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.
In this free 5-day email series learn all my tips for incorporating a low-carb lifestyle into the life of your family.
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!
Like what you see? Follow me on Facebook! Love this recipe? Leave a comment & 5-star rating right here! Make sure you don’t miss new recipes by getting email updates!
Want to Save This Recipe?
Enter your email below & we'll send it to your inbox. Plus get great new recipes from us every week!
By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from Joy Filled Eats
Keto Lemon Pound Cake
Ingredients
- 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
Really want to try this, my issue is just moulding it as a “loaf”. I would much prefer to make them into “cupcakes/muffins” as it’s easier to portion for the rest of my family who wants to get their fill as well. Could you suggest a cook time for that option?
Muffins generally take 20-25 minutes to cook at 350. Sometimes keto recipes take longer but I would start checking at the 20 minutes mark.
Do I use salted butter or unsalted????? This recipe is calling my name but I don’t want to make a mistake.
I use salted. If you have unsalted you can use that but add a pinch of salt.
I don’t often comment, but after the rude comment you received, I felt that I needed to. This was a wonderful recipe. Watch your baking time, mine was done after 40 min. Thanks for the recipe.
Made this on Saturday and it was delicious, but I have one caveat: coconut flour. There isn’t much but even the little there is, I can taste it and I find I don’t like it, even in small amounts. Is there an alternative? I realize you have to break up the almond flour to a degree… but the coconut flour, between the taste and how dry it is, I made extra lemon icing so that when I cut the slices, I could drizzle more over the individual slices. Not too much a hardship cuz that icing is amaaaaaazingly good.
So, if you can suggest an alternate to the the coconut flour, or a way to tone it down, maybe adding something else, I’d appreciate it.
Hi Julie, you can use all almond flour next time. Or oat fiber should work in place of the coconut flour.
This is the first and best keto baking recipe I have ever made successfully! The crumb is fine and delicate, not at all crumbly, and the cake slices beautifully (and it did not fall in the center). My husband loved it and so do I. I thank you for creating and sharing this wonderful recipe with us.
I have this in the oven now! I had to use 100% almond flour , so added about 3Tbs. Ricotta. It smells great! I’ll make any extra lemony glaze.
Moist and delicious!!
This was awful. I didn’t even cook it for 60 minutes, only 55 minutes, and it was so dry that I literally choked. The only way to eat this $10 ingredient cake was to make whipping cream and add raspberries. It was palatable then. Shame on you,
Did you consider that maybe you did something wrong? This cake has dozens and dozens of good ratings. Have you ever baked with almond flour before? Is your oven temperature accurate? “Shame on me”? I am always happy to help with recipe troubleshooting but rudeness is unacceptable.
Taryn, please do not take it personally. Bake with almond, coconut or other flour is an art. If the flour is new or old, the oven. Baking is a science. But people like you that not only practice an expend more than 10 dollar to create something healthier they are more than heroes , you are an angel, you tried, create and share FOR FREE. So we have to be more than THANKFUL that more people be like you.
I understand frustration, anger specially in this CV-time. That doesn’t mean that this person should use unkind words, but his words reflects how emptiness and loss of joy are in some people life. Instead of laught, try again or ask for help and be greatful, because FOOD can give us heath, but also bring us together.
We can be better every day and sometime just go with the flow and do not take any personally.
Thank you for this great recipe, but speacilly for sharing with all your readers.
Thank you, Ale. I appreciate your kindness and the time you took writing this. 🙂
Good lord. This is hubris to the extreme. If you didn’t like it, fine. But … “shame on you”? That is so out of context to recipe sampling that I have a hard time now thinking you actually made this recipe. In fact, I think you’re just looking to cause trouble. So, shame on you. (And I used that in the right context)
You are a very rude and malicious troll. Nobody deserves this kind of response. You must be a very unhappy, miserable person. I hope you find some happiness in your life. In the meantime, keep your comments to yourself. Have you never been taught manners such as if you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all?
This was absolutely delicious and very easy to make. Mine looked exactly like the picture, which I find is not always true with keto recipes. My husband ate most of it before I got a chance. He keeps asking me to make it again and again. Thank you for such sharing such a wonderful recipe.
I added 2 scoops of flavorless collagen peptides for protein. The taste and texture still turned out great.
Thanks for sharing! I’m glad adding collagen worked in this.
This cake was worth five stars IMO. The crumb was so great i wouldn’t have questioned if it was served to me and not told it was a keto approved recipe! My question is does the nutritional facts include the icing? I didn’t incorporate the icing this time and I think it was great without.
Yes, the icing is included in the nutrition. I’m glad you liked it!
Incredible , moist and so delicious. This is the very first Keto desert I have cooked. After one month (and 1 stone & a half lighter) I was craving something sweet and this recipe caught my eye ! My husband and 2 sons are gobbling it up with gusto as I speak and I feel delighted that I can enjoy something so seemingly “naughty” and sweet without guilt or worry. I added 2 tsp of Lakanto Maple syrup (made of monk fruit) to the icing and poured over a little cream on serving and added some fresh raspberries and it was heaven ! I’d be proud and pleased to serve this cake to any visitor ! It’s a prize winner ! Thank you so much for sharing !
First low carb cake that I really like.. wonderful texture for a keto version! Beautiful taste. I was short of one egg.. but that didn’t change much really, it is moist and enjoyable. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Hello!
Can I substitute the cream cheese? If so, what can I use instead?
Many kind thanks!
Another soft cheese like mascarpone, sour cream, or coconut cream should work.
Thank you!
Maybe a mix of sour cream and ricotta?
Yup!
This cake was delicious & moist. I served to my friends for a girls breakfast. They were very impressed. I will definitely make again.
Absolutely delicious!!
Is this okaaay? Yes. Does it have a weird texture? Also yes. Is it barely lemon-y? Again yes. Is this rated much too high because these comments are filtered? Yes. Will I make it again ? Definitely not
I post all comments except those that aren’t relevant or are spam. This legitimately gets almost all 5-star reviews. Are you new to keto baking? This is a typical almond flour cake but the texture of almond flour does have some getting used to.
I will put my almond flour in a spice grinder to make even finer before I use in baked goods. It does make enough difference to notice, but certainly not like AP flour.
Can’t wait to try this recipe. I love Starbucks lemon loaf, but I think we all know that is not keto. ha
Thanks for that tip!
Hi Amy, I just made this cake and my family is eating it right now and I’ve given it 5 stars .The texture is perfect so maybe you over-cooked it ? Or your oven is too hot ? Or you mis-measured ? The cake really is lovely and lemony. It is important you use the zest of the lemon as well as the juice. This recipe should be a keeper ! Maybe you could try it again . It is worth the 5 stars !
FANTASTIC!!! My 12 year old who hates anything without sugar begs for it. I have made it 3 times in the last 2 weeks and my famiky devours it. I was a little concerned about it being eggy but it isn’t.
Can I substitute the food processor for my stand mixer.
Yes, a stand mixer should be fine.
this looks really good and hoping it will satisfy my craving for a lemon dessert as of late. I am not crazy about almond flour. Do you think it would work to use baking blend….like from Trim Healthy Mama or Nili’s baking blend? Not sure if you are familiar with this or not.
When subbing in THM Baking Blend I recommend trying a little less than the amount listed. I think it would work.