Julie Clark
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Old Fashioned 7UP Pound Cake
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This from-scratch 7UP pound cake is moist, buttery, and baked in a bundt pan with a citrusy lemon glaze made with 7UP right in the drizzle. There’s no baking soda or baking powder in this true pound cake. The lift comes from creaming the butter and sugar properly, then the 7UP soda carbonation.
Made with all-purpose flour (no cake flour needed), this is the old fashioned version you remember from church potlucks and holiday tables.
Why add 7UP to cake?
The 7UP does two things: it adds lift and it adds flavor.
Traditional pound cake gets its structure from a very specific ratio of eggs, butter, sugar, and flour, but no leavening agents. When you add 7UP to the batter, the carbonation creates tiny air bubbles that lighten the crumb just slightly. But this 7up cake is still a dense, rich pound cake rather than light and airy.
The second thing 7UP does is bring a subtle lemon-lime flavor that plays perfectly with the lemon extract already in the batter. It’s not strong so if you don’t like soda, it’s ok. But it rounds out the citrus notes and keeps the cake from tasting flat.
My Grandma Made This Old Fashioned Cake
Give me a dense, rich pound cake with raspberry sauce, blueberry sauce or strawberry sauce anyday. This 7up pound cake is my go-to when I want a simple cake that can pair well with other fruit flavors.
The 7UP version of pound cake became popular in the South in the mid-20th century and spread through church cookbooks and family recipe boxes, which is exactly why it feels so familiar even if you’ve never made it before. You grandma probably did!
Most 7UP pound cake recipes call for cake flour. This one uses all-purpose flour and it’s intentional.
Cake flour has a lower protein content, which produces a more delicate, fine crumb. But in a pound cake this rich you actually want a little more structure. All-purpose flour holds up to the weight of the batter and gives you that classic, slightly firm, sliceable pound cake texture that doesn’t crumble when you cut it.
If you love a good from-scratch bundt, also check out this orange pound cake and brown sugar pound cake. Or make our lemon pound cake which uses a shortcut!
Have leftover 7UP? Try our 7UP lime Jello salad. You’ll also love our slow cooker apple crisp.
Enjoy! -Julie
Ingredient Notes
Salted Butter. Use salted, softened butter. Not melted, not cold from the fridge. It should hold an indent when you press it but not feel greasy. This matters more than almost anything else in the recipe. If you only have unsalted butter, add ¾ teaspoon of salt.
Lemon Zest. Lemon zest gets pressed into the sugar before adding the butter. This releases the lemon oils into every piece of sugar, and therefore gives the best lemon flavor in every bite. We do this with our lemon blueberry cake, lemon blueberry bread and lemon poppy seed bread, too!
Granulated Sugar. Standard white sugar. No substitutions needed here.
Eggs. Five large eggs, room temperature. Cold eggs can cause the batter to break or look curdled. Set them out 30 minutes before you start.
All-Purpose Flour. Spoon it into your measuring cup and level it off. Don’t scoop directly from the bag since that will pack in extra flour and make the cake dry and dense.
Lemon Extract. This is the primary flavor driver for the 7up pound cake besides the lemon sugar.
7UP. Use real 7UP or an equivalent lemon-lime soda. It should be at room temperature when it goes into the batter so it doesn’t shock the other ingredients.
Powdered sugar. For the powdered sugar drizzle.
How to Make 7UP Pound Cake (The Step That Most People Rush)
Step 1: Prep the pan first. Grease your 12-cup bundt pan thoroughly with shortening (not butter, shortening coats more evenly), then dust with flour and tap out the excess. A properly prepped pan is the difference between a cake that releases cleanly and one that tears apart.
Step 2: Make the lemon sugar. In a large bowl, use a rubber spatula to press the lemon zest into the sugar, massaging it in until it smells very fragrant.
Step 3: Cream the butter and sugar for 5 minutes. This is the step that makes or breaks a pound cake. Beat your softened butter and lemon sugar together on medium-high speed for a full 4–5 minutes. You’re looking for a mixture that has turned noticeably pale and increased in volume. It should look light and fluffy, not dense and grainy. This gives you the best pound cake texture.
Step 4: Add lemon extract, salt, then eggs one at a time. Mix in the lemon extract first. Then add eggs one at a time, letting each one fully incorporate before adding the next. Don’t rush this.
Step 5: Alternate flour and 7UP. Add flour and 7UP in alternating additions. Mix on low speed between each addition just until combined. Finish with a final 1-minute mix on low speed to make sure everything is evenly incorporated without overworking the gluten.
Step 6: Bake low and slow. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake at 325°F for about 70 minutes. A lower temp gives the center time to cook through before the outside over-browns. At the 60-minute mark, check it with a toothpick inserted in the thickest part of the cake. It should come out with just a few moist crumbs (not wet batter, not bone dry).
