Old-Fashioned Lemon Pound Cake Without Baking Powder or Soda

This traditional lemon pound cake has homestead roots and is made the classic way, with no baking powder and no baking soda. Instead, it relies on eggs and the creaming method to give the cake its lift. The result is a fine, dense, buttery crumb that feels just right for a true pound cake.

I found the original recipe in a vintage church cookbook I picked up at a thrift store. The original recipe was a plain pound cake with no vanilla and no extra flavoring, but I could tell it had good bones.

After a few test bakes, I turned it into a lemon pound cake recipe full of fresh lemon flavor. With lemon zest and fresh lemon juice in the batter, a lemon syrup brushed over the warm cake, and a lemon glaze on top, this cake brings real lemon flavor in every bite.

My coworkers were more than happy to help with the recipe testing. After a few rounds of lemon pound cake in the teachers’ lounge, I knew this recipe was worth keeping. My family can only eat so much cake in a week, so the extras usually go to work with me, and fresh-baked cake never lasts long in the teachers’ lounge.

If you are a lemon lover, this cake is for you. This is not a cake with just a hint of lemon. It is bright, bold, and full of real lemon flavor.

Why You’ll Love This Traditional Lemon Pound Cake

There are plenty of reasons to love this old-fashioned lemon pound cake.

What Makes This Pound Cake Rise Without Baking Powder or Soda

Vintage pound cakes were often made without chemical leaveners. This traditional lemon pound cake follows that same idea. Instead of using baking powder or baking soda, the cake rises from two things: eggs and properly creamed butter and sugar.

How eggs help create lift

Eggs do a lot of work in a classic pound cake. They add richness, moisture, and structure. They also help trap air in the cake batter, which gives the cake a gentle lift as it bakes.

Why does creaming the butter and sugar matter

This step is one of the most important parts of the recipe. When you beat the unsalted butter and granulated sugar together with an electric mixer, hand mixer, or stand mixer, you create tiny air pockets in the batter. Those air pockets help the cake rise in the oven.

That is why you do not want to rush this step. A properly creamed mixture should look lighter in color and fluffy.

Why traditional pound cakes have a finer crumb

Because this cake does not use baking powder or baking soda, it does not bake up light and airy like a lemon cake. Instead, it has the tight, fine crumb that pound cake is known for. It should feel rich, moist, and a little heavy in the best way.

Ingredients You Need

One reason the original recipe was so appealing is that pound cake uses simple pantry basics. That is part of what makes it such a classic.

Ingredients for the lemon pound cake

• unsalted butter, softened
• granulated sugar
• cake flour
• large eggs
• fresh lemon juice
• lemon zest
• cream or sour cream

Cake flour helps give this lemon loaf its tender, fine crumb, so I would not skip it.

Ingredients for the lemon syrup

• sugar
• water
• lemon zest

Ingredients for the lemon glaze

• fresh lemon juice
• lemon zest
• powdered sugar

How to Make Traditional Lemon Pound Cake

Follow the mixing steps carefully, and you will end up with a beautiful lemon loaf with a moist crumb and deep lemon flavor.

Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy

In a large bowl or mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. You can use a hand mixer, a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, or mix by hand if needed. This step helps build the structure of the cake, so do not rush it.

Add the eggs one at a time

Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each one. Room temperature eggs blend into the cake batter better and help keep the batter smooth.

Mix in the lemon juice, zest, and cream

Once the eggs are mixed in, stir in the fresh lemon juice, lemon zest, and cream or sour cream. This is where the cake starts to build that bright lemon flavor.

Fold in the flour gently

Add the cake flour and gently mix just until it disappears into the wet ingredients. Try not to overmix here. Too much mixing can make the cake heavy in a dry way instead of dense and tender.

Bake until golden brown and set

Pour the batter into a prepared loaf pan. Bake until the top of the cake is golden brown and a cake tester or toothpick comes out with moist crumbs, not wet batter.

Because this is a dense cake, it takes longer to bake than a regular lemon cake. I like to set my loaf pan on a sheet pan to help keep the bottom from getting too dark. You can also divide the batter between two loaf pans if you want smaller loaves.

Spoon the lemon syrup over the warm cake

While the cake is still warm, spoon or brush the lemon syrup over the top of the cake. This step adds moisture and helps soften the crust. Do not skip it. The lemon syrup is one of the reasons this cake stays moist for days.

Glaze after the cake cools

Let the cake cool completely on a wire rack or cooling rack. Then remove it from the pan and pour the lemon glaze over the top. For extra charm, you can garnish it with a little extra lemon zest or thin lemon slices.

Tips for the Best Lemon Pound Cake

A few small details make a big difference with a cake like this.

Tips & Tricks

• Start with room temperature butter and eggs.
• Beat the butter and sugar long enough for them to get light and fluffy.
• Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
• Do not overmix after adding the flour mixture.
• Let the lemon syrup soak in before adding the lemon glaze.
• Use fresh lemon juice and fresh lemon zest for the best flavor.

Why This Recipe Has Such a Fine, Moist Crumb

The role of butter, eggs, and sugar

Butter brings flavor and richness. Eggs add structure and moisture. Sugar adds sweetness and helps create those tiny air pockets during mixing. Together, they make a classic pound cake with a smooth, close crumb.

