Mommy’s 7-Up Pound Cake

Some cakes have a way of bringing you home, no matter where you are. My mother baked this 7-Up Pound Cake often, and every time she did, it meant something was about to be right. A family gathering. A quiet weekend. A moment that needed sweetness. The scent alone—bright lemon-lime with a whisper of vanilla—was enough to make the whole house feel safe and full.

This cake is buttery and rich, with the unmistakable sparkle of citrus soda baked right into the crumb. The edges develop a perfect golden crust, while the inside stays tender and light, almost dancing on the tongue. It’s the kind of cake that works just as well for holiday tables as it does for ordinary Tuesdays—because flavor like this doesn’t wait for a special occasion.

This is Mommy’s 7-Up Pound Cake. And I’m honored to share it with you.

this recipe

If Y’all will indulge me…

Friends, my Mommy was so smart. She graduated from Tuskeegee Institute with a degree in Mathematics. There was no mathematics that ever eluded her; I truly believe that she saw life in theorems and proofs. When I was studying for the A/B Calculus AP Exam (a thousand years ago), she patiently walked me through every practice problem, staying up late with me even when it meant that she went to bed even later than her midnight bedtime.

My Mommy was so kind. She was the parent who quietly gave to several charitable organizations without expectation of accolade. When she didn’t have money, she gave her time. She was particularly fond of the Special Olympics, and gave herself completely to the local Special Olympics where I grew up.

She loved her children ferociously. I always knew that my mother would drop everything for me if I truly needed her. She was an exceptionally busy, yuppie-generation corporate executive in the 80s, but she never made me feel like a burden when I was running a high temperature, or when I just needed to have a good cry. I hope that my own children feel that same unconditional love.

Y’all. My Mommy was so, so many other things. She was strong in character. She was patient. She was so very beautiful. And she could dress. My goodness, her sense of style was impeccable.

This is her cake, my way.

About this Cake

This cake is a take on the classic 7-Up Pound Cake that my mother adapted and perfected when I was young. This was the cake she made to placate us children while she and my father indulged in my aunt’s rum cake.

She wrote this recipe on index cards many times for other people.

Kinda like…I’m writing my recipes for you. Huh. Full circle moment.

While I used 7-Up for this cake in order to pay respect to my mother, you can absolutely use another lemon-lime soda. Keep in mind, though, that other lemon lime sodas will make this cake exponentially sweeter than 7-Up. The soda is necessary because there’s no chemical leavening, so best not to omit it.

If you’re looking for some other incredible vanilla pound cake ideas, You can check out the Vanilla Pound Cakes section of the website! If you’re a citrus lover, like me, my Key Lime Pound Cake or my Classic Lemon Pound Cake are some great ideas for your next bake.

This cake is bursting with lemon-lime flavor, and it’s so adorable! If you love 7-Up Cake, or if citrus cakes in general are your thing, try this adapted version of the 7-Up Cake! I know you’ll love the big punch of flavor.

Let’s do this!

Beginners Start Here

If it’s been a while since you fired up your stand mixer, or if you’re brand spanking new to baking, you can start right here. This is the section where I share other BwB resources that might help you execute this cake to the best of your ability. Whether you’re new to baking or you’re a seasoned veteran who’s getting back into it, here are some baking resources to help you take your baking to the next level!

• Meet Your Kitchen BFF–Your Digital Kitchen Scale!
• Technique Tips for the Best Pound Cakes (& Big News!)
• How to Cream Butter and Sugar (With New Video!)
• Baking 101: How to Measure Ingredients
• The Best Tools for Perfect Pound Cakes
• Knowing When to Stop a Technique

These resources are super useful to help you understand the techniques that you’ll need to successfully execute this amazing cake, and all of the recipes on this site.

Important Tools Used in this Recipe

Below, you’ll find some tools that I used for this pound cake, as well as all of the pound cakes in this event. I use these tools in my home kitchen and vouch for absolutely all of them. **I get paid a small commission if you purchase directly from some of these links, but they are truly amazing products that you’ll find in my kitchen.**

If you have them already, great! Think of this as a checklist to help you build the confidence that you’ll need to execute this recipe!

• Oven Thermometer
• Digital Food Scale
• KitchenAid Hand Mixer
• KitchenAid Stand Mixer (not an affiliate link)
• Nordic Ware Cut Crystal Bundt Pan
• Stainless Steel Mixing Bowl Set
• OXO Spatula Set
• Sifter

Recipe on deck!

Mommy’s 7-Up Pound Cake

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This classic cake is beautiful, simple, and will bring up many food memories for your friends and loved ones that grew up eating pound cake.  This simple classic still stops people in their tracks, and is worthy of any table.

