My sourdough lemon pound cake with lemon glaze is rich, buttery, and perfectly balanced with bright lemon flavor and a soft, tight crumb. Made with just 120g of sourdough discard, it bakes into a classic loaf that slices beautifully and stays incredibly moist.
Finished with a silky lemon glaze, it has that bakery-style look and flavor — perfect for spring baking or an everyday treat. If crispy crusts are more your thing, try my strawberry rhubarb galette; and for another bright, citrusy bite, I love my fresh lemon crumb bars.
Quick Look: Sourdough Lemon Pound Cake
⏱️ Ready In: About 1 hour 50 minutes
🔥 Bake Time: 70–80 minutes at 325°F
🍽️ Makes: 12 slices
✨ Calories: Approximately 340 per slice
🥄 Main Ingredients: Lemon (zest + juice), sourdough discard, butter, lemon glaze
🌿 Dietary Info: Vegetarian
💛 Why You'll Love It: A buttery, tight-crumb lemon pound cake with a silky lemon glaze — bakery-style slices that look as good as they taste.
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Why you'll love this recipe
- Bright, fresh lemon flavor. From both zest and juice, plus a lemon glaze on top.
- True pound cake texture. A soft, tight, classic crumb that slices cleanly.
- Uses sourdough discard. Just 120g adds moisture and subtle depth without overpowering the lemon, the same balance as my sourdough lemon snack cake.
- Extra moist. The glaze soaks in and keeps the loaf tender for days.
- Beautiful, clean slices. Perfect for serving (and photos) — just like the crumb in my sourdough discard blueberry muffins.
Jump to:
- Quick Look: Sourdough Lemon Pound Cake
- Why you'll love this recipe
- Ingredients
- Easy Substitutions & Variations
- How to Make Sourdough Lemon Pound Cake
- Expert Tips
- What Makes This Recipe Special?
- Sourdough Lemon Pound Cake FAQs
- Sourdough Lemon Pound Cake Troubleshooting Guide
- Storage
- Other Cake Recipes to Consider
- Sourdough Lemon Glazed Pound Cake
Ingredients
- All-purpose flour: The structure of the pound cake.
- Baking powder: A little lift to keep the tight crumb from turning heavy.
- Fine sea salt: Balances the sweetness.
- Unsalted butter: Fully softened so it creams properly with the sugar — that's the foundation of pound cake texture, the same creaming method I use in my chocolate sour cream pound cake.
- Granulated sugar: Sweetens, and carries the lemon oils when you rub in the zest.
- Eggs: Added one at a time for a smooth, emulsified batter.
- Sourdough discard: Just 120g adds moisture and subtle depth.
- Whole milk: Loosens the batter slightly.
- Vanilla extract: Rounds out the lemon.
- Lemons (zest + juice): The star — fresh juice and zest for both cake and glaze.
- Powdered sugar: For the silky lemon glaze.
See recipe card for quantities.
Easy Substitutions & Variations
- Milk: Use buttermilk for a slightly tangier, softer crumb.
- Butter: Use salted butter and reduce the added salt slightly.
- Flour: Replace 25% with cake flour for an even softer texture.
- Blueberry: Fold in 1 cup of blueberries for a lemon blueberry pound cake.
- Raspberry: Add fresh or frozen raspberries for a tart twist — the same lemon-raspberry pairing in my lemon raspberry muffins.
- Extra lemon: Add 1 teaspoon lemon extract for a stronger citrus punch, or make the same bright flavor in muffin form with my sourdough lemon muffins.
How to Make Sourdough Lemon Pound Cake
Note: I bake by weight for accuracy. Cup measurements are approximate and may vary depending on how you scoop.
Step 1: Cream: Rub the lemon zest into the sugar, then cream it with the softened butter for 3–4 minutes until pale and fluffy.
Step 2: Mix: Add the eggs one at a time, then mix in the sourdough discard, milk, vanilla, and lemon juice. Add the dry ingredients and mix just until combined.
Step 3: Bake: Pour into a lined 9x5 loaf pan and bake at 325°F for 70–80 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean or with a few crumbs. (For a neat center crack, run a line of cold butter down the batter before baking.)
Step 4: Finish: Cool completely, then whisk the glaze and pour it over the cooled loaf. Let it set 15–20 minutes before slicing.