Why is pound cake different from a fluffy lemon cake

A lemon cake and a classic pound cake are not the same thing. Lemon cake is usually lighter and softer, often because it uses baking powder or baking soda. Pound cake is meant to be richer, denser, and more buttery.

How the lemon syrup helps lock in moisture

This cake has a fine crumb, which means it can dry out faster than a lighter cake if you leave it plain. The lemon syrup helps keep that from happening. It soaks into the cake while it is still warm and adds both flavor and moisture.

In my opinion, the cake is even better the next day.

How to Store Lemon Pound Cake

How long does it keep at room temperature?

Store the cake covered at room temperature for up to 3 days. After that, it may start to dry out.

Can you refrigerate it?

Yes. If you like a cold slice of lemon loaf, this cake keeps well in the fridge. Store it in an airtight container, and it should keep for 4 to 5 days.

How to freeze lemon pound cake

To freeze it, let the cake cool completely after baking and brushing on the lemon syrup. Leave off the lemon glaze until later. Wrap the cake well in plastic wrap and foil, label it, and freeze. When you are ready to serve it, thaw it at room temperature and glaze before serving.

FAQ’s

Can a pound cake be made without baking powder?

Yes. That is the traditional method for many old-fashioned pound cake recipes. This cake gets its lift from the eggs and from properly creaming the butter and sugar.

Why is there no baking soda in this recipe?

This recipe does not need baking soda because it is not meant to bake up fluffy like a standard lemon cake. The goal is a dense, moist, fine crumb, which is exactly what makes pound cake special.

Why did my pound cake turn out dense?

Pound cake is supposed to be dense. Dense is normal. Dry is not. A good pound cake should feel rich, moist, and tight-crumbed.

Can I bake this in a loaf pan or a bundt pan?

I have only tested this recipe in a loaf pan, and that is what I recommend first. A bundt pan may work, but the baking time will likely need to be adjusted. Be sure to grease and flour the pan well. Remove it from the bundt pan before adding syrup.

Do I need both the lemon syrup and lemon glaze?

I strongly recommend using both. The lemon syrup helps the cake stay moist, and the lemon glaze adds even more fresh lemon flavor. Together, they make the finished cake taste complete.

Can I make this cake ahead of time?

Yes. This is a great make-ahead cake for gatherings, markets, or busy weeks. Bake it, brush it with lemon syrup, cool it, wrap it well, and freeze if needed. Add the glaze after thawing.

Old-Fashioned Lemon Pound Cake with No Baking Powder or Soda

A traditional lemon pound cake with a fine, moist crumb, fresh lemon flavor, and no baking powder or baking soda.

Print Recipe

Prep Time:15 minutes mins

Cook Time:1 hour hr 55 minutes mins

Equipment

• Large Bowl, small bowl
• Stand or Hand Mixer
• Measuring cups
• Zester, microplane
• Juicer
• Spatula
• Loaf pan (9×5)
• parchment

Ingredients

• 1 cup Butter , soft
• 1 2/3 cups White Sugar
• 5 Large Eggs ,room temperature
• 1/2 cup Lemon juice , about 2 lemons
• 2 Tablespoons Lemon Zest
• 1/2 cup Heavy Cream or Buttermilk
• 2 cups Cake Flour

Lemon Syrup

• 1/4 cup White Sugar
• 1/4 cup Water
• 1 Tablespoon Lemon Zest

Lemon Glaze

• 1 cup Powdered Sugar
• 1/4 cup Lemon Juice , 1 lemon
• 1 Tablespoon Lemon zest ,optional

Instructions

• In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 4-7minutes.
• Add eggs one at a time, making sure to mix after each egg.
• Add the lemon zest, lemon juice. Mix add the cream. Mix until batter is smooth.
• Sift in the cake flour, gently fold or mix in by hand. Do not over mix.
• Line a 9×5 inch loaf pan with parchment paper, pour in your batter. Smooth the top.
• Bake until a toothpick inserted comes out with moist crumbs. Takes about 1 hour and 55 minutes. Do not over-bake.
• As the cake is baking, make the lemon glaze and lemon syrup.
• Remove from the oven, pour or brush lemon syrup over the top. Let the cake cool, remove from pan and pour the lemon glaze over top the pound cake.

  Garnish with lemon zest, candied lemon peel or candied lemon slices.

Lemon Syrup

• Combine the water, sugar, and lemon zest in a small saucepan. Heat on medium heat, stir until the sugar dissolves.

Lemon Glaze

• Mix the powdered sugar and lemon juice until smooth and pourable. Cover and set aside until ready to use.

Notes

• Use room temperature butter and eggs so the batter mixes smoothly.
• Do not rush the creaming step. Beating the butter and sugar until light and fluffy helps this cake rise without baking powder or baking soda.
• Use fresh lemon juice and zest for the best lemon flavor.
• Do not overmix after adding the flour, or the cake can turn heavy and tough.
• Brush the lemon syrup over the warm cake so it soaks in and keeps the crumb moist.
• Let the cake cool completely before adding the glaze so it does not melt right off.
• This cake is even better the next day after the lemon syrup has had time to soak in.

Servings: 1 9×5 Loaf

Author: Esther Donohue