Mom's Best Recipes
Recipe

7UP Pound Cake

A classic Southern-style pound cake made extra tender with 7UP, fresh citrus, and a glossy lemon-lime glaze.

Author By Matt Campbell
4.8
A golden brown 7UP pound cake in a Bundt pan shape on a cake stand, drizzled with a thin lemon-lime glaze, on a bright kitchen table with citrus halves nearby
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7UP cake is one of those recipes that feels like it has always been around, because it kind of has. It is a buttery pound cake with a sunny citrus vibe, a tight tender crumb, and the kind of crust that makes you “just one more slice” yourself into trouble.

The soda is not here to make it taste like pop. It is here to help with tenderness and add a clean lemon-lime aroma that plays really nicely with all that butter and sugar. I keep this version practical and pantry friendly, with fresh zest for brightness and a quick glaze that soaks in just enough to make the top shiny and irresistible.

A kitchen counter with bowls of flour and sugar, sticks of butter, eggs, a bottle of 7UP, a lemon, a lime, and a Bundt pan ready for baking

Why It Works

  • Classic pound cake texture: tight, velvety crumb that slices clean, not fluffy like a layer cake.
  • Bright citrus flavor: fresh lemon and lime zest add the “wow” that boxed mixes never quite nail.
  • Crisp golden edges: a well-greased Bundt pan plus a long bake gives you that caramelized crust.
  • Steady lift: creaming and eggs do the heavy lifting, while 7UP may slightly lighten the crumb and keep it tender.
  • Low drama glaze: just powdered sugar and citrus juice, poured when the cake is warm so it melts in.

Pairs Well With

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Storage Tips

Room temperature: Store slices in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days. If your kitchen runs warm, keep it in the coolest spot you have.

Refrigerator: You can refrigerate for up to 5 to 7 days, but pound cake can dry out in the fridge. Wrap it well and keep it airtight. Bring slices to room temp before serving, or warm for 10 to 15 seconds in the microwave.

Freezer: Wrap the whole cake or individual slices tightly in plastic wrap, then foil. Freeze up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge or a few hours at room temp, still wrapped so condensation stays on the wrap, not the cake.

Individually wrapped slices of pound cake in plastic wrap and foil on a kitchen counter, ready to be placed into a freezer bag

Common Questions

Does 7UP cake need baking powder or baking soda?

Many classic versions skip chemical leaveners and rely on creaming butter and sugar plus the eggs for structure and lift. The soda may add a small boost early on, but it is not the main driver here. This recipe follows that no-leavener tradition. The key is to cream well and avoid overmixing once the flour goes in.

Can I use Sprite or Starry instead of 7UP?

Yes. Any lemon-lime soda works. Use full sugar soda for best texture. Diet soda may bake up a little drier or less tender depending on the formula.

Why did my pound cake crack on top?

That classic crack is normal, especially in a Bundt or tube cake. It happens because the outside sets before the center finishes rising. As long as the crumb is moist and the cake is baked through, you are good.

How do I keep a Bundt cake from sticking?

Grease every nook with softened butter or baking spray with flour, then dust lightly with flour. Also, let it cool 10 to 15 minutes before turning out. Too soon and it breaks, too late and it can stick.

Can I make this in loaf pans?

Yes. Divide into two 9x5-inch loaf pans. Start checking for doneness around 55 minutes and expect a total bake time of about 55 to 70 minutes, depending on your oven. The tops should be deeply golden and a tester should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs.

What is the best way to know it is done?

Look for an internal temperature around 200 to 210°F in the thickest part, or use a skewer. You want a few moist crumbs at most, no wet batter.

The first time I really understood 7UP cake, it was sitting on a counter at a family get-together, still slightly warm, smelling like butter and citrus. Someone cut a slice too early, the glaze melted into the crumb, and suddenly everyone had a “tiny sliver.” I love recipes like that. Not fancy, not fussy, just built to make people hover in the kitchen and talk while they snack.