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–+ servings
Moist, rich Pink Lemonade Cake smothered with tangy Lemon Buttercream frosting is wonderfully delicious and perfect for birthday parties or baby showers!
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Pink Lemonade Pound Cake

 Rich, buttery, tender Pink Lemonade Pound Cake smothered with delectable tangy Lemon Buttercream frosting is wonderfully delicious and perfect for birthday parties, baby showers and Labor Day!  You can even leave out the red food coloring for simple Lemonade Pound Cake for every occasion! 
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 25 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 55 minutes
Servings 12 -16 servings

Ingredients

Pink Lemonade Pound Cake

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 3 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 15 drops red food coloring
  • 5 large eggs at room temperature
  • 1/2 cup full fat sour cream at room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 3/4 cup milk at room temperature
  • 1/4 cup lemon juice

Candied Lemon Slices (optional)

  • 1 cup sugar, divided
  • 3/4 cup water
  • 2 large lemons, halved lengthwise, then sliced into 1/4” thick slices
  • Pink sprinkles

Lemonade Frosting

  • 8 tablespoons unsalted butter softened**
  • 2 cups Powdered sugar
  • 8 oz. cream cheese cut into 8 pieces softened**
  • 3 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 4 drops red food coloring or more if desired

Instructions

Pink Lemonade Pound Cake

  • Preheat oven to 325 degrees F and generously spray all surfaces of a 16 cup nonstick angel food cake pan with nonstick cooking spray WITH FLOUR*, OR grease and flour the inside. Set aside.
  • Sift the 3 cups of flour, baking soda and salt into a medium bowl and set aside.
  • Using an electric mixer, beat the butter until creamy then add sugar and beat until fluffy, scraping sides down as needed, about 7 minutes (beating the full 7 minutes results in a fluffier cake). Add food coloring and mix until combined. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until just the yellow disappears after each egg. Stir in sour cream and vanilla extract just until combined.
  • Mix milk and lemon juice together.
  • With mixer running on low, gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture in thirds, alternately with milk/lemon juice mixture in between each third. Beat on low until just combined.
  • Spoon batter into prepared pan, smooth top and tap pan on counter a few times to release air bubbles.
  • Bake until a wood pick inserted near the center of cake comes out clean, 80 – 90 minutes, taking care not to overbake (overbaked cakes are not as moist).
  • Let cake cool in pan for 20 minutes then remove from pan, and let cool completely on a wire rack.

Candied Lemon Slices

  • Combine 3/4 cup sugar and water in small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk constantly until sugar dissolves. Add lemon slices and bring to a simmer for 15 seconds. Remove from heat and let sugar and lemon slices cool completely, about 45 minutes.
  • Transfer lemon slices to wire rack to drain, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle both sides with remaining sugar. Generously sprinkle top sides with pink sprinkles.

Lemonade Frosting

  • Beat butter and sugar with handled mixer at medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add cream cheese, 1 piece at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition.
  • Add lemon juice, vanilla and red food coloring and beat to combine.
  • Evenly spread frosting over top and sides of cake. Sprinkle with pink sprinkles and place lemon slices along bottom edge of cake (optional).

Notes

*You need to use a 16 cup tube pan for this recipe.  A bundt cake pan will NOT work in this recipe because it does not have enough volume.
**Let cream cheese and butter soften at room temperature. Do NOT soften in microwave or frosting will be runny.