Lemon Sour Cream Pound Cake with Blackberry Glaze

Sour Cream Lemon Pound Cake blends a tender, buttery pound cake with bright lemon and a tart blackberry glaze—an easy, summery cake perfect for BBQs and parties.

It’s been a while since I posted—life has been full of projects, and Marc and I recently got married—so it’s been a busy season. Now that spring produce like asparagus, berries, and rhubarb are appearing at the market, I’m excited to share this cake. It feels like the perfect transition from late spring into summer: citrus and berries together are a classic summer pairing.

This sour cream lemon pound cake is intensely lemony thanks to a generous amount of zest and gets a subtle tang and extra tenderness from sour cream. The blackberry glaze adds color and bright, tart flavor that complements the cake beautifully. It’s simple to make, impressive to serve, and ideal for summer gatherings.

The ingredient list

Pound cake is straightforward—traditionally equal parts flour, sugar, butter, and eggs—though this version includes a few extras to boost flavor. The blackberry glaze is quick and worth the effort.

• Basics: all-purpose flour, Kosher salt, baking soda, sugar, vanilla extract, and eggs.
• Unsalted butter: use good-quality butter for best flavor.
• Lemons: zest from 2 lemons; save the juice for drinks or dressings.
• Sour cream: provides acidity to activate the baking soda and keeps the cake tender.
• Blackberries: fresh or frozen for the glaze and decoration.
• Powdered sugar: for the glaze—sift to avoid lumps.
• Whole milk or cream: optional, to thin the glaze if needed.

Let’s bake a Bundt

This recipe is forgiving and simple to follow. A few tips below will help ensure the best texture.

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350°F for high-altitude baking or 325°F at sea level. Grease a 12-cup Bundt pan. Whisk together the flour, Kosher salt, and baking soda; set aside.

Step 2: Cream the softened butter and sugar for about 4 minutes until combined; the mixture may look slightly sandy. Add the lemon zest and vanilla, then beat in the eggs one at a time so they incorporate smoothly.

Step 3: Alternate adding the flour mixture and the sour cream in two additions, beginning and ending with flour. Mix just until combined—do not overmix; a few small lumps are fine.

Step 4: Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake 60–75 minutes, checking for doneness at about 1 hour. High-altitude ovens may finish closer to 60 minutes; at sea level it can take up to 1 hour 25 minutes.

Step 5: Let the cake cool in the pan for 10–15 minutes, then invert onto a rack and cool completely before glazing.

How to make blackberry glaze

Step 1: If using frozen blackberries, thaw them fully at room temperature or warm them gently in a saucepan over medium heat.

Step 2: Puree the blackberries in a blender or food processor until smooth. Press the puree through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl to remove seeds, reserving the juice and discarding solids.

Step 3: In a bowl, whisk powdered sugar with about 1/4 cup of the blackberry juice until a thick glaze forms. If needed, thin the glaze with milk, cream, or additional blackberry juice, one tablespoon at a time, until it reaches a honey-like, pourable consistency.

Step 4: Drizzle the glaze over the cooled cake and let it set for 20–30 minutes.

Step 5: Garnish with fresh blackberries, edible flowers, or sprinkles as you like, then slice and serve.

Serving the cake

This cake is versatile: swap citrus (lime, orange, grapefruit) or berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries) to customize the flavor. If you prefer, skip the glaze and serve slices with whipped cream and fresh berries or a spoonful of citrus curd.

Storing the leftovers

Store the cake on a covered cake plate or in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2–3 days. Refrigeration can dry the cake, so avoid it unless necessary.

Decorating

I topped this cake with blackberries and backyard blossoms, but here are other ideas:

• Use sprinkles instead of flowers for a playful look.
• Fill the Bundt center with fresh berries or flowers.
• Top slices with a berry compote or coulis for extra fruitiness.
• For a simpler finish, dust the cake lightly with powdered sugar instead of glazing.

Tips & tricks

• This recipe is written for high-altitude baking; see the recipe notes for sea-level adjustments.
• Grease the Bundt pan thoroughly to prevent sticking.
• Bring eggs and sour cream to room temperature before mixing so ingredients blend evenly.
• Check for doneness around 1 hour; the cake is done when a toothpick has a few moist crumbs attached.
• If the cake top or bottom browns too quickly, tent loosely with foil to protect it while the center finishes baking.
• Cool the cake in the pan for 10–20 minutes before inverting to avoid breakage.

If you make this recipe, please leave a star rating and review—I read every comment and love hearing your feedback. Thank you for supporting Sunday Table!

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