The legendary Ritz Carlton Lemon Pound Cake is known for it’s rich, buttery texture and bright lemon flavor.
The recipe is thought to have originated at the Ritz Carlton Hotel in the 1920s, where it was a popular item on the menu.
But is it true?
Ritz Carlton Lemon Pound Cake
There’s no readily available evidence that the Ritz-Carlton Hotel currently serves this lemon pound cake, or that it ever did!
Whether historical fact or folklore, this pound cake has clearly stood the test of time.
When only the real thing will do, this time-honored recipe always hits the spot.
Top it off with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and you’ve got the perfect sweet treat.
Ingredients
Most of what you’ll need for this cake are standard baking ingredients. Here’s the complete list:
- Flour – All-purpose flour is the best option for this cake. If you prefer, you can use cake flour, but I find it harder to work with. It makes it a little fluffier, though.
- Baking Powder – Baking powder will help the cake rise.
- Salt – Salt acts as a flavor enhancer for the other ingredients. It also complements the bright, lemony flavor well.
- Butter – I use salted butter for this recipe because salt and lemon pair well together. Be sure to set it out ahead of time and let it soften. Don’t substitute with oil or margarine. You’ll want the gorgeous yellow color the butter provides.
- Shortening – Any shortening will work, but I’m a fan of good old-fashioned Crisco. It’s the secret ingredient that made all my grandma’s cakes so good. And now, it does the same for me. Don’t skip this ingredient. It’s what you need to provide the cake with its delightfully dense crumb.
- White Sugar – Plain granulated sugar is perfect.
- Eggs – Use five large, room-temperature eggs. They add moisture and lightness to the cake while holding everything together.
- Whole Milk – Usually, I say use whatever milk you have on hand. However, whole milk is non-negotiable for this recipe. It’s the only type that provides the right balance of sweetness and richness.
- Lemon Juice and Zest – Remember to zest your lemon BEFORE you juice it. Trying it the other way around is a recipe for disaster.
- Confectioners’ Sugar – While optional, confectioners’ sugar is a fantastic addition to the cake. It makes it look lovely and adds additional sweetness.
- Optional Lemon Glaze – This cake is so moist you don’t need a glaze. But if you want extra sweetness, you’ll need a simple blend of powdered sugar and lemon juice.
How to Make Ritz Carlton Lemon Pound Cake
Baking a cake from scratch always takes more work than making a boxed cake. Still, as long as you follow the directions, it isn’t too hard.
1. Prepare. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and prepare a 10-inch Bundt pan. Grease it liberally with butter, then dust it with flour.
2. Mix the dry ingredients. Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt in one bowl. (Use a sifter to do this. It will help aerate the ingredients.)
3. Mix the wet ingredients. Combine the butter, shortening, and sugar in a second bowl. Cream them together until pale and fluffy, then add the eggs one at a time.
4. Combine the two bowls. Add the flour mixture to the wet mixture by alternating it with the milk. (i.e., Add a little flour mixture, then a little milk.)
Continue until you’ve added all of the flour mixture and all of the milk. Don’t overmix during this step! Mix in the lemon juice and lemon zest.
5. Bake. Pour the batter into the Bundt pan and bake for about 60 minutes.
6. Cool. Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Then, loosen it with a knife and turn it onto a wire cooling rack to finish cooling.
7. Add the sugar or glaze (optional). Dust the cooled cake with confectioners’ sugar or drizzle over the glaze.
8. Enjoy! Slice, serve, and enjoy!
Tips for the Best Pound Cake
Want a few tips to ensure your cake is the best it can be? Try these:
- Don’t zest the lemon too deep. If you do, you’ll run into the pith, which is bitter. Zest only the outer peel, and don’t dig too deeply into it.
- Roll the lemon before juicing. Rolling it will make it softer and easier to squeeze. You’ll get far more juice this way.
- Measure the flour accurately. A kitchen scale is the best tool for doing this. If you don’t have one, use a spoon to transfer the flour to the measuring cup. Don’t just scoop the flour out with the measuring cup. (You’ll use too much if you do.)
- Beat it (butter, sugar, shortening)- just beat it! You must cream the butter, sugar, and shortening for about 5 minutes. Take your time with it. Doing so aerates the butter (which is essential for the cake’s texture). It will be light, fluffy, and paler in color.
- Don’t overmix! Creaming the butter, sugar, and shortening is the only time you want to mix for a while. When adding the other ingredients – particularly the eggs – don’t overmix.
- Bake on the middle rack. It’s the perfect spot – neither too close nor far away from the heat source.
How to Store & Freeze
Store leftover cake in an airtight container at room temperature. It should last for about 4 days before going stale.
You can also freeze the cake* for up to 3 months. First, wrap it in plastic wrap. Then, wrap it again in aluminum foil.
Store it upright in the freezer with nothing on top of it.
Be sure to let the cake thaw at room temperature before eating it. Avoid warming it in the microwave. Otherwise, it can dry it out.
*Note: If you want to freeze individual slices, that’s fine, too. Slice the cooled cake and wrap each piece in plastic wrap. Then, store all the wrapped slices in a freezer-safe bag.
More Cake Recipes You’ll Adore
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1920’s Ritz Carlton Lemon Pound Cake
12
servings10
minutes1
hour5
minutes560
kcalThis Ritz Carlton lemon pound cake will bring a taste of luxury right to your table. This Bundt is moist, airy, and bright, perfect for any occasion.
