This lemon pound cake is perfect for a summer brunch or family gatherings. The tangy taste of lemon pound cake with the creamy lavender whipped frosting makes for an ideal combination of flavors that screams summer.

What is a Pound Cake?

This cake, likely from the 18th century, got its name “pound cake” from the traditional recipe, which called for 1 pound of each of its four ingredients: flour, butter, eggs, and sugar. It has since evolved into a modern cake that includes a touch of baking powder to lighten it up and has many more variations in flavor. The possibilities of a pound cake are endless.

The Icing on the Cake

The frosting for this cake is what makes it! It is rich and creamy, full of flavor, with just the right amount of sweetness. The secret ingredient in this frosting is the Jello pudding mix! It gives you a smooth, creamy texture and helps your frosting hold better than traditional frosting.

Let’s Get Started

Ingredients:

For the cake:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour (do not use self-rising flour)
• 1 tsp aluminum-free baking powder
• ¼ tsp salt
• 2½ cups granulated sugar
• 1 cup softened butter
• 1 tsp lemon extract
• 5 large eggs
• 1 cup milk
• Zest of 1 lemon

For the frosting:

• 2 cups heavy whipping cream
• 1 small box of vanilla Jello instant pudding mix
• ⅓ cup powdered sugar
• 4 tbsp lavender syrup (taste may vary by brand or type, start with 2 tbsp and add more if necessary)

Instructions:

Preheat

First, preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease your pan or pans; for this cake, you can use either a bundt pan or 2 loaf pans.

Mix

In a medium-sized bowl, mix flour, baking powder, and salt, and set aside. In a large bowl, add sugar, butter, lemon extract, and eggs. (Tip: First crack eggs in a separate dish to avoid dropping shells or other unwanted things into your cake.) Using an electric mixer, beat the sugar mixture on low speed for 30 seconds until the butter is no longer whole. Then turn up the speed to high and beat for about 5 minutes or until the mixture looks creamy and well combined. Make sure to stop and scrape the bowl with a silicone spatula as needed.

Adding the Flour

Measure out your cup of milk and grab your flour mixture. Slowly add some of the flour mixture into your sugar mixture and beat until well mixed. Then pour in some of the milk and beat until well mixed. Continue alternating each until everything is well mixed into the large bowl.

Into the Oven

Pour the cake batter into your pan/pans. For a bundt pan, bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes, and for loaf pans, bake for 55 minutes. Make sure to keep an eye on your cake as some ovens cook differently than others. When the cake is golden brown on top, poke with a toothpick. If it comes out clean, it’s done. Remove from the oven and let cool for about 2 hours. Giving proper cooling time is important to ensure the cake will easily come out of the pan and keep your frosting from melting.

The Frosting

Tip: Keeping the whipping cream cold will make thicker frosting. Use a cold metal bowl or put the whipping cream in the freezer for a couple of minutes before mixing.

Using an electric mixer with a whisk attachment, whip together the whipping cream and lavender syrup on medium-high for about 1 minute. Add in powdered sugar and instant pudding, and beat on high until you have stiff peaks. Keep frosting cool until ready to use.

Frost the Cake

When the cake is cool, frost with the lavender frosting. Top with lemon zest for color, serve, and enjoy.