The Only Elderflower Lemon Pound Cake Recipe You Need: 5 Simple Stages

This is the only Elderflower Lemon Pound Cake recipe you will ever need!

There’s something quietly magical about elderflower — its delicate, honeyed floral note has a way of elevating even the simplest bake into something that feels special. This pound cake is a beautiful example of that: a tender, buttery loaf fragrant with lemon zest and elderflower liqueur, finished with a glossy brown butter glaze that soaks deep into the crumb and leaves it impossibly moist. It comes together with minimal fuss and delivers maximum reward — the kind of cake that looks and tastes like you spent far more time on it than you did. Perfect for an afternoon tea, a relaxed dinner party dessert, or a slow Sunday with a good cup of coffee.

Elderflower Lemon Pound Cake Ingredients

• ¾ cup (170 g) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pan
• 1½ cups (188 g) all-purpose flour, plus more for pan
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• 3 large eggs
• 1¼ cups granulated sugar
• 3 tablespoons elderflower liqueur (such as St-Germain)
• 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• ½ cup heavy cream, room temperature

Glaze Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 6 tablespoons sugar
• ⅓ cup fresh lemon juice
• Pinch of kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons elderflower liqueur
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Elderflower Lemon Pound Cake Method

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Butter a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan, dust lightly with flour, and tap out any excess.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. In a separate large bowl, using a hand mixer or stand mixer, beat the eggs and sugar on medium-high speed until the mixture is pale and fluffy, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the elderflower liqueur, lemon zest, and vanilla and mix to combine. Add the butter and mix — the mixture will look curdled at this stage, which is completely normal. Add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the cream, beginning and ending with the flour. Mix until just combined after each addition, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 50 to 60 minutes, checking every 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and allow the cake to cool for 20 minutes before unmolding.

While the cake is cooling, melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, swirling the pan often, until the butter turns golden and foamy with a rich, nutty aroma. Whisk in the sugar until dissolved, then whisk in the lemon juice and salt. Continue cooking, swirling the pan occasionally, until the glaze reduces slightly and begins to thicken to a light syrup consistency, about 5 minutes. Stir in the elderflower liqueur and vanilla and cook for a further 2 minutes, swirling frequently.

Use a skewer to poke holes all over the top of the warm cake, then brush the glaze generously over the surface, allowing it to soak in as you go. Let the cake cool completely before slicing.

Recipe Notes

Elderflower liqueur such as St-Germain is widely available in bottle shops and specialty grocers. If you can’t find it, elderflower cordial (non-alcoholic) makes a good substitute — use the same quantity for both the cake and the glaze.

The glaze is what makes this cake: don’t skip it. The brown butter adds a nutty depth that plain butter simply won’t achieve, so take your time browning it — watch for the milk solids to turn a deep golden and for the aroma to shift from buttery to toasty.

This cake keeps well. Store at room temperature under a cake dome or wrapped tightly in plastic wrap for up to 3 days. The crumb actually improves overnight as the glaze continues to soak in.

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