Lemon Pound Cake with cream cheese filling is the ultimate dessert for lemon lovers. This easy lemon dessert with streusel crumb topping is super moist and lemony, and taste just like delicious coffee cake just baked in a loaf pan. If you are lemon lovers then you must check my Lemon Custard Cake, too.
Easy Moist Lemon Loaf Cake
This delicious lemon loaf comes together in a few simple steps. It bursts with bright lemon flavour. Lemon cake is delicious on its own, but when you add a layer of cream cheese filling in the center, it takes it to another level. If you would like to try it with addition of berries, instead of cream cheese filling, then maybe you should check my Lemon Blueberry Bread recipe, too.
However, this sweet and lemony dessert is perfect for any occasion. Pound cake is dense, but it is moist with a smooth and velvety crumb.
What You Need For This Lemon Pound Cake Recipe
This recipe is inspired with my Lemon Cream Cheese Muffins. Therefore, the list of ingredients is very similar, just using another ratio.
- Butter — You’ll need unsalted room temperature butter for the cake mixture. Make sure to bring the butter to room temperature so it will cream easily. It should be soft when you press it, your finger should leave a dent, but make sure it is not greasy or oily soft.
- Lemon — you will need lemon juice and lemon zest, as well. Use freshly squeezed lemon juice for the best flavour. It has a brighter flavour than bottled lemon juice. Also, I add some lemon and vanilla extract, to pronounce the flavour.
- Flour-all-purpose flour is completely fine for this cake.
- Eggs — helping the cake rise and provide excellent texture. Milk — I recommend using whole milk for the best flavour. Do not substitute with water.
- Sour cream-it make the cake moist and soft. You can substitute with plain Greek yogurt if it is all you have on hand.
- Cream cheese-use full fat brick style cream cheese for the filling.
- Sugar — powdered sugar to sweetens and thickens the glaze, granulated sugar for the lemon pound cake and cream cheese filling, and streusel crumb as well. For the crumb topping I added a little light brown sugar, but you can substitute with granulated sugar, if you prefer.
How To Make Lemon Pound Cake From Scratch
First make the crumb topping. Stir together flour, sugar, brown sugar, and salt. Add melted butter and whisk with a fork until coarse crumbs form. Set aside.
To make the cream cheese filling, mix softened cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla (or lemon) extract, egg white and flour just to combine.
To make the lemon cake mixture whisk dry ingredients (flour, baking powder and salt) and set aside.
In a large bowl mix softened butter and sugar for about 2 minutes at high speed. Add eggs, lemon zest, vanilla, and lemon extract and mix for 2 more minutes. Add sour cream and lemon juice and mix just to combine. Running your mixer on low, mix in dry ingredients.
To assemble the loaf, spread about ½ half of lemon cake mixture into the bottom of prepared pan. Using a spoon, dollop the cream cheese mixture over the cake layer, but do not go all the way to the edges. Using the back of the spoon, gently smooth the top. Cover cream cheese filling with cake mixture. The cake batter is thick so it is the best to dollop over the top, then gently spread, again using the back of the spoon.
Sprinkle streusel crumbs on top and bake about 55-70 minutes or until the center has set. Cool 5-10 minutes in the pan, then transfer on a rack to cool completely.
Meanwhile, prepare the glaze. Stir powdered sugar with lemon juice. Start with 1 teaspoon of the juice and gradually add more until desired consistency has reached. Drizzle over the cake and serve.
Enjoy!
Craving For More Similar Recipes? Check These Out!
Holiday Favorite: Christmas Cranberry Pound Cake
PrintLemon Pound Cake
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 60-70 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Category: Dessert/breakfast
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Description
Lemon Pound Cake with cream cheese filling is the ultimate dessert for lemon lovers.
Ingredients
Streusel Crumb Topping:
- 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 Tablespoons light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- dash of salt
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter-melted
Lemon Cake Mixture:
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter-softened
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 Tablespoons lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 Tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon extract
- 1/2 cup sour cream
Cream Cheese Filling:
- 6 oz. cream cheese-room temperature
- 3 Tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 Tablespoons flour
- 1 egg white
- 1 teaspoon vanilla or lemon extract
Glaze:
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1 1/2 –2 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F, grease 9 x 5-inches loaf pan with baking spray, line the bottom with parchment paper leaving large overhang the sides, and set aside.
- To make the crumb topping, stir together flour, sugar, brown sugar, and salt. Add melted butter and whisk with a fork until coarse crumbs form. Set aside.
- To make the cream cheese filling, mix softened cream cheese, sugar, vanilla (or lemon) extract, egg white and flour just to combine.
- To make the lemon cake mixture whisk dry ingredients (flour, baking powder and salt) and set aside.
- In a large bowl mix softened butter and sugar for about 2 minutes at high speed. Add eggs, lemon zest, vanilla, and lemon extract and mix for 2 more minutes. Add sour cream and lemon juice and mix just to combine. Running your mixer on low, mix in dry ingredients.
- To assemble the loaf, spread about ½ half of lemon cake mixture into the bottom of prepared pan. Using a spoon dollop the cream cheese mixture over the cake layer, but do not go all the way to the edges. Using the back of the spoon, gently smooth the top. Cover cream cheese filling with cake mixture. The cake batter is thick so it is the best to dollop over the top, then gently spread, again using the back of the spoon.
- Sprinkle streusel crumbs on top.
- Place in preheated oven and bake about 56-70 minutes or until the center has set. Tent the top loosely with aluminium foil if it starts browning too much.
- Cool 5-10 minutes in the pan, then transfer on a rack to cool completely. Use the overhangs of the parchment paper to lift the loaf from the pan.
- Meanwhile, prepare the glaze. Stir powdered sugar with lemon juice. Start with 1 teaspoon of the juice and gradually add more until desired consistency has reached. Drizzle over the cake and serve.
3 comments
A bit dry, and could use a touch more salt. I saw mention of full-fat milk in the details, but not in the recipe. The recipe doesn’t print correctly either. The bottoms of the first two pages got cut off, so I had to go to my phone to see how many eggs were needed, and where they belonged.
Mine turned out perfectly delicious! Followed the recipe exactly as printed. I can eat 🍋 all on their own but was craving for a dessert as well. This recipe hit the spot!
Thanks, Mariestella!