Sour Cream Lemon Cake

By
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
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Updated on 03/29/22
Sour Cream Lemon Cake

The Spruce / Tara Omidvar
Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 55 mins
Total: 75 mins
Servings: 12 to 16 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
377 Calories
18g Fat
52g Carbs
3g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 12 to 16
Amount per serving
Calories 377
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 18g 23%
Saturated Fat 11g 54%
Cholesterol 81mg 27%
Sodium 272mg 12%
Total Carbohydrate 52g 19%
Dietary Fiber 0g 2%
Total Sugars 39g
Protein 3g
Vitamin C 1mg 7%
Calcium 61mg 5%
Iron 1mg 6%
Potassium 55mg 1%
*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.)

Lemon lovers, this is your cake. This moist dessert contains both lemon zest and juice, for layers of flavor. This luscious sour cream lemon cake is finished in a delightful lemon glaze and is great with a cup of afternoon tea or after a roasted chicken dinner.

The lemon cake is baked to perfection in a Bundt cake pan and travels well. This is an excellent cake to take to a shower or party. Because the sour cream adds so much moisture, it keeps well, too. It's delicious with fresh fruit served alongside each slice, especially blueberries.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour

  • 2 teaspoons baking powder

  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt

  • 1 cup butter, room temperature

  • 2 cups granulated sugar

  • 3 large eggs

  • 1 large lemon, zested

  • 1 cup sour cream

For the Lemon Glaze:

  • 1/4 cup butter, melted

  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

  • 2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Sour Cream Lemon Cake ingredients

    The Spruce / Tara Omidvar

  2. Preheat oven to 325 F. Generously butter and flour a 10-inch Bundt cake pan.

    Butter and flour a 10-inch Bundt cake pan

    The Spruce / Tara Omidvar

  3. Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

    Sifted together flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl

    The Spruce / Tara Omidvar

  4. In a mixing bowl using an electric mixer, cream butter with granulated sugar; beat at high speed until mixture is very light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.

    Cream together butter and granulated sugar

    The Spruce / Tara Omidvar

  5. Beat in eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the side of the bowl frequently.

    Beat in an egg to the creamed butter and sugar mixture

    The Spruce / Tara Omidvar

  6. Blend in lemon zest.

    Lemon zest added to the butter mixture

    The Spruce / Tara Omidvar

  7. Add a portion of the sifted flour mix to the creamed mixture, alternating with portions of sour cream and ending with dry ingredients. Scrape sides of bowl frequently.

    Flour and sour cream added to the creamed mixture

    The Spruce / Tara Omidvar

  8. Pour batter into prepared cake pan.

    Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan

    The Spruce / Tara Omidvar

  9. Bake for 55 to 65 minutes, or until a cake tester or wooden pick inserted near the center of the cake comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool in pan for 10 minutes.

    Baked lemon cake in a Bundt pan

    The Spruce / Tara Omidvar

  10. Meanwhile, gather lemon glaze ingredients.

    Lemon glaze ingredients

    The Spruce / Tara Omidvar

  11. Combine glaze ingredients in a bowl, blending until smooth.

    Lemon glaze ingredients combined in a bowl

    The Spruce / Tara Omidvar

  12. Carefully turn the lemon cake out onto a platter; drizzle evenly with glaze.

    Sour Cream Lemon Cake with lemon glaze

    The Spruce / Tara Omidvar

Variations

  • This cake would also be delicious with either lime, orange, or grapefruit juices and zests, or a combination of any of those citrus fruits.
  • For extra lemon flavor, add 1 teaspoon of lemon extract.
  • This recipe also works with plain yogurt, preferably full-fat, instead of sour cream. You can also use plain Greek yogurt, but you may need to thin it out with a little bit of water to approximate the consistency of sour cream.

How to Store and Freeze Lemon Bundt Cake

This cake will keep several days, covered, at room temperature. If you'd like to keep it for longer, you can wrap it in foil, either in slices or whole, and freeze for up to three months. Defrost at room temperature and serve.

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