Lemon 7 Up Pound Cake
on Mar 16, 2019, Updated Apr 26, 2025
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
This 7 Up pound cake is an easy and beautiful dessert recipe you can make from scratch and have it taste better than any bakery in town.
If you’re looking for an inexpensive and crowd-pleasing treat, then this lemon pound cake is the answer. Read on and discover why it’s one of my favorite cake recipes!
Want to Save This Recipe, Friend?
We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
I took this dessert into work with me, this was one of the reviews left by a colleague on ourFacebook page:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “…I must say this is by far the best-baked good I have ever eaten. I could’ve eaten the whole thing. I still want more….thank you so very much. You truly have a culinary talent.“
I couldn’t have said it better myself.
Table of Contents
About this Lemon Pound Cake
I came across the idea for this 7-Up pound cake from Taste of Home.
For years people have asked me about my favorite thing(s) to make in the kitchen. Up until recently, I would just shrug my shoulders and mutter something like, “I dunno!”
Then one day it suddenly dawned on me. Cake! Homemade cakes are my favorite thing to make, and to eat. I’m talking about beauties like lemon blueberry cake, chocolate whiskey cake, and rhubarb upside-down cake. I love them all! Even our kids love making homemade cakes. This easy marble cake recipe and chocolate torta are both examples of their handiwork.
Like most delicious lemon recipes such as this lemon cordial, these lemon cake mix cookies, and our roasted lemon chicken, this homemade lemon cake is practical, simple to make, and as you can see, has great curb appeal. The beauty of this soda cake is that anybody can make it, with virtually no skill required!
We do a lot of cooking, baking, and eating in our household and when I realized I had everything on hand to prepare this soda cake, I got right down to business.
Ingredients for this 7-Up Cake
With just a handful of simple ingredients, this homemade 7-Up Pound Cake bakes up soft, buttery, and full of old-school charm. Stick with real butter and classic 7-Up for that perfect flavor everyone loves.
- Butter: Use softened, real butter for a rich, tender crumb. I use regular butter for this recipe since there is no extra salt added in it.
- Sugar: Regular granulated sugar provides the cake’s sweet structure.
- Eggs: Large eggs add moisture and help create a dense, pound cake texture.
- Lemon Juice: Fresh lemon juice brightens the flavor; bottled can be used in a pinch.
- Vanilla Extract: A splash of vanilla rounds out the cake’s flavor.
- All-Purpose Flour: Standard all-purpose flour gives the right amount of structure.
- 7-Up Soda: Classic 7-Up (not diet) adds lightness and a hint of citrus flavor.
Ingredients for the Glaze
- Confectioners’ Sugar: Also called powdered sugar, it forms the base of the glaze.
- Lemon or Lime Juice: Fresh is best, but bottled juice works if needed.
- 7-Up Soda: A small amount thins the glaze to the perfect drizzling consistency.
- Grated Lemon or Lime Peel (Optional): Adds extra citrus zing and color if desired.
📝 Lemon 7-Up Pound Cake – Recipe Details
Category: Dessert, Cakes, Baking from Scratch
Cuisine: American
Skill Level: Easy to Intermediate
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 16
Main Ingredients: Butter, sugar, eggs, lemon juice, 7UP soda, all-purpose flour, confectioners’ sugar
Equipment Needed: Bundt pan, large mixing bowls, electric mixer, wire cooling rack
Summary:
This classic 7-Up Pound Cake combines the bright citrus flavor of lemon with the tender, buttery richness of a homemade pound cake. A splash of soda lightens the batter and adds a subtle sweetness, while a simple glaze made with lemon juice and 7UP finishes it off with a fresh zing.
Why This Recipe Works
- Soda Boost: 7UP soda adds extra moisture and a light, tender crumb to the dense cake.
- Simple Ingredients: Classic pantry staples come together for a made-from-scratch dessert with minimal fuss.
- Crowd-Pleasing Flavor: The balance of butter, sugar, and citrus creates a rich but refreshing taste.
- Perfect Texture: A crisp golden exterior and soft, moist interior make every bite satisfying.
Good to Know
- Substitutions: Any clear lemon-lime soda like Sprite or Sierra Mist can be used if 7UP isn’t available.
