This Lemon Cream Cheese Pound Cake is a dense yet incredibly moist, lemon-scented, buttery pound cake that practically melts in your mouth. Baked in a 12-cup bundt pan or an IKEA Vardagen cake pan, it’s simple to prepare and delicious served with a dusting of powdered sugar or a light lemon glaze.
Table of Contents
- 7 Reasons You’ll Love This Recipe
- Ingredients Needed
- Bundt Cake Pan Size
- Recommended Baking Tools
- Helpful Tips
- Recipe FAQs
- More Lemon Dessert Recipes to Try!
- Easy Lemon Cream Cheese Pound Cake Recipe
7 Reasons You’ll Love This Recipe
- A bright balance of tart lemon juice and zest with tangy cream cheese.
- Works in a 12-cup bundt pan or the IKEA Vardagen cake pan.
- Dense but exceptionally moist and tender.
- Delicious with powdered sugar or a simple lemon glaze.
- Appropriate for any occasion and every season.
- Easy to make, store at room temperature, refrigerate, or freeze.
- Fills your kitchen with a wonderful lemon-butter aroma as it bakes.
Ingredients Needed
Here are the ingredients you’ll need to make this Lemon Cream Cheese Pound Cake.
- Cake flour: 3 cups. If unavailable, use a cake flour substitute.
- Salt: 1 teaspoon.
- Eggs: 4 large eggs plus 2 large egg yolks (room temperature).
- Milk: 1/4 cup (1%, 2%, or whole).
- Fresh lemons: About 3–4 medium lemons for 1/3 cup juice and 2 tsp zest for the cake; additional juice for glaze if desired.
- Vanilla extract: 2 teaspoons.
- Unsalted butter: 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks), room temperature.
- Cream cheese: 6 ounces, softened to room temperature.
- Granulated sugar: 3 cups (or organic pure cane sugar 1:1).
- Powdered sugar: For the lemon glaze or dusting.
Bundt Cake Pan Size
The ideal pan for this recipe is a 12-cup bundt pan. A Nordic Ware Original ProCast 12-cup pan is commonly used, but any 12-cup bundt will work. The IKEA Vardagen cake pan is another good option. Whichever pan you choose, make sure it is thoroughly buttered and floured or sprayed with a flour-based baking spray for easy release.
If you’re unsure about your bundt pan size, comparing pan capacities or checking manufacturer details can help determine the correct fit.
Recommended Baking Tools
Useful tools include a stand or hand mixer with a paddle attachment, measuring cups and spoons, a mixing bowl, a whisk, a rubber spatula, a bundt or Vardagen cake pan, and a wire cooling rack.
Helpful Tips
Follow these tips for the best results:
- Oven temperature: Use an oven thermometer to verify accurate temperature.
- Preheat a baking sheet: Place a jelly roll pan or baking sheet on the rack below the bundt pan to make rotating and handling easier.
- Mixing speed: Cream butter, cream cheese, and sugar at medium or lower speed. Add eggs and dry ingredients gradually at low speed to avoid over-aerating.
- Avoid over-browning: If the cake is getting too dark, tent it loosely with aluminum foil for the last 15–20 minutes of baking.
- Cooling: Cool in the pan for 10–20 minutes, loosen the edges with a small knife, then invert onto a wire rack to cool completely, about 2–3 hours.
- Finishing: A lemon glaze adds sweetness and extra lemon flavor; powdered sugar is a lighter option.
Recipe FAQs
This cake was made in both an IKEA Vardagen cake pan and a 12-cup Nordic Ware bundt pan. Either works well as long as the pan is properly prepared.
Yes. Butter and flour the pan or use a flour-based baking spray to ensure the cake releases cleanly.
A 10-cup bundt pan is too small for this batter. Instead, split the batter between two smaller pans, such as two 6-inch bundts.
You can, but fresh lemon juice and the zest give the best bright lemon flavor. Don’t skip the zest.
Those streaks are typically caused by over-creaming the butter and sugar at too high a speed. Cream at medium or lower speed and mix the egg and dry ingredients gently at low speed.
Store in an airtight container at room temperature or in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. For longer storage, freeze tightly wrapped for up to 1 month and thaw before serving.
More Lemon Dessert Recipes to Try!
Lemon Meringue Ice Cream Pie
Small Batch Lemon Cupcakes
Lemon Sponge Pie
Super Easy Lemon Bars
Easy Lemon Cream Cheese Pound Cake
30 mins
1 hr 20 mins
2 hrs
3 hrs 50 mins
18 servings
Ingredients
Lemon Cream Cheese Pound Cake
- 3 cups cake flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 large egg yolks, room temperature
- 1/4 cup milk (1%, 2%, or whole)
- 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, room temperature
- 6 oz cream cheese, softened
- 3 cups granulated sugar (or cane sugar)
- 2 tsp lemon zest
Lemon Glaze
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 2–4 tbsp fresh lemon juice (adjust for desired consistency)
Instructions
Lemon Cream Cheese Pound Cake
- Adjust the oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 300°F. Place a baking sheet or jelly roll pan on the rack underneath where the bundt will sit. Generously grease and flour the pan or spray it with a flour-based baking spray.
- Whisk together the cake flour and salt in a medium bowl and set aside.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, egg yolks, milk, lemon juice, and vanilla until combined.
- Using a mixer with the paddle attachment, beat butter, cream cheese, sugar, and lemon zest at medium or lower speed until light and fluffy.
- Reduce mixer speed to low and slowly add the egg mixture until incorporated. The batter may look slightly curdled—this is normal.
- With the mixer on low, gradually add the flour mixture, scraping the bowl as needed, until the batter is thick, smooth, and light in color. You can also fold in the flour by hand.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and gently tap it on the counter 2–3 times to release air bubbles. Place the pan on the preheated baking sheet.
- If using a 12-cup bundt pan, bake 85–95 minutes, rotating halfway through. If using the IKEA Vardagen pan, bake 75–85 minutes, rotating halfway through. The cake is done when it’s medium golden brown, pulls slightly away from the edges, and springs back when pressed. Test with a cake tester; if wet batter remains, continue baking. Tent with foil if the exterior darkens too much.
- Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack for 15–20 minutes, then invert onto the rack and remove the pan. Allow the cake to cool completely (about 2–3 hours) before glazing or slicing.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature or in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. For longer storage, double-wrap and freeze for up to 1 month. Thaw to room temperature before serving.
Lemon Glaze (optional)
- Whisk powdered sugar and fresh lemon juice in a bowl until smooth. Pour over the cooled cake or drizzle over slices. Add more lemon juice for a thinner glaze or more powdered sugar for a thicker glaze. Alternatively, dust the cake with powdered sugar or enjoy it plain.
Video
Notes
For juice and zest you’ll typically need 3–4 medium lemons. Extra lemon juice can be kept refrigerated in a sealed container. This recipe was adapted from America’s Test Kitchen’s cake guidance.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate and will vary by ingredients used.