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Lemon Sour Cream Pound Cake

I can’t deny it, chocolate is a wonderful thing. And many of us crave rich chocolatey desserts or, at times, an eye-catching, cream cheese frosted red velvet cake. But the beauty and simplicity of a lemon pound cake can be just as wonderful. This lemon sour cream pound cake is one of my all-time favorite things. A dense, flavorful, buttery cake, dripping with a lemony glaze that’s truly unforgettable.

lemon pound cake

Pound Cake Ratio

The name “pound cake” is a nod to the original cake recipe that called for equal parts butter, flour, sugar, and eggs. Many pound cake recipes you’ll find still follow this classic ratio. But modern recipes have scaled down the quantities making them more manageable size-wise. Along with downsizing, came diverse, regional variations giving pound cakes their own distinct style, texture, and taste throughout the world.

Leaveners

Traditional pound cakes were made without leaveners, instead, air was “whipped” into the cake before baking. But things changed in the 1900s when artificial leaveners, such as baking soda and baking powder, began being added.  Leaveners drastically reduced the density of pound cakes creating a fluffier and more delicate crumb.

lemon pound cake

Soon after flavoring agents such as vanilla and almond extracts, and dried fruits, such as currants and cranberries became popular. Americans were the ones who began incorporating sour cream yielding an even moister cake, with a slight tangy flavor. I have a go-to ricotta pound cake, I serve with fresh betters and whipped cream, that’s a family favorite. But this lemon sour cream pound cake is our latest obsession.

lemon pound cake

Pound Cake Around the Globe

Like Americans, the French are also pound cake fans, but they call it “quarts-quarts” or “four quarters”, as a play on the pound reference. In the Caribbean, rum is a popular ingredient as well as mashed bananas which is a popular dessert during the holiday season.

The Venezuelan and Colombian pound cake equivalent is called “ponque”. This popular version is a decadent wine-drenched cake with a cream and sugar coating. Similarly, the Mexican version, known as “panque”, but follows the traditional recipe of one pound each of butter, flour, sugar, and eggs.

As far as an “easy” dessert comes, a pound cake, of any flavor, fits the bill. It’s also a wonderful solution when baking a layer cake is not in our wheelhouse. Served straight up, or with berries and whipped cream, the variation and accouterments are truly limitless.

lemon pound cake

About the Author

Andrea Potischman

I am a professionally trained NYC chef turned CA mom and food blogger. I post about real food, with doable ingredient lists that are family friendly.

2 thoughts on "Lemon Sour Cream Pound Cake"

  1. Avatar photo Lisa Barger says:

    Lemon is my favorite flavor!!!!! This is a beautiful pound cake loaf! I will be making this! Thank you! I’m so glad I discovered your blog!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    1. thank you Lisa for the kind words. This is a really lovely recipe for anyone who enjoys lemon sweets. It is subtle and bright without being overwhelming. I hope you like it as much as I do.

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