- Baking Tip: Make sure your butter is fully softened for the best creaming results.
- Storage: Store covered at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze slices individually for longer storage.
- Serving Ideas: Great on its own, or topped with fresh berries and whipped cream for a simple but stunning dessert.
How to Make this Lemon Pound Cake
Make this 7-Up Pound Cake with just a few basic ingredients, blending butter, sugar, eggs, and a splash of soda for a light, tender crumb. Baked in a Bundt pan and topped with a simple lemony glaze, it’s an easy dessert that’s full of old-fashioned flavor.
Now that you’ve got everything ready, let’s walk through how to make this classic 7-Up Pound Cake from scratch.
- Cream the sugar and butter.
- Add the eggs, one at a time.
- Add 3/4 cup (85 g) of 7-Up.
- Evenly distribute in a greased and floured bundt pan.
After preparing, baking, and having a few morsels of this 7 Up pound cake, I knew we had another winner on our hands.
I had a lot of fun putting this beauty together. I didn’t weigh it, but the name of this recipe is pretty accurate.
It’s dense, heavy, and delicious. I dressed it up a bit at the end by shaving some delicious Godiva chocolate and giving the cake a good sprinkling.
Chocolate and lemon go quite well together, just like peas and carrots. But that’s another recipe. I hope you give this one a try. -Dan
Recipe Questions and Answers
This recipe will turn out best by using all-purpose flour or cake flour.
Lemon extract is more concentrated than lemon juice. To substitute extract for fresh juice, use 1/2 of the amount called for.
👨🍳 Tried this Recipe? Please leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the recipe card below and leave a comment. We love hearing from our readers!
⏩ Stay in touch with us on social media by following us on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and YouTube!
📬Get our Recipes delivered to your inbox for FREE!
7-Up Pound Cake
Want to Save This Recipe, Friend?
We’ll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
Equipment
Ingredients
for the cake
- 1 1/2 cups butter, softened
- 3 cups sugar
- 5 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup 7UP soda
for the glaze
- 1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon or lime juice
- 1 to 2 tablespoons 7UP soda
- 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon or lime peel, optional
Instructions
for the cake
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- Grease and flour a 10-in. fluted or plain tube pan.
- In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Beat in lemon juice and vanilla.
- Add flour alternately with 7UP, beating well after each addition.
- Transfer batter to prepared pan.
- Bake 65-75 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
- Cool in pan 20 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
for the glaze
- In a small bowl, mix confectioners’ sugar, lemon juice and enough 7UP to reach desired consistency.
- If desired, stir in lemon peel.
- Drizzle over cake.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
My Favorite Cake Recipes!
Cakess and Cupcakes Recipes
The BEST Whiskey Cake
Cakess and Cupcakes Recipes
Rhubarb Upside-Down Cake Recipe
Cakess and Cupcakes Recipes
Slow Cooker Sticky Caramel Pumpkin Cake
Cakess and Cupcakes Recipes
Help, please
Has anyone ever made a peanut butter cake using a can of soda and white cake mix?
I need to know how much peanut butter and what would be the best soda flavor?
Thank you ahead of time
No one has yet said they have made this cake yet. I made the cake today for thanksgiving. It’s an awesome tasting cake but it crumbled when I was trying to cut it ( probably because I need a good knife). Depending on your oven it would take a lil longer to cook. I would say between 11/4 -1 1/2 hrs. Will make again maybe as cupcakes.
Hi Gloria. We made the cake and loved it. Serrated knives work best for a cake like this. Thanks for comments!
Can I make this if the soda is flat?
That’s a great question. I am thinking it would be better if you have carbonation in the soda. Let me know how it turns out!
Lemon cake is a firm favourite for us. Love that you have added soda too, bet it adds a great flavour
A great treat for the holiday season!
soda must have given the cake a really tender crumb..>Cake looks amazing!
So delicious– I love the idea of giving it an extra boost with soda!
Chocolate and lemon are definitely a match that go together. Great recipe 🙂
This looks beautiful. I bet this would be a crowd pleaser for sure!
Thanks, Sandi. We love this dessert! It’s great hearing from you!!!
This may yet be the most prefect pound cake I’ve seen – It’s dense but moist and I love that! Can’t wait to try this soon!