Sourdough Discard Lemon Pound Cake
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This sourdough lemon pound cake uses sourdough discard, fresh lemon juice, and lemon zest. This cake is bright, flavorful, and perfectly balanced between sweet and tart. This recipe is perfect for spring, summer, bridal showers, or Easter celebrations.
I don’t know why the heck on sleep on pound cakes because this one was remarkably simple to whip together and tastes SO good! I baked several desserts today and my daughter declared this sourdough lemon pound cake her favorite.
The fresh lemon flavor shines throughout this loaf cake thanks to the fresh lemon juice and lemon zest–do not skip out on the lemon zest–it truly adds incredible flavor!
If you’re looking for more sourdough desserts, check out this lemon sourdough cake, sourdough lemon scones, or lemon blueberry sourdough bread!
Why You’ll Love This Sourdough Lemon Pound Cake
- Tender and Moist – this lemon sourdough pound cake is tender and moist thanks to the plain Greek yogurt (and not overmixing the batter!)
- Packed with Lemon Flavor – Truly, the fresh lemon and lemon zest make all the difference in this cake! Topped with the lemon glaze makes it the perfect Spring or Summer dessert.
- Super Simple to Make – This cake is a breeze to whip together. It’s great for company when you want to make something sweet and delicious but don’t want to spend tons of time decorating or frosting a cake!
Ingredients
- Granulated sugar – rub the sugar and the lemon zest together to draw out the lemon flavor even more!
- Lemon zest – You’ll use the zest from one lemon for the pound cake, but grab another lemon for the lemon glaze!
- All-purpose flour – Using good quality, unbleached all-purpose flour works best here. Bread flour also works.
- Baking powder – This is the leavening agent in the bread that makes it rise.
- Salt
- Salted butter – I always use salted butter. If you’ve only got unsalted butter, just add an additional 1/4 teaspoon of butter to the ingredients.
- Eggs – Use room temperature eggs for the best cake texture.
- Vanilla extract
- Fresh lemon juice
- Sourdough starter discard – Use room temperature sourdough discard. The discard is unfed sourdough starter, because it is not relying on a leavening agent. You can use active and bubbly sourdough starter too.
- Plain full-fat Greek yogurt – Make sure your Greek yogurt is room temperature. You can use sour cream in place of Greek yogurt.
For the Glaze
- Powdered sugar
- Lemon juice
- Lemon zest
- Vanilla extract
Step-By-Step Instructions
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan and line it with parchment paper for easy removal.
Add the lemon zest to the sugar and rub it together with your fingers until it becomes fragrant and slightly moist. This helps release the lemon oils for better flavor.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt until evenly combined. Set aside.
In a large bowl, beat the softened butter with the lemon sugar until light, fluffy, and well combined.
Add the eggs, vanilla extract, lemon juice, sourdough discard, and Greek yogurt. Mix until smooth and fully incorporated.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold everything together until no dry streaks remain. Be careful not to overmix.
Pour the batter into your prepared loaf pan and smooth out the top.
Bake for 50–60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. If you see wet batter, continue baking and check again in a few minutes.
Let the cake rest in the pan briefly, then transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely before adding the glaze.
Stir together the powdered sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla extract until smooth.
Drizzle the glaze over the cooled loaf, slice, and enjoy!
Helpful Tips for Making the Best Sourdough Lemon Pound Cake
- Rub the lemon zest into the sugar
Don’t skip this step—massaging the zest into the sugar releases natural oils and gives your cake a much stronger, brighter lemon flavor. - Use room temperature ingredients
Butter, eggs, and Greek yogurt should all be at room temp. This helps everything mix smoothly and creates a more even, tender crumb. - Don’t overmix the batter
Once you add the dry ingredients, gently fold just until combined. Overmixing can lead to a dense, tough loaf instead of a soft, fluffy texture. - Check for doneness the right way
Insert a toothpick into the center—you’re looking for clean or a few moist crumbs, not wet batter. Lemon cakes can look done on top before the center is fully baked. - Let it cool completely before glazing
If the cake is even slightly warm, the glaze will melt and soak in instead of setting into that beautiful drizzle on top.
Equipment Used
- 9×5-inch loaf pan
- Parchment paper
- Mixing bowls
- Hand mixer or stand mixer
- Whisk
- Rubber spatula
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Zester or microplane
- Juicer (optional)
- Cooling rack
- Toothpick (for checking doneness)
Storage
- Room Temperature:
Store the lemon pound cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Keep it in a cool, dry place and out of direct sunlight. - Refrigerator:
For longer storage, place the cake in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 5 days. Let slices come to room temperature before serving for the best texture and flavor. - Freezer:
To freeze, wrap the (unglazed or fully cooled) cake tightly in plastic wrap, then place in a freezer-safe bag or container. Freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or at room temperature, then glaze before serving if desired. - Tip:
If already glazed, store in a single layer or with parchment between slices to prevent sticking.
Sourdough Discard Lemon Pound Cake
Ingredients
For the Lemon Pound Cake
- 1 cup granulated sugar 200g
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest zest from 1 medium lemon
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour 210g
- 2 teaspoons baking powder 8g
- 1/4 teaspoon salt 1.5g
- 1/2 cup salted butter softened (113g)
- 2 large eggs room temperature (about 100g)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 5g
- 2-3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 30–45g
- 1/2 cup sourdough starter discard unfed (120g)
- 3/4 cup plain full-fat Greek yogurt room temperature (180g)
For the Lemon Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar 120g
- 2-3 tablespoons lemon juice 30g (Juice of one lemon)
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest 4g
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 5g
Instructions
Prep the oven and pan
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line a 9×5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper for easy removal.
Make the lemon sugar
- In a small bowl, combine the granulated sugar and lemon zest. Use your fingers to rub the zest into the sugar until fragrant. This step enhances the lemon flavor. Set aside.
Mix the dry ingredients
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
Cream the butter and sugar
- In a large mixing bowl, cream the softened butter with the lemon sugar mixture until light and fluffy.
Add the wet ingredients
- Mix in the eggs, vanilla extract, lemon juice, sourdough discard, and Greek yogurt. Stir until the mixture is smooth and fully combined.
Combine wet and dry
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the batter together until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.
Bake
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top.
- Bake for 50–60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. If wet batter remains, continue baking and check again every few minutes.
Cool
- Allow the cake to cool in the pan for about 10–15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before glazing.
Make the glaze
- In a small bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla extract until smooth.
- Once the cake is completely cool, drizzle the glaze evenly over the top. Slice and enjoy!
Did you add any other liquid to the glaze? 3 teaspoons of liquid and 1 cup powdered sugar didn’t turn into a glaze for me. Thanks for the recipe!
Definitely add more lemon juice if you can! Or add a splash of heavy cream/milk to thin it out a bit. 🙂
This sourdough lemon pound cake was such a hit with my family! If you made it, I would love to hear what you thought!
Can you use reduced fat Greek yogurt or sour cream?
Yes, you can!
Can I leave the yogurt out and substitute something non dairy?
Plain coconut yogurt is a fantastic non-dairy substitute!