As someone who writes about Low Carb Sweets, I created a zesty lemon pound cake with a decadent lemon glaze that is low carb, gluten free, grain free, sugar free and THM S, perfect for backyard barbecues, brunches and dinners.

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I can’t stop thinking about this Lemon Pound Cake. Low Carb Lemon Pound Cake is the moist dessert you’ve been waiting for, zesty lemon is the star and you taste it in every bite and even in that glossy lemon glaze.

I rely on blanched almond flour for the dense, tender crumb and I throw in plenty of lemon zest so it wakes up your taste buds without being overly sweet. This feels like a Postre Keto showstopper and it’s exactly the sort of thing I make when I’m testing Low Carb Baking ideas, because people always want just one more slice.

Ingredients

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Almond flour: Nutty and moist, high in protein and fiber, low in carbs, adds heft.
Coconut flour: Absorbs lots of liquid, gives fiber and subtle coconut taste, can be drying.
Powdered erythritol: Zero calorie sweetener, sweetens without sugar spike, sometimes has cooling aftertaste.
Unsalted butter: Rich, adds buttery flavor and fat, helps browning and tender crumb, so good.
Eggs: Bind and lift the cake, add protein and structure, yolks add richness.
Lemon zest and juice: Bright citrus punch, adds sour and aroma, balances sweetness perfectly.
Sour cream: Adds tangy moisture, keeps crumb soft and rich, helps overall tenderness.
Xanthan gum: Small amount stabilizes, improves texture and sliceability, prevents crumbling.

Ingredient Quantities

2 1/2 cups blanched almond flour

1/4 cup coconut flour

1 cup powdered erythritol (confectioners style, eg Swerve)

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum

1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

5 large eggs

1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks)

1/2 cup sour cream

2 tablespoons lemon zest (about 2 lemons)

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 cup powdered erythritol for glaze

2 to 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice for glaze

1 tablespoon unsalted butter or 1 to 2 tablespoons heavy cream for glaze

How to Make this

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1. Preheat oven to 325°F and grease a 9×5 inch loaf pan well, line with parchment if you like, it makes getting the cake out easier.

2. In a bowl whisk together 2 1/2 cups blanched almond flour, 1/4 cup coconut flour, 1 cup powdered erythritol, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum and 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt so there are no lumps.

3. Put 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter at room temp in a big bowl and beat with the stand mixer or hand mixer until creamy, then add 1 cup powdered erythritol (for the batter) and beat until light and a little fluffy, this helps reduce erythritol grittiness.

4. Add the 5 large eggs one at a time, beating well after each so the batter stays smooth, then mix in 1/2 cup sour cream, 2 tablespoons lemon zest, 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract until combined.

5. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet in two additions, scrape the bowl and fold gently until just combined, don’t overmix or the cake can get dense. The batter will be thicker than a regular cake batter, that’s normal.

6. Scrape the batter into the prepared loaf pan, smooth the top, tap the pan a couple times on the counter to remove big air bubbles and bake on the middle rack for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out mostly clean.

7. If the top is browning too fast, tent loosely with foil after 30 to 35 minutes. Let the cake cool in the pan for about 15 minutes, then lift out using the parchment and cool completely on a wire rack before glazing.

8. For the glaze whisk 1 cup powdered erythritol (confectioners style) with 2 to 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice and 1 tablespoon unsalted butter (or 1 to 2 tablespoons heavy cream) until smooth. Start with 2 tablespoons juice and add more if you want a thinner glaze.

9. When the cake is cool or just slightly warm, spoon the glaze over the top, let it set for 10 to 20 minutes, slice and serve. Store leftovers covered in the fridge.

Equipment Needed

1. 9 by 5 inch loaf pan, greased and optionally lined with parchment
2. Large mixing bowl and a medium bowl for dry ingredients
3. Stand mixer or hand mixer with beaters
4. Measuring cups and spoons (including 1/4 cup and tablespoon measures)
5. Whisk and rubber spatula for folding and scraping
6. Microplane or zester and a small citrus juicer or reamer
7. Wire cooling rack and a toothpick or cake tester
8. Oven mitts and a kitchen towel for handling the hot pan

FAQ

Q: What pan should I use and how do I know the cake is done?
A: Use a standard 9 by 5 inch loaf pan, lined or well greased. Bake until the top is golden and a toothpick in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs not wet batter. If it gets too brown on top but still wet inside cover loosely with foil and keep baking.

Q: Can I swap the powdered erythritol or use a different sweetener?
A: Powdered erythritol keeps the crumb smooth and the glaze silky. You can use other powdered low carb sweeteners like monk fruit blend, but avoid granular erythritol unless you powder it first or the cake and glaze may be gritty. Taste and sweetness level can vary so adjust to your liking.

Q: Why is there xanthan gum and a little coconut flour in this recipe?
A: Almond flour lacks gluten so xanthan gum helps bind the batter and give structure so the cake holds together. The small amount of coconut flour soaks up extra moisture and firms the crumb, just stick to the amounts in the recipe or the texture changes.

Q: Can I make this dairy free or egg free?
A: Dairy free yes, swap butter for solid coconut oil or a good plant based butter and use dairy free sour cream or coconut yogurt. Egg free is hard here, eggs provide lift and structure in almond flour bakes so substitutes will change texture a lot, expect a denser result if you try flax or commercial egg replacers.