Weigh your ingredients! Using a kitchen scale ensures your measurements are accurate, which is key for getting consistent results in baking. It takes the guesswork out of measuring and helps your recipes turn out exactly as intended every time.
Expert Tips
- Rub the zest into the sugar. This releases the lemon oils and gives the whole cake a deeper, more natural citrus flavor.
- Soften the butter fully. Properly creamed butter and sugar is what gives pound cake its signature texture — cold butter won't aerate.
- Add eggs one at a time. Beating well after each keeps the batter smooth and emulsified.
- Don't overmix the flour. Mix just until combined to keep the crumb tender.
- Glaze a completely cool loaf. Warm cake will make the glaze run off instead of setting into a silky layer.
What Makes This Recipe Special?
A great pound cake is all about that buttery, tight, tender crumb — and this one gets there with proper creaming plus a little sourdough discard for moisture and quiet depth. The lemon shows up three ways (zest bloomed in the sugar, fresh juice in the batter, and a glaze on top), so it tastes genuinely citrusy rather than just sweet. The neat center crack and glossy glaze give it that bakery-window look.
If you love an easy, sliceable cake, you're in good company on the blog. My lemon blueberry mascarpone cake and lemon blackberry cake take the lemon-and-fruit route, while my coffee and walnut loaf cake is another cozy loaf in the same easy format.
Sourdough Lemon Pound Cake FAQs
Yes — it actually tastes even better the next day as the lemon flavor deepens. Glaze it the day you plan to serve for the freshest finish.
pound cake and gives it that classic homemade look. It happens as the outside sets first and the center keeps rising.
For a neater, more even crack, run a line of cold butter down the center of the batter before baking.
Yes — buttermilk gives a slightly tangier, even softer crumb.
Yes, glazed or unglazed, for up to 2 months. Wrap tightly and thaw at room temperature.
Usually over-baking or over-mixing. Check for doneness at 70 minutes and mix the flour in just until combined.
Sourdough Lemon Pound Cake Troubleshooting Guide
| Problem | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Dense, heavy crumb | Butter wasn't creamed enough, or batter overmixed. | Cream the butter and sugar 3–4 minutes; mix in the flour just until combined. |
| Dry cake | Over-baked. | Start checking at 70 minutes; pull when a toothpick has a few moist crumbs. |
| Jagged or off-center crack | Natural, but uneven. | Run a line of cold butter down the center of the batter before baking. |
| Glaze ran off | Cake was still warm. | Cool completely before glazing. |
| Sunken center | Underbaked or oven opened too early. | Bake fully and avoid opening the oven during the first hour. |
Storage
- Store covered at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- Refrigerate for up to 5 days.
- Freeze (glazed or unglazed) for up to 2 months; thaw at room temperature.
Other Cake Recipes to Consider
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Sourdough Lemon Glazed Pound Cake
Equipment
- Kitchen Scale
- Loaf pan (9x5-inch)
- Mixing bowls
- Hand mixer or stand mixer
- Rubber spatula
- Whisk
- Zester or microplane
- Parchment Paper
- Wire cooling rack
- Pastry brush or spoon for glazing
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 240 g all-purpose flour
- 5 g baking powder 1 tsp
- 3 g fine sea salt ½ tsp
Wet Ingredients
- 170 g unsalted butter softened
- 250 g granulated sugar
- 200 g large eggs 4 eggs
- 120 g sourdough discard
- 60 g whole milk
- 10 g vanilla extract
- Zest of 2 lemons
- 60 g fresh lemon juice
Lemon Glaze
- 120 g powdered sugar 1 cup
- 30–40 g fresh lemon juice 2–3 tbsp
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Prep the pan: Preheat oven to 325F. Grease and line a 9x5 loaf pan with parchment.
- Mix dry ingredients: Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- Cream butter & sugar: Beat butter and sugar for 3–4 minutes until pale and fluffy.
- Add eggs: Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
- Add discard & flavor: Mix in sourdough discard, milk, vanilla, lemon zest, and lemon juice until smooth.
- Combine: Add dry ingredients and mix just until incorporated.
- Bake: Pour into the pan and bake 70-80 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean or with a few crumbs.
- Cool: Let cool in the pan 15 minutes, then transfer to a rack and cool completely.
- Make the Glaze: In a bowl, whisk powdered sugar, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt until smooth.
- Decorate: Once the cake is fully cool, pour glaze over the top. Let it sit 15–20 minutes until slightly set.
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