Nothing is easier than a sourdough lemon pound cake. Add optional glaze for a sweet and tangy dessert option you can store in the freezer.
Pound cake is a super simple dessert to make - just about as easy as a quick bread! Nothing finicky here, just tangy and sweet lemon! We added sourdough starter to give a quick boost for our tummies. Our family does really well even on store bought flour when we ferment it just a bit.
Use up your bananas, too, and make Sourdough Banana Bread. Have a quick grab and go option when you stash Applesauce Muffins in the freezer. When you have a bit more time for proofing your dough, Cinnamon Raisin Bread is the perfect slice with your mug of tea.
Key Ingredients
Flour - I like organic unbleached flour. It's a great option for when I'm not in the mood to grind my own.
Lemons - Always use fresh lemons, not the bottle. We need the zest anyway!
Sugar - A combo of maple syrup and brown sugar gives us a great flavour.
Sour Cream - A great way to achieve a tender crumb in your cakes is to add sour cream. You can also use yogurt, but I recommend regular and not Greek for the added moisture.
Sourdough - You can use active or discard, either is fine. We aren't counting on it for leavening but if you want the dough to really ferment overnight, go with active starter.
How to Make Lemon Pound Cake
***See recipe card below for precise measurements and instructions.***
Step 1: Whisk dry ingredients together in a large bowl.
Step 2: Stir eggs into starter.
Step 3: Add remaining wet ingredients and mix.
Step 4: Combine wet with dry until just wet.
Step 5: Ferment if desired, then pour into greased pan.
Step 6: After baking, allow to cool completely before icing.
FAQs
One average lemon can yield 2-3 Tablespoons of lemon juice. You might need anywhere from 5-8 lemons here, depending on size and what juice they give. Store them at room temperature and gently roll them around on the counter under your hand before juicing. Also, always zest first from the whole fruit to make it easy on yourself, then juice them. You can top off with bottled juice if necessary, but I always say using fresh is best!
This sturdy cake will last on the counter about a week or so. If you want to store for longer, I recommend freezing it. Allow to cool completely and don't add any sort of icing or glaze. Then wrap well before popping in a bag for storage. Thaw overnight before glazing, slicing, and serving.
Photos by Dante from Shire by the Sea
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Sourdough Lemon Pound Cake
Ingredients
Cake:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ cup packed brown sugar
- ½ cup butter softened
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup sourdough starter
- ¾ cup lemon juice
- Zest from 3-4 lemons
- ½ cup maple syrup
- 1 cup sour cream or yogurt
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Glaze:
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
Instructions
Cake:
- Grease 9x5-inch baking pan and preheat oven to 350°F if baking immediately.
- In a large bowl mix dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt.
- In another bowl, whisk or mix together brown sugar and butter until fluffy.
- Add eggs one at a time to mix, then maple syrup, sourdough starter, lemon juice and zest, vanilla, and sour cream.
- Add the wet to the dry and fold in until just incorporated.
- If you are wanting to ferment batter, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for several hours or overnight.
- Pour into prepared pan and bake for approximately 60 minutes, testing with a toothpick at 50 minutes to see if comes out clean.
- Set aside to cool for an hour or longer.
Glaze:
- Whisk lemon juice and sugar together.
- Drizzle over loaf.
- Enjoy immediately or let set in refrigerator and slice up once cooled.
Notes
- I recommend freezing loaf without glaze and only adding it when ready to serve.
Pam
Delicious!! I followed the recipe exactly as written with the exception of only using 1/4 cup of maple syrup as that is what I had. I used plain yogurt. I did not ferment the batter. It looked like a lot of batter but fit perfectly in my 9x5 loaf pan. Started testing for doneness after 50 minutes, ended up baking for a total of 65 minutes. The crunchy crust is wonderful and the bread is nice and moist with the perfect punch of lemon. With the icing on top we did not miss the other 1/4 cup of maple syrup. This will be a go-to recipe from now on!