Lemon Mile High Pound Cake

This lemon mile high pound cake is a tall, golden tube-pan cake with a tight, moist crumb and a thick white lemon glaze that runs down the sides. Butter, cream cheese, sour cream and buttermilk make the batter rich, while lemon juice and lemon extract keep every slice bright. A spoonful of instant vanilla pudding mix in the dry ingredients helps the cake stay tender and moist for days. It bakes low and slow, so it rises high with a soft, even texture from edge to center.

Why You’ll Like This Lemon Mile High Pound Cake

This is the kind of pound cake that stands tall on a cake stand and slices cleanly into thick pieces. The crust bakes up lightly golden and a little crisp, while the inside stays dense, buttery and moist. The glaze sets into a sweet, tangy coat that drips down the sides and soaks slightly into the top.

• Tall and impressive: a full 10-inch tube pan of cake that looks great on any dessert table.
• Moist for days: cream cheese, sour cream and pudding mix keep the crumb soft.
• Big lemon flavor: lemon in both the cake and the glaze, balanced with vanilla and butter notes.

Ingredients for Lemon Mile High Pound Cake

For the Cake

• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 small box (3.4 oz) instant vanilla pudding mix
• 3 cups granulated sugar
• 3 sticks (1 1/2 cups) butter, at room temperature
• 4 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup sour cream, at room temperature
• 2 tsp lemon extract
• 1 tsp cake batter extract (or butter-nut flavoring)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp butter extract
• 6 large eggs, at room temperature
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice, plus a little more if the batter is very thick

For the Lemon Glaze

• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 1 tbsp buttermilk
• 1 tsp lemon extract
• 1 tbsp melted butter
• Fresh lemon juice, as needed for consistency

You will need a large 10-inch tube pan, a stand mixer or hand mixer, a sifter or fine-mesh sieve, and a wire rack. Makes one tall cake, about 16 slices.

Ingredient Notes

Room temperature dairy and eggs: Butter, cream cheese, buttermilk, sour cream and eggs should all sit out for about an hour. Cold ingredients do not cream smoothly and can make the batter look curdled.

The pudding mix: Use instant vanilla pudding mix, dry, straight into the flour. It adds moisture and a soft, tight crumb. Do not prepare it with milk.

The extracts: Lemon, vanilla, butter and cake batter extract layer together for a bakery-style flavor. If you cannot find cake batter extract, butter-nut flavoring or an extra 1/2 teaspoon vanilla works.

The lemon juice: Fresh lemon juice tastes brighter than bottled. Add just enough to loosen a very thick batter.

How to Make Lemon Mile High Pound Cake

Step by Step

1. Prepare the oven and pan. Preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C). Grease a large 10-inch tube pan generously with butter or shortening, then dust it with flour, tapping out the excess. Make sure every curve and the center tube are coated.
2. Sift the dry ingredients. Sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and instant vanilla pudding mix. Set aside.
3. Beat the butter and cream cheese. In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and cream cheese together for about 1 minute, until smooth.
4. Cream in the sugar. Gradually add the sugar and beat on medium speed until the mixture is light, pale and fluffy, about 4 to 5 minutes. Stop and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl a few times.
5. Add the eggs. Add the eggs one at a time, beating just until each one disappears into the batter before adding the next. Scrape the bowl again.
6. Mix the wet ingredients. In a separate bowl or measuring cup, stir together the buttermilk, sour cream, lemon extract, cake batter extract, vanilla extract and butter extract.
7. Combine. With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture in thirds, alternating with the buttermilk mixture in two additions, starting and ending with flour. Add the lemon juice along the way. Mix only until the flour disappears; do not overbeat.
8. Fill the pan. Spoon the thick batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Tap the pan firmly on the counter a few times to release large air bubbles.
9. Bake. Bake for about 2 hours, until a long toothpick or skewer inserted near the center comes out clean. Start checking at 1 hour 45 minutes. If the top browns too quickly, lay a piece of foil loosely over it.
10. Cool. Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15 to 20 minutes. Run a thin knife around the edges and center tube, then turn it out onto the rack and let it cool completely.
11. Make the glaze. Whisk the powdered sugar, buttermilk, lemon extract and melted butter in a bowl. Add lemon juice a teaspoon at a time until the glaze is thick but pourable.
12. Glaze the cake. Set the cooled cake on a plate or cake stand. Spoon or pour the glaze over the top, letting it pool and run down the sides. Let it set for about 20 minutes before slicing.

Tips for the Best Lemon Mile High Pound Cake

Cream Long Enough

Beating the butter, cream cheese and sugar until truly light and fluffy traps air that helps this heavy batter rise tall. Do not rush this step.

Do Not Overmix After Adding Flour

Once the flour goes in, mix just until combined. Overmixing builds gluten and can make the cake tough or cause a dense streak near the bottom.

Keep the Oven Door Closed

Opening the oven early can make a tall cake sink. Wait until at least the 1 hour 45 minute mark before checking.

Grease and Flour Every Corner

Tube pans have plenty of edges where a dense cake can stick. A thorough coating means the cake releases in one piece.

Glaze a Cool Cake

Glaze poured over a warm cake melts and runs off. A fully cooled cake holds a thick layer of glaze with those big, glossy drips.

Variations

• Lemon zest: rub the zest of 2 lemons into the sugar before creaming for an even stronger lemon flavor.
• Lemon pudding: swap the vanilla pudding mix for instant lemon pudding mix.
• Lemon blueberry: fold 1 1/2 cups blueberries tossed in a spoonful of flour into the finished batter.
• Cream cheese glaze: beat 2 oz softened cream cheese into the glaze for a thicker, tangier topping.
• Orange version: use orange juice and orange extract in place of lemon for a citrus twist.
• Bundt pan: bake in a large, well-greased 12-cup or larger Bundt pan; watch the baking time, as it may finish sooner.

Storage

Room temperature: Keep the glazed cake covered with a cake dome or wrapped loosely for up to 3 days.

Refrigerator: Store wrapped for up to 1 week. Let slices come to room temperature before serving for the softest texture.

Freezer: Freeze the unglazed cake or individual slices, wrapped tightly in plastic and foil, for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature, then glaze.

Make-ahead: Pound cake tastes even better a day after baking. Bake it the day before, cool, wrap and glaze shortly before serving.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does this pound cake bake for 2 hours?

The batter is very thick and the pan is deep. Baking at a lower temperature for a long time lets the center cook through before the outside overbrowns.

Why did my pound cake crack on top?

A crack along the top is normal for pound cake and shows the cake rose well. The glaze covers it nicely.

Can I leave out the pudding mix?

Yes, but the cake will be slightly less moist and a bit lighter in texture. Add an extra 2 tablespoons of sour cream to help make up the difference.

My batter is extremely thick. Is that normal?

Yes. This is a dense pound cake batter. If it is too stiff to spread, add a little more lemon juice, a teaspoon at a time, until it is easier to spoon into the pan.