Ingredients
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup salted butter, softened
1/2 cup shortening
3 cups white sugar
5 large eggs, room temperature
1 cup whole milk
6 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice, freshly squeezed
zest from one lemon
- Optional Toppings
powdered sugar, for dusting
1 cup powdered sugar + 3 tablespoons lemon juice, for the glaze
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, and grease a 10-inch bundt pan. Dust it with flour and set aside.
- Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
- In a separate large bowl, beat the butter, shortening, and sugar until well blended, pale, and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well between each addition.
- Alternate adding the dry ingredients and the milk. Stir with a spatula gently until just combined.
- Stir in the lemon juice and zest, then pour the batter into the pan and bake for 55-65 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in the pan for about 10 minutes. Then, loosen the cake from the edge and turn it onto a wire rack to cool.
- To make the glaze, mix the powdered sugar with the lemon juice until smooth. Adjust the consistency as needed with more sugar or lemon.
- When the cake is cool, dust with powdered sugar and drizzle with the glaze, if using. Then slice, serve, and enjoy!
I love lemon pound cake!
Me too, Jane! 🙂
Could you substitute limoncello for the lemon juice? And if so, how much? Thank you!
Hi Kathy, you can certainly give it a shot! Since limoncello is less acidic and more flavorful, you could start by substituting it in a 1:1 ratio for the lemon juice.
The picture shows a glaze on the cake, but there’s no recipe or instructions for it.
Hi Anita! I’ve added the optional glaze to the recipe. It’s just a simple mix of lemon juice and powdered sugar. Mix them in a bowl and adjust as you like until it’s pourable. Drizzle it over the cake when it’s cold and enjoy!
I baked this cake today, and it is absolutely delicious. The crumb, the color, moistness, and that crunch around the edge. I baked my cake for 63 min, and it could have still used about 4-5 more. Also, not sure why all the pics you posted have a glaze on the cake, yet you don’t mention it in the recipe. I would have also posted the plain with confectionary sugar since that is what you are talking about in the post. Otherwise, I am looking forward to baking again.
Hi beautyevalberly! So glad you liked the recipe. You’re so right about the missing glaze. Thanks for catching that. I’ve added it an an optional topping because the cake doesn’t really need it.
Thanks again!
The cake appears to be glazed in the photo. Which do you prefer?
Hi Rosanna, it’s honestly delicious either way, though a sweet glaze takes it over the top!
Second time I’ve made – just took out of oven, carrying it to Virginia. I live in SC. Can’t wait to dig in. First bake, I carried to friend who had death in family. So I really don’t know how it turned out but the batter sure tasted good. lol
Thanks for sharing
Hi Mindy. So glad you like the recipe.
How kind of you to bring a cake to your friend. I’m sure she was very grateful for the gesture.
Hopefully you enjoyed it, too, the second time around!
Love the recipes you share. I have made quite a few…… Do you possibly have a receipt for a strawberry jam cake ?
Hi Paulette! We don’t have an official recipe for a strawberry jam cake.
But I sometimes make a shortcut version with a box of white cake mix (plus the ingredients listed on the box) and 1 cup of strawberry jam. Just make the cake per the box instructions and add the jam. I fill it with jam, too, and top it with buttercream. For the buttercream, I mix 1 cup of butter with 1 cup of jam, then mix in 4-5 cups of powdered sugar until it’s smooth and spreadable.
Hope this helps!
I have made this cake before, it was delicious, I sprinkled it with powdered sugar only or leave it plain
Can you substitute oranges instead?
Hi Melanie!
Yes, you can swap oranges if you prefer.
But since they’re usually sweeter, I suggest cutting the sugar down by about 1/2 cup 🙂
This cake looks delicious, wonder if I can cut the into 2 cups?
Thank you!
Jay
Hi Jay!
I think you mean the sugar?
The original recipe calls for 3 cups, but you should be able to cut it down to 2, and I think it’ll still be tasty.
Since the sugar contributes to moisture as well as sweetness, you could add a packet of instant vanilla pudding to ensure it’s nice and tender.
Has anyone tried it with gluten free flour?
Can I use low-fat milk instead of whole milk?
Hi, Marie. You CAN use low-fat milk, but whole milk will give you a better taste and texture. This cake made with low-fat milk will be less rich and tender. Still, it certainly won’t RUIN the cake to substitute low-fat milk. 🙂
I made this cake today. I’m sure it came out good, but I noticed that it “fell” in the center around the tube as it was cooling. Also, I waited the allotted 10 minutes to cool, but my bundt cake did not come out of the PAN in one piece. Even though I liberally coated with butter and flour. So sad.
I’m so sorry to hear that, Diane! I hate when that happens to me. My only consolation is that a broken cake is still cake and still tastes just as delicious. Ha.
Did you coat the sides of the pan as well as the bottom? Or did you maybe grease and flour it early on and then wait several minutes before actually baking the cake? I did that once and my cake stuck. Turns out, if you wait too long to bake after greasing and flouring, the butter all runs down to the bottom and leaves the sides improperly greased.
Those are the only two things I can think of off the top of my head that would cause that. But I hope you were still able to enjoy a yummy — if imperfect — cake. <3
If it is stuck and sunk, it’s probably a little underbaked. Best way to test a cake doneness is checking internal temperature reaching 200-205F. If it reaches 210, it is over baked and dries up.
I use Crisco to grease my cake pan instead of butter. Crisco seems to stick to the sides better than butter which puddles and burns