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Lemon-Buttermilk Pound Cake
To lighten traditionally dense pound cake, we separated the eggs, a trick we learned from Kathryn King of Atlanta’s Aria restaurant. Beating the whites resulted in a texture reminiscent of angel food cake, while the yolks and butter preserved the rich pound cake flavor. Baking soda made the cake even lighter, and a combination of lemon zest and juice produced a more complex citrus flavor. Begin checking the cake for doneness after 40 minutes and check frequently thereafter. At Aria, slices of the cake are buttered, toasted and served with fresh fruit and whipped cream.
8
Servings
Tip
Don’t overbeat the whites. They should appear smooth and glossy, with gentle peaks that curl back on themselves.
1½ hours
30 minutes active
Ingredients
-
13
tablespoons salted butter, room temperature, divided
-
433
grams (2 cups plus 3 tablespoons) white sugar, plus extra, divided
Directions
-
01Heat the oven to 325ºF with a rack in the middle position. Rub 1 tablespoon of the butter evenly over the pan, then use a pastry brush to ensure it gets into all corners. Sprinkle in a bit of sugar, then turn the pan to evenly coats all surfaces.
Reviews
July 14, 2025
Best Pound Cake Ever
Moist and Lemony. Perfect.
June 3, 2024
Wonderful!
This has great flavor and texture! I used a 10-cup capacity Bundt pan, which is a too small for the amount of batter. I put the leftover batter in a couple of greased ramekins, which made for a couple of nice tea cakes. This is definitely a keeper!
June 20, 2023
Perfection!
I have made this cake multiple times and it is always yummy & perfect. Don’t skip the sugar sprinkle in the greased cake pan. It adds just a bit more magic to this special cake.
April 16, 2023
Wonderfully light with a bright, sweet lemon flavor
This recipe is perfect for a light spring or summer dessert. I love the omission of baking powder because there is no heavy metal aftertaste and the baking soda/buttermilk reaction was just enough combined with the egg whites to give it perfect loft. The only substitution I made was adding 1/2 tsp of Fiori di Sicilia, and instead of dusting the greased pan with granulated sugar, I used bakers goop to grease the detailed nooks and crannies of the bundt pan. After the cake was baked and turned out but still a little warm, I drizzled an icing of 2 TB melted butter, 1/3 c granulated sugar and 1TB lemon juice over the top. This still gave the crust a nice crunchy edge without risking any sticking in the bundt pan.
March 25, 2023
Delicious pound cake
We paired this pound cake with a strawberry compote and it was so delicious as the perfect brunch dessert. We love referring to MilkStreet as the directions and measurements make a flawless recipe every single time. Thank you!
I am certain that this cake is delicious and thank you for the recipe, but perhaps this lighter version of pound cake could more accurately be renamed Lemon-Buttermilk Half-Pound Cake? Just gently jesting, of course, but I like the ingredient list, especially the use of the buttermilk. What would happen if I omitted the whipping of the egg whites and changed the flour to unbleached all-purpose for a denser texture to the cake? We like a denser pound cake as a base for fruit toppings and whipped cream, or lightly toasted with butter, and I haven't found another pound cake on your site yet.
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Should this be stored in the refrigerator?