Step 7: Cool in the pan using the foil steam method. As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, cover the entire pan tightly with a large piece of aluminum foil. Lay a folded kitchen towel over the foil so you can press and crimp the edges without burning your hands. Let it sit completely wrapped for 15 minutes. The trapped steam loosens the cake from every ridge of the bundt pan. When the time is up, remove the towel and foil, place a wire rack on top of the pan, and flip. It should slide right out cleanly.
Step 8: Glaze it. Whisk together the powdered sugar, lemon extract, and cold 7UP until smooth. Drizzle over the cooled cake.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you use Sprite instead of 7UP in a 7UP pound cake?
Yes, Sprite works as a 1:1 substitute for 7UP in this recipe. Both are lemon-lime sodas with similar carbonation levels and sugar content, so the bake and texture will be virtually identical. Other clear store-brand equivalent lemon-lime sodas also work.
How do you know when 7UP pound cake is done?
The toothpick test is your best tool, but pound cake can be tricky. At 70 minutes, insert a wooden toothpick into the thickest part of the cake. If it comes out with just a few moist crumbs clinging to it, you’re done. Wet batter means it needs more time. If the toothpick is completely dry it may have gone slightly too long (still delicious, just a bit more firm).
Visual cues to watch for:
1. The top of the 7up pound cake will be deep golden brown and slightly cracked down the center.
2. The edges will have pulled slightly away from the sides of the pan
3. When you press the top gently, it should spring back without leaving an indentation
If your oven runs hot, start checking at the 60-minute mark. If it’s browning too quickly on top before the inside is set, tent it loosely with aluminum foil for the last 15–20 minutes.
How to Store 7UP Pound Cake
Room temperature: Wrap the cooled cake tightly in plastic wrap or store it in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. This is one of those cakes that tastes better the second day, just like our yogurt coffee cake.
Refrigerator: Pound cake can dry out in the fridge due to the cold, dry air. If you need to refrigerate it (say, you’ve already added fresh berries or whipped cream), wrap it tightly and bring it to room temperature before serving.
Freezer: This 7up pound cake freezes beautifully. Wrap individual slices in plastic wrap, then place in a zip-top freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight at room temperature. Freeze before glazing if possible since the glaze can get sticky after thawing.
Old Fashioned 7UP Pound Cake
How to make the best old fashioned 7UP Pound Cake. A classic bundt cake recipe with a citrusy lemon glaze. It's moist, buttery, and surprisingly easy to make.
Servings 12
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 25 minutes
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 1½ cups unsalted butter
- 1 lemon
- 3 cups granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons lemon extract
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 5 large eggs
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup 7UP soda
For the glaze:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons cold 7UP®
- 1 teaspoon lemon extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325° Fahrenheit. Grease a 12 cup bundt cake pan with shortening, then dust with flour.
- In a large bowl, use a rubber spatula to press the lemon zest into the sugar, massaging it in until it smells very fragrant. 3 cups granulated sugar, 1 lemon
- Using an electric hand mixer, beat the lemon sugar and butter until creamy and fluffy, about 4-5 minutes. Don't skip this step. It's what creates the light texture. Scrape the sides of the bowl as needed. 1½ cups unsalted butter1½ cups unsalted butter, 3 cups granulated sugar
- Mix in the lemon extract and salt then add the eggs, one at a time, mixing in each egg before adding the next. 2 tablespoons lemon extract, ¾ teaspoon salt, 5 large eggs2 tablespoons lemon extract
- Add in flour and 7UP alternately, mixing between each addition. Then mix everything for 1 minute on low speed. 3 cups all-purpose flour, ¾ cup 7UP soda3 cups all-purpose flour
- Pour batter into the prepared bundt cake pan. Bake for about 70 minutes or until the cake tests done. Cover the pan with foil and then place a towel over it. Let the cake rest for 15 minutes. This helps to loosen the cake from the pan. Invert the cake onto a large plate or cake stand, and let it cool to room temperature.
- In a small bowl, combine the powdered sugar, lemon extract and 7UP. Whisk the mixture until it is smooth. Drizzle the glaze over the cooled cake. 1 cup powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon lemon extract, 2 tablespoons cold 7UP®1 cup powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon lemon extract, 2 tablespoons cold 7UP®
Notes
If you don’t want to use lemon extract, use 2 tablespoons lemon juice and lemon zest from 2 lemons.
The calories shown are based on the cake being cut into 12 pieces, with 1 serving being 1 slice of cake. Since different brands of ingredients have different nutritional information, the calories shown are just an estimate. **We are not dietitians and recommend you seek a nutritionist for exact nutritional information.**
Nutrition
Calories: 587kcal | Carbohydrates: 86g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 139mg | Sodium: 181mg | Potassium: 83mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 62g | Vitamin A: 824IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 26mg | Iron: 2mg