Q: How do I get bright lemon flavor without making the cake soggy?
A: Use plenty of fresh lemon zest for concentrated flavor and add the 1 fourth cup fresh lemon juice to the batter as written. Don’t over soak the top with glaze while the loaf is hot, wait until it cools a bit so the glaze sets on top not sink in. Room temperature eggs and not overmixing help keep a tender crumb.

Q: How should I store leftovers and will the glaze stay good?
A: Store wrapped at room temp for one day then in the fridge up to four to five days. You can freeze slices up to three months wrapped tight. Erythritol glazes can recrystallize and get a faint cooling taste, warm slightly or rewhisk with a splash more lemon juice or cream to smooth it before serving.

Lemon Pound Cake Recipe Substitutions and Variations

Blanched almond flour (2 1/2 cups), substitute with blanched almond meal or very finely ground whole almonds 1:1; if you need nut free try sunflower seed flour 1:1 but it can turn green with lemon, add a pinch of baking soda to stop the color change and expect a slightly different, more crumbly crumb.
Coconut flour (1/4 cup), replace with 1/3 to 1/2 cup extra almond flour and add 1 extra egg to keep structure, or use 2 tablespoons psyllium husk powder (low carb) or 3 tablespoons oat fiber (not keto) instead, just watch liquid since coconut flour soaks up moisture.
Powdered erythritol (1 cup and 1 cup for glaze), swap 1:1 with powdered monk fruit blend (eg Lakanto) for same sweetness and no cooling aftertaste; for non-keto baking use 1 cup confectioners sugar but cut liquid slightly and know the carbs go way up.
Unsalted butter (1 cup), use melted coconut oil or ghee 1:1 for a similar fat profile; you can also use 3/4 cup neutral oil (avocado or light olive) but the cake may be a touch denser and less rich, so chill slightly before slicing.

Pro Tips

– Let the batter sit for 8 to 15 minutes before baking. Coconut flour soaks up liquid, and a short rest helps everything hydrate evenly so you won’t get pockets of dryness or weird crumb. The batter will thicken, that’s normal.

– Beat the butter and powdered erythritol really well until light and fluffy, and rub your lemon zest into the dry sweetener first to wake up the oils. If your erythritol still tastes gritty or gives a cooling aftertaste, try replacing about 20 to 30 percent with allulose or a superfine erythritol product — the texture and glaze will be smoother.

– Avoid overbaking. Start checking about 45 minutes in, poke near the center; you want a few moist crumbs not a bone dry center. If the top is browning too fast, tent loosely with foil and keep baking until done.

– Cool fully before glazing. If the glaze slides off, chill the loaf 10 to 20 minutes first, or make the glaze slightly thicker by using less lemon juice and a touch more butter or cream. Store covered in the fridge, but let slices sit at room temp for 20 to 30 minutes before serving for best flavor.

Lemon Pound Cake Recipe

Recipe by Sammy Hunter

0.0 from 0 votes

Servings

servings

Calories

319

kcal

Equipment: 1. 9 by 5 inch loaf pan, greased and optionally lined with parchment
2. Large mixing bowl and a medium bowl for dry ingredients
3. Stand mixer or hand mixer with beaters
4. Measuring cups and spoons (including 1/4 cup and tablespoon measures)
5. Whisk and rubber spatula for folding and scraping
6. Microplane or zester and a small citrus juicer or reamer
7. Wire cooling rack and a toothpick or cake tester
8. Oven mitts and a kitchen towel for handling the hot pan

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups blanched almond flour
1/4 cup coconut flour
1 cup powdered erythritol (confectioners style, eg Swerve)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
5 large eggs
1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks)
1/2 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons lemon zest (about 2 lemons)
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup powdered erythritol for glaze
2 to 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice for glaze
1 tablespoon unsalted butter or 1 to 2 tablespoons heavy cream for glaze

Directions

Preheat oven to 325°F and grease a 9×5 inch loaf pan well, line with parchment if you like, it makes getting the cake out easier.
In a bowl whisk together 2 1/2 cups blanched almond flour, 1/4 cup coconut flour, 1 cup powdered erythritol, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum and 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt so there are no lumps.
Put 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter at room temp in a big bowl and beat with the stand mixer or hand mixer until creamy, then add 1 cup powdered erythritol (for the batter) and beat until light and a little fluffy, this helps reduce erythritol grittiness.
Add the 5 large eggs one at a time, beating well after each so the batter stays smooth, then mix in 1/2 cup sour cream, 2 tablespoons lemon zest, 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract until combined.
Fold the dry ingredients into the wet in two additions, scrape the bowl and fold gently until just combined, don't overmix or the cake can get dense. The batter will be thicker than a regular cake batter, that's normal.
Scrape the batter into the prepared loaf pan, smooth the top, tap the pan a couple times on the counter to remove big air bubbles and bake on the middle rack for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out mostly clean.
If the top is browning too fast, tent loosely with foil after 30 to 35 minutes. Let the cake cool in the pan for about 15 minutes, then lift out using the parchment and cool completely on a wire rack before glazing.
For the glaze whisk 1 cup powdered erythritol (confectioners style) with 2 to 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice and 1 tablespoon unsalted butter (or 1 to 2 tablespoons heavy cream) until smooth. Start with 2 tablespoons juice and add more if you want a thinner glaze.
When the cake is cool or just slightly warm, spoon the glaze over the top, let it set for 10 to 20 minutes, slice and serve. Store leftovers covered in the fridge.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.