingers to mix the lemon zest and sugar together until a wet, sand like consistency forms.2½ cups (500 g) granulated sugar, 4 lemons, zested
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat the butter and cream cheese together on low until smooth and well combined. On low, mix in the lemon sugar. Once all the sugar has been added, cream the mixture on medium speed until light and fluffy.1½ cups (339 g) unsalted butter, room temperature, 8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
- On low mix in the eggs, vanilla extract and lemon extract one at a time, waiting until the previous ingredient is just combined before adding the next. Mix until well combined.6 large eggs (US), room temperature, 2 teaspoons (10 ml) lemon extract , 1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract
- By hand or on the lowest mixing speed, mix the dry ingredients into the wet alternating with the lemon juice until the batter is just combined.¼ cup (59 ml) lemon juice
- Evenly scoop the cream cheese lemon pound cake batter into the prepared bundt pan. Bake the pound cake for 60 - 70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the pound cake comes out with a few moist crumbs.
- Cool the cake in the pan for 10 minutes. Invert the bundt cake pan onto another cooling rack or plate.
- Make the lemon glaze by whisking the powdered sugar with lemon juice until well combined. If needed add more juice for a thinner glaze or more sugar for a thicker glaze.1½ cups (180 g) powdered sugar, 3 - 4 tablespoons (45 - 60 ml) lemon juice
- Pour the glaze over the cooled lemon cream cheese cake. Serve topped with with more lemon zest if you like. Allow 30 - 45 minutes for the glaze to set, slice and enjoy.1 lemon for zesting, optional
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