Meyer Lemon Pound Cake with Citrus Syrup

By
Brett Moore
Brett Moore
Brett Moore
Before becoming a food writer, Brett Moore earned a culinary degree and worked as a professional chef.
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Updated on 01/18/23
Pound Cake with citrus syrup
Diana Rattray
Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 75 mins
Total: 90 mins
Servings: 6 to 8 servings

Meyer lemons are beautiful fruit. Originating in China, Meyer lemons are thought to be a cross between lemons and Mandarin oranges. They are slightly sweeter than regular lemons. They work great in this delicious pound cake.

This moist cake has a wonderful crumb texture and sure to be a favorite for lemon lovers. Even if you aren't a lemon fanatic, this is a great cake that's easy to prepare, forgiving in the oven, and goes perfectly with a great variety of accompaniments - whipped cream, chocolate sauce, fresh fruit, sorbets, ice cream, honey!

Ingredients

  • 4 Meyer lemons
  • 8 ounces (2 sticks) of unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
  • 4 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
  • 2 Meyer lemons, juiced
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt

Steps to Make It

Make the Meyer Lemon Pound Cake

  1. Preheat oven to 350° F. Butter a 9- x 5-inch loaf pan.

  2. Suprême the lemons: First grate the zest of 4 Meyer lemons into a bowl. Cut the tops and bottoms off the lemons. Place the cut end onto a cutting board and, following the curve of the lemon, slice off the remaining outer peel and pith. Over the bowl with the zest, cut the segments away from the membrane and let flesh fall into bowl. Remove any seeds and squeeze all the juice you can out of the fruit into the bowl. Use a fork to break the lemon into smaller chunks.

  3. Place the butter and sugar into a mixing bowl and beat until fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time. Add the vanilla and lemon juice mixture. Blend for 1 minute. It will look curdled but that's ok.

  4. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Mix together.

  5. Add all the flour mixture to the wet mixture. Gently beat together until the flour in just incorporated. Don't overmix.

  6. Transfer to loaf pan and place in oven. Bake for 65 to 75 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Check on the cake occasionally and if it's getting too brown, place a piece of foil over the top. Remove from oven and let cool in pan. After 30-45 minutes, run a knife around the edge of the pan and turn the cake out onto a rack to finish cooling.

Make the Citrus Syrup

  1. In a small sauce pot, add the Meyer lemon juice, sugar, butter, and salt. Bring to a simmer. Stir until sugar dissolves, then remove from heat.

  2. Poke some holes in the top of the pound cake with a skewer. Drizzle the citrus syrup over the cake. You can refrigerate any leftover syrup in a covered container.

To Serve

  1. Let the cake cool completely before cutting. Slice into 1-inch thick pieces. Serve with whipped cream, ice cream, jam, or fresh berries.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
518 Calories
29g Fat
62g Carbs
6g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6 to 8
Amount per serving
Calories 518
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 29g 37%
Saturated Fat 17g 83%
Cholesterol 178mg 59%
Sodium 388mg 17%
Total Carbohydrate 62g 23%
Dietary Fiber 2g 8%
Protein 6g
Calcium 110mg 8%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)