Citrus Pound Cake is a spin on traditional pound cake.  Hints of lemon and orange come through each bite.  You’ll want to keep this recipe as a dessert you can rely on for guests and potlucks. 

This is that cake.  It’s the basic cake that’s always a crowd-pleaser.  It’s your ‘go-to’ when you’re having friends and family over.  It’s the cake you take to the party when you want to make it special by taking a home-baked dessert.  Both young and old love it.  It’s buttery rich with an unexpected tang.  Bob’s grandmother used to ask me to make it on each of her extended visits here from Iran.  It was the least I could do given she’d spend much of her visits cooking our favorite Persian soups, stews, and desserts.

I have been making this Citrus Pound Cake for so many years that the recipe card post-it note where it was written in pencil is faded, tattered, and torn. The time is ripe to document and share it.  

A really good pound cake includes plenty of butter, sugar, and eggs on the ingredients list.  Run through the ingredients list before baking this cake.  Make sure you have enough eggs!

I refrain from making my usual healthy substitutions with this one.  There are a whopping 5 eggs, 2 cups of flour, and 2 1/2 sticks of butter in this cake!  Keep in mind this is an old classic I’ve been making for 20 years.  If you’re counting calories, the best thing to do is bake this cake, have a nice slice, then share the rest!

Key ingredients:

• freshly squeezed lemon juice
• fresh orange juice
• pure lemon extract
• buttermilk

Worth noting is that one of our recipe testers tried this cake using coconut extract and lime juice with good results!

Notes on flour –

I typically don’t keep white flour in our pantry anymore as we stock a variety of gluten-free and whole wheat flour in our pantry.  If I am making this cake for guests or to take to a party, however, I pick up a small bag of white flour.  I have made it for ourselves with whole wheat pastry flour and the results are good.  Half white flour and half whole wheat pastry flour is a good compromise between taste, texture, while reducing white carbs.

On that note, I find that if I use low-fat buttermilk it does not affect the taste…although when you’re using 2 1/2 sticks of butter and 5 eggs what’s the point of cutting back now?!

Insider tips on how to make the best citrus pound cake:

• It’s really important to use room temperature, softened butter – leave it out overnight if possible.  Using softened butter will result in a smooth consistency while creaming the butter in with the sugar. 
• Do not skimp on the lemon extract!  We want a strong, sun-shiny citrus flavor that makes this special pound cake stand out. 
• For the citrus glaze, use grated lemon, orange, or mandarin – any form of citrus gives delicious results!  In a bind, lime or grapefruit zest do the trick.
• Poke holes with a toothpick in the warm baked cake and add the zesty glaze over the top of the cake

Process steps

• The first step is to beat the softened butter and sugar together until smooth and fluffy.
• Next, beat in eggs one at a time, scraping down the sides after each addition. 

• Add the buttermilk alternately with the dry ingredients and the result will be a velvety, luscious cake batter.

• If using a stand mixer, give it a good hand stirring to be sure there is no butter left at the bottom of the mixing bowl.  Lastly, add the lemon and vanilla extracts and blend them in.  Then transfer the cake batter to a standard size bundt cake pan (pregreased and ideally non-stick).

• Bake the cake for 50 to 60 minutes. 

When it passes the toothpick test allow it to cool for 15 minutes.  Place a large serving plate on the top of the cake pan and flip.  Allow gravity to help the cake fall out of the mold.  If you find your cake is sticking, try carefully running a knife down the side edges of the pan.

• Lastly, poke holes everywhere around the surface of the cake after you’ve popped this beauty out of the bundt pan.  The little holes will help the citrus drizzle seep down into every nook and cranny making each bite amazing.

Use fresh lemon and orange juice for the glaze.  The zest from the citrus rind helps pump up the citrusy flavors.  I use my box grater to grate lemon and orange zest.  Note:  for a smoother cake glaze, mix the powdered sugar and fruit juice first and sprinkle the citrus rind on top at the end.

I hope you try this recipe – it is one of our family’s favorite cakes.  Tidbit – did you know that the name pound cake comes from the fact that traditionally it’s made with a pound of butter, a pound of sugar, a pound of flour, and a pound of eggs?  

If you liked this recipe be sure to check out this Pumpkin Bundt Cake recipe made with Greek yogurt.  Find the recipe HERE.  Also, please give our recipe a star rating – it helps us to continue to grow and bring you fresh content.  

Yield: 16

Citrus Pound Cake

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Citrus Pound Cake is a spin on traditional pound cake. Hints of lemon and orange come through each bite. Keep this recipe as a staple dessert you can rely on for guests and potlucks. Use a 10-inch, standard-sized bundt pan, preferably non-stick.

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour

Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes

Ingredients

Citrus Pound Cake

• 1 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 2 Cups sugar (professional grade baker's sugar)
• 5 eggs at room temperature
• 3 Cups flour (1 1/2 cups white flour and 1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour is a good mix)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 Cup buttermilk (regular or low-fat) at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon lemon extract
• Spray cooking oil (use liberaly on the interior of a non-stick bundt pan) - also dust with flour after oiling

Glaze Ingredients

• 3 Tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
• 3 Tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 Cup powdered sugar
• 2 1/2 teaspoons orange zest
• 2 1/2 teaspoons lemon zest

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. Grease and flour/dust a 10-inch bundt pan liberally.
3. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy (use room temperature, softened butter).
4. Add eggs one at a time, beating and scraping down sides after each addition.
5. Combine the dry ingredients (flour, flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder.
6. Add dry ingredients alternately with buttermilk, ending with the dry ingredients.
7. Beat well after each addition.
8. Add vanilla and lemon extracts.
9. Bake 50 to 60 minutes (oven temperatures vary) or until a toothpick comes out clean and dry.
10. Cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes
11. Remove from pan by inverting pan on a large board or tray
12. Transfer to a serving platter
13. Prepare the Glaze
14. Combine the glaze ingredients and blend together until smooth, saving the citrus zest for sprinkling on last
15. Punch holes on the surface of the warm cake and drizzle the glaze over the cake
16. Sprinkle the citrus zest over the top of the cake
17. Slice and serve

Notes

Tips on using butter:

Use room temperature, softened butter - leave it out overnight if possible.  Using softened butter will have a much easier time getting a smooth consistency while creaming the butter in with the sugar. 

Do not skimp on the lemon extract!  We want a strong, sun-shiny citrus flavor that makes this special pound cake stand out. 

Beat in eggs one at a time, scraping down the sides after each addition.  Use room temperature buttermilk (or low-fat buttermilk).  Add it alternately with the dry ingredients and the result will be a velvety, luscious cake batter.

Important tip pre-baking tip: be sure to spray the bundt pan very liberally with oil, even if using a non-stick pan, then dust the bottom and edges with flour.

Note on preparing the glaze and garnishing the cake:

Stir together the powdered sugar and fruit juices first saving the citrus zest for last.

Poke holes everywhere around the surface of the cake once you've popped this beauty out of the bundt pan and it has cooled slightly. The little holes will help the citrus drizzle seep down into every nook and cranny making each bite amazing.

Sprinkle the citrus rind shavings as the last step for more flavor and for garnish.

Substitutions:

Lime juice may be substituted for lemon juice

Mandarins or grapefruit zest may be substituted for lemon and orange zest

Coconut extract can be substituted for lemon extract

A twist on this recipe is to use coconut extract with lime for a Thai flavor twist.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

16

Serving Size:

16
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 369Total Fat: 17gSaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 96mgSodium: 259mgCarbohydrates: 51gFiber: 1gSugar: 32gProtein: 5g