No-Fuss Lemon Pound Cake (5 Ingredients)
If you’re looking for a classic but no-fuss lemon pound cake recipe you’ve come to the right place. 5 ingredients and 10 minutes of hands-on prep time is all you need to make this sweet, tangy, and moist lemon loaf.

Traditionally a pound cake is made with equal parts of sugar, butter, and flour – 1 pound of each. They are underrated in my opinion as they’re incredibly quick and easy to make thanks to the simple butter, flour, and sugar ratio. AND they’re super tasty of course, store well, and make affordable and nut-free lunchbox fillers.
Quick and easy pound cake you can make with 5 ingredients only in less than 1 hour from start to finish. I typically add a simple dusting of powdered sugar to keep it mess-free for the kids but a simple lemon glaze (2 1/2 tbsp lemon juice mixed with 1 cup powdered sugar) works well too.
Check out strawberry pound cake, cinnamon pound cake, and blueberry and lemon pound cake for some delicious flavored options as well.
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Lemon Pound Cake
Ingredients
- 1/2 lb butter lightly salted
- 1/2 lb sugar
- 4 eggs room temperature
- 1/2 lb self-raising flour
- 2 tsp lemon zest
- 6 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tsp powdered sugar to serve, optional
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease and line a 9×5 inch loaf pan with baking paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. About 2-3 minutes.1/2 lb butter, 1/2 lb sugar
- Beat in the eggs one at a time.4 eggs, 2 tsp lemon zest
- Gradually add the self-raising flour to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined.1/2 lb self-raising flour
- Fold in the lemon zest and juice by hand using a large spoon or spatula.2 tsp lemon zest, 6 tbsp lemon juice
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Dust with powdered sugar before serving (optional).2 tsp powdered sugar
Notes
Nutrition
Ingredients and substitutions

- Lemon – 1-2 lemons, 6 tablespoons lemon juice, and 2 teaspoons zest for a nice zing.
- Butter – Lightly salted or unsalted + 1/8 tsp of salt.
- Sugar – Granulated and powdered sugar for dusting (optional).
- Eggs – Medium-sized at room temperature.
- Flour – Self-raising flour for convenience or all-purpose flour + 2 tsp of baking powder.
Step by step photos

1: Cream the wet ingredients until light and fluffy.

2: Add the flour and mix until you have a lump-free batter. Fold in the freshly squeezed lemon juice and zest by hand.

3: Grease a loaf tin with butter and line it with parchment paper.

4: Add the cake batter to the greased tin and bake it for 45 minutes at 350F (180C) or until a toothpick comes out clean.