Keto Lemon Pound Cake

Keto Lemon Pound Cake is the delicious moist dessert you have been waiting for. Zesty lemon is the star of the show, and you’ll find it in the cake as well as the decadent lemon glaze. Make this pound cake for all your backyard barbecues, brunches, and dinners because your guests will love every crumb. This easy low carb pound cake recipe is also gluten-free, grain-free, sugar-free, and THM S.

If you are a huge lemon fanatic, this pound cake needs to be in your life. We have always loved lemon-flavored desserts because they are so light and refreshing. There is just something amazing about taking that first bite of this soft pound cake. And if you are lucky enough to get a little bit of lemon glaze on your finger, it’s impossible not to lick it off. This is a lemon version of my Keto Strawberry Shortcake and just as good as that popular low carb recipe!

The advantage of making a keto lemon pound cake is that it’s so much healthier than carb-loaded cakes and bread. You can easily incorporate this into a low carb diet, and while your taste buds are happy, your stomach will be even happier. 

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Ingredients

Almond Flour – Almond flour gives keto baked goods a tender crumb with a mild flavor. 

Coconut Flour – I like to use coconut flour in conjunction with almond flour to balance the oiliness you can get from the almonds.

Cream Cheese – Cream cheese makes a perfect pound cake texture. Slightly dense while still being soft and tender.

Butter – You want it to be room temperature. Here is a great guide on how to soften butter quickly to check out.

Eggs – Eggs are the binder in this recipe.

Sweetener – I use a blend of xylitol (or allulose) with erythritol and stevia. I do offer substitution tips in the recipe card.

Lemon Juice – Lemon juice provides moisture and a hint of lemon flavor.

Lemon Zest – The zest is what really gives you most of the lemon flavor. Alternatively, you can use lemon extract.

Baking Powder – Make sure it is in date and fresh so the cake rises.

How To Make Keto Lemon Pound Cake

You only need 9 ingredients for the low carb lemon pound cake and 4 ingredients for the lemon glaze. Can you believe it’s that simple? All of the ingredients are easy to work with and combine to make the best treat ever. 

First Step: Get your oven preheated to 350 degrees and line a loaf pan with a piece of parchment paper. 

Second Step: In your food processor, mix together the cream cheese, butter, and sweetener. Give it several pulses until it is smooth. Add in the eggs, flours, lemon juice, baking powder, and lemon zest. Continue pulsing until the mixture is well combined. 

Third Step: Pour the batter into a loaf pan that’s been prepared. The batter is going to be thick. 

Fourth Step: Bake the keto lemon pound cake for 60-70 minutes. The center will be firm, and the edges will be a deep golden brown when it’s done. Check the cake around the 45-minute mark and add a piece of foil if the edges have darkened too much. Cool the keto lemon cake in the pan for 10 minutes, then run a knife around the edges. Lift the parchment paper and take it out of the pan. Let the cake finish cooling before serving. 

Fifth Step: While the keto cake is cooling, combine the powdered erythritol, butter, lemon extract (or zest), and one teaspoon of water once mixed add the other teaspoon of water. Add the glaze to the top of the cake and enjoy!

Variations

Orange – Sub in orange extract or orange zest for the lemon zest.

Lime – Use lime juice, lime zest, and/or lime extract.

Vanilla – Swap out the lemon juice for almond milk, coconut milk, or heavy cream. Use vanilla extract in place of the lemon zest.

Common Questions

What Is A Pound Cake?

Pound cakes have been around forever, but many people don’t know what makes a cake a pound cake. Originally, they were made with 1 pound of flour, 1 pound of butter, 1 pound of eggs, and 1 pound of sugar. Over the years, the recipes have evolved, and many have gotten away from the one-pound ingredients. My keto version has been adjusted so it is low carb and still delicious. Keto pound cake resembles the flavor and textures of a traditional pound cake without all the extra carbs. 

Can I Make This Lemon Poundcake Into Cupcakes?

Yes, absolutely, you can make this low carb lemon cake into cupcakes. You will need to prepare the batter as directed. Instead of adding it to a loaf pan, simply use a muffin tin. It’s best if you can use muffin liners, but you could also just spray it with cooking spray. 

The biggest thing you will need to adjust for the cupcakes is going to be the baking time. Bake them for 20-25 minutes then check them. Keep an eye on the cupcakes, so they don’t overbake, or they will become dry and not as flavorful. 

Can I Make This in a Bundt Pan?

Yup! You can definitely make this into a bundt cake. See my Lemon Drizzle Cake here which is a bundt version of this almond flour lemon cake recipe.

Want a lemon treat in a hurry? Try this Lemon Bar in a Jar! And make sure to try my gooey Keto Butter Cake!

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Keto Lemon Pound Cake 

Taryn

This pound cake is the delicious moist dessert you have been waiting for. Zesty lemon is the star of the show, and you’ll find it in the cake as well as the decadent lemon glaze.

4.95 from 162 votes

Print Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr

Total Time 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Course Breakfast, brunch, Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 12

Calories 322

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

• 1 cup cream cheese
• 6 tbsp butter softened
• 3/4 cup Joy Filled Eats Sweetener (or see alternatives in recipe notes)
• 6 eggs
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 2 1/2 cup almond flour
• 1/2 cup coconut flour
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1 tbsp lemon zest

Lemon Glaze:

• 1/2 cup powdered sweetener
• 1 tbsp butter room temperature
• 1 tsp lemon extract or zest
• 2 tsp water

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 350. Line a standard loaf pan with parchment.
• Combine the cream cheese, butter, and sweetener in the food processor. Pulse until smooth. Add the eggs, lemon juice, flours, baking powder, and zest. Pulse until well combined.
• Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf pan. The batter will be thick.
• Bake for 60-70 min or until the center feels firm when lightly pressed and the edges are deep golden brown. (Check at 45 minutes and cover with foil if getting too brown).
• Cool for 10 minutes in the pan. Run a knife around the edges and then lift the parchment to remove it from the pan. Cool completely.
• Mix the ingredients for the icing adding the water one teaspoon at a time. Spread the glaze on top of the cooled cake.

Video

Notes

Nutrition: 5 NET carbs per slice. 12 slices per cake.

Lemon: for a stronger lemon flavor increase the lemon zest or extract in the glaze to 2 teaspoons. Or more. You can add as much as you want! We like it as written.

Substitutions: you can swap the lemon for any citrus fruit like limes or oranges. 

Storage: you can keep the lemon keto cake in an airtight container. It lasts around 3-4 days. 

To Freeze: either freeze the entire batch in a large freezer-safe container or in individual servings. Let it defrost on the counter before eating.

Notes on Sweeteners: 

I use my own blend of xylitol, erythritol, and stevia in my recipes. This is twice as sweet as sugar. It is comparable to Trim Healthy Mama Gentle Sweet and Truvia.

To sub in Swerve or Lakanto Monk Fruit use 1.5 times the amount of sweetener called for. 

 

To sub in Pyure or Trim Healthy Mama Super Sweet use half the amount of sweetener called for.

 

Substitutions will work in most recipes. They may not work in candies, such as caramel.

Nutrition

Serving: 1sliceCalories: 322Carbohydrates: 10gProtein: 10gFat: 28gSaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 120mgSodium: 168mgPotassium: 188mgFiber: 5gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 580IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 136mgIron: 2mg

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