Recipe

7Up Pound Cake

Buttery, lemon-lime bright, and baked for crisp edges with a tender, old-school pound cake crumb.

By Matt Campbell

•

4.8

A golden brown 7Up pound cake in a Bundt pan shape on a cake stand, lightly glazed with a glossy lemon-lime drizzle on a bright kitchen counter

If you grew up around church potlucks, family reunions, or that one aunt who always showed up with a Bundt cake like it was her job, you have probably met 7Up pound cake. It is the kind of dessert that looks simple, then you take a bite and immediately understand why it keeps getting invited back.

This version is buttery and dense in the best way, with a tight, velvety crumb and those crisp, caramelized edges that make you “accidentally” cut a second slice. The 7Up is not here to make it taste like soda. It adds a gentle lemon-lime note and may contribute a little lift, but the real magic is the classic creaming method plus a steady bake that gets you golden edges without drying things out.

We are going classic: creamed butter, sugar, eggs, a splash of 7Up, and a simple citrus glaze that soaks into the warm cake like it was meant to live there.

A neat lineup of pound cake ingredients on a light kitchen counter including butter, sugar, eggs, flour, 7Up, lemons, limes, and vanilla

Why It Works

Crisp edges, tender center: A well-greased Bundt pan and baking until deeply golden and just done gives you that classic crust without sacrificing the inside.
Real citrus flavor: Lemon and lime zest wake up all that butter and sugar so every bite tastes fresh, not heavy.
7Up does the quiet work: It adds a lemon-lime sparkle and can contribute a touch of lift, but the creaming method is doing most of the heavy lifting.
Glaze that actually matters: You pour it while the cake is warm so it melts in, then you hit it again once cool for a glossy finish.

Pairs Well With

Storage Tips

Room temperature: Store slices in an airtight container for up to 3 days (a bit less if your kitchen runs warm).

Refrigerator: Up to 5 to 6 days tightly covered. Let slices sit out 20 minutes before eating, or microwave for 10 to 15 seconds to bring the butter back to life.

Freezer: Wrap individual slices in plastic wrap, then bag them. Freeze up to 2 months. Thaw at room temp, still wrapped, so condensation stays on the wrap, not the cake.

Individual slices of pound cake stacked in an airtight container on a kitchen counter, ready for storage

Common Questions

Do I have to use 7Up, or can I use Sprite?

Sprite works great. Any lemon-lime soda is fine. Just make sure it is carbonated. For best results, avoid diet soda if you can since formulas vary and the baked flavor and texture can be a little different.

Can I use diet 7Up?

I would not make it my first choice here. Diet sodas can bake up a bit differently depending on the sweetener and acidity. If it is what you have, you can try it, just expect a slightly different crumb and sweetness.

Why did my pound cake crack on top?

Totally normal. Pound cakes often crack because the outside sets before the center finishes rising. That crack is basically a sign you are on the right track. In a Bundt pan, it ends up on the bottom anyway.

How do I keep it from sticking to the Bundt pan?

Grease aggressively, then flour, and do not rush the unmolding. Let it cool 10 to 20 minutes in the pan, then invert. If you wait too long, the sugars can glue themselves to the pan. Baking spray with flour also works well, especially on pans with lots of grooves.

Can I make this in loaf pans?

Yes. Split into two 9x5-inch loaf pans and start checking around 55 to 70 minutes. Bake until a tester comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. If you like precision, the center is usually around 200 to 205°F.

What does “room temperature butter and eggs” really do?

It helps the batter emulsify. Cold ingredients can make the batter look curdled and can lead to a heavier texture. Not a deal-breaker, but room temp gives you the best crumb.

Will all this batter fit in a Bundt pan?

It fits best in a 12-cup Bundt. If your pan is closer to 10 cups, do not fill it past about 2/3 to 3/4 full. Bake any extra batter in a couple of muffin cups or a mini loaf.

Matt Campbell

I have always had a huge passion for the culinary arts, people, working as a team, and so on. I wanted to pursue my love for cooking initially at Virginia Commonwealth University with a culinary arts degree; however, I instead decided to apply myself and acquire more practical skills. My end goal is to eventually open my own restaurant or similar establishment.

Kitchen Essentials

10 to 12-cup Bundt pan
Stand mixer or hand mixer
Mixing bowls
Microplane or fine zester
Measuring cups and spoons
Rubber spatula
Wire rack
Wooden skewer or cake tester
Instant-read thermometer (optional, but handy)

I have a soft spot for cakes that do not need a whole performance to be good. 7Up pound cake is exactly that. You pull it out, it looks like a humble Bundt, and then the first slice disappears because somebody “just wants a little taste.” I love it because it is forgiving, it travels well, and it hits that perfect zone between cozy and bright. Also, the glaze moment is pure kitchen joy. Warm cake, citrus sugar, and that quiet little soak-in that tells you dessert is handled.

7Up Pound Cake

(4.8 Reviews)

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour 15 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 50 minutes

Servings 12 slices

Ingredients

For the cake

3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, room temperature (3 sticks)
3 cups granulated sugar
5 large eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons lemon zest (from about 2 lemons)
1 tablespoon lime zest (from about 2 limes)
3/4 cup 7Up (or Sprite), room temperature

For the lemon-lime 7Up glaze

2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
2 tablespoons lemon juice, plus more as needed
1 tablespoon lime juice
2 to 4 tablespoons 7Up (start small)
Pinch of salt

Fresh lemon and lime being zested over a small bowl on a bright kitchen counter

Instructions

Prep the pan and oven. Heat oven to 325°F. Grease a 10 to 12-cup Bundt pan thoroughly, then dust with flour and tap out the excess. This is not the time to be shy. Pan note: A 12-cup Bundt is ideal. If your pan is smaller, do not fill it more than 2/3 to 3/4 full and bake any extra batter in muffin cups.
Mix the dry ingredients. In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. In a stand mixer (or using a hand mixer), beat butter on medium until smooth, about 1 minute. Add sugar and beat 3 to 5 minutes, scraping the bowl once or twice, until pale and noticeably fluffier. This builds the cake’s texture.
Add eggs one at a time. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each. If the batter looks slightly curdled, keep going. It usually smooths out once the flour goes in.
Flavor it. Beat in vanilla, lemon zest, and lime zest.
Alternate flour and 7Up. With the mixer on low, add the dry ingredients in 3 additions, alternating with the 7Up in 2 additions (start and end with dry). Do not intentionally flatten the soda. Measure it, pour it in, and mix just until combined. Finish folding with a spatula so you do not overmix.
Bake. Bake for 70 to 85 minutes, until deeply golden and just done. A skewer should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs, the top should spring back lightly, and the edges may start to pull slightly from the pan. If the top browns too fast, tent loosely with foil for the final 15 minutes.
Cool, then unmold. Cool in the pan for 10 to 20 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack. Lift the pan off gently. Let the cake cool another 20 minutes before the first glaze so it is still warm, not hot. Warm helps the glaze soak in, hot makes it run right off.
Make the glaze. Whisk powdered sugar, lemon juice, lime juice, 7Up, and a pinch of salt until smooth. You want it pourable but not watery. Add more 7Up a teaspoon at a time if needed.
Glaze twice for maximum joy. Spoon about half the glaze over the warm cake so it melts in. Once fully cool, drizzle the remaining glaze on top for that classic look.
Slice and serve. Use a serrated knife and cut confident slices. This cake loves coffee, hot tea, and people who “aren’t really dessert people.”