• Total Time: ~5-7 hours
• Yield: 14 servings 1x

Ingredients

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For the Batter:

• 384 grams (3 cups) flour, plus two tablespoons for greasing the pan
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 227 grams (1 cup) salted butter, room temperature, plus two tablespoons for greasing the pan
• 500 grams (2 1/2 cups) sugar
• 6 eggs, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon lemon extract
• 1 teaspoon lime extract
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 250 grams (1 cup) 7-Up, room temperature

For the Simple Syrup:

• 67 grams (1/3 cup) granulated sugar
• 84 grams (1/3 cup) water
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For the Final Glaze:

• 360 grams (3 cups) confectioner’s sugar
• 3–4 tablespoons 7-Up (start with 3)
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• Lemon and/or lime zest for garnish (optional)

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Instructions

To Make the Batter:

1. Preheat oven to 325°F.  An oven thermometer will help you determine where you need to set your oven in order to get to a true 325°F.
2. Sift the flour and kosher salt into a medium bowl.  Set aside.
3. Place the room temperature butter in a large mixing bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer.  Mix on low speed until smooth. 
4. Slowly add the granulated sugar and mix on medium speed until the mixture is light and fluffy.  Scrape as needed to ensure even mixing. Also, don’t skimp on this step! If you’re unsure about what properly creamed butter and sugar look like, check out this tutorial on How to Cream Butter and Sugar from the BwB blog!
5. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing until each addition is fully incorporated.  Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.  This step is especially important for cake rise in this particular cake, as there is no chemical leavening. 
6. Add vanilla extract, lemon extract, and lime extract and mix until thoroughly combined.
7. Add half of the flour mixture and mix on low speed until combined. I sift my flour/salt mixture directly into the batter for a last extra oomph, but you don’t have to do this.
8. Measure the 7-Up just before adding, in order to maximize the bubbles. It’s important to weigh your 7-Up, since you don’t want to be fooled by the volume of the bubbles!
9. With the mixer on the lowest speed, add all of the 7-Up and mix until just combined.  Don’t add too quickly or the carbonation will bubble over! 
10. Add the second half of the flour mixture and mix on low speed until combined.  Stop mixing just as soon as the mixture is fully together. 
11. Using a rubber spatula, fully scrape the sides and bottom of the mixing bowl.  Then, mix the batter until it is smooth and consistent.  Make sure to fully scrape the bottom of the bowl!
12. Grease a 10-12 cup bundt pan with the remaining butter and flour and place the batter in the pan.

To Bake the Cake:

1. Bake the cake at a true 325°F for 60-70 minutes, or until an instant read thermometer reads 210°F-215°F in the center.  Alternately, the cake is done with a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and a fingerprint indentation bounces back.
2. Allow the cake to remain in its pan for 5-10 minutes, then invert onto a cooling rack to cool completely.

To Make the Lemon Simple Syrup:

1. Combine sugar, water, and salt in a small saucepan and bring to a boil.  Stir occasionally until the solids are completely dissolved.  Remove from the heat, and add the lemon juice and pure vanilla extract.
2. Allow the simple syrup to cool completely, then use a pastry brush to brush the simple syrup over the cooled cake.

To Make the Final Glaze:

1. Combine the confectioner’s sugar, fine sea salt, and 3 tablespoons of the 7-Up in a large bowl.
2. Mix with a whisk or a spoon until completely smooth. Add 7-Up soda, one teaspoon at a time, if necessary. Make sure to allow the existing 7-Up to moisten the confectioner’s sugar before adding any additional liquid.
3. Completed glaze should be just pourable and should have the consistency of thick honey.
4. Using a spouted measuring cup, spoon, or squeeze bottle, drizzle final glaze over the cake. 

To Store:

This cake can be stored on a countertop for up to five days.

Equipment

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Notes

• It’s really important to use a food scale for this recipe.  When we don’t use digital food scales, we tend to be heavy-handed with ingredients.  This could lead to overspill in the oven.
• This cake is a showstopper and it is big.  It needs at least a 10-cup bundt pan to be successful.  I mostly use 10-cup Nordic Ware bundt pans and it works well in those.
• If your butter is not quite room temperature when you’re ready to bake, you can cut it into cubes and give it a few more seconds of mixing before you add the sugar.
• This recipe specifically calls for salted butter—it’s not a typo! The sugar + soda combo needs that salty edge to keep things beautifully balanced.

• Author: Shani
• Prep Time: 25 minutes
• Inactive Time: 3-5 hours
• Cook Time: 60-70 minutes
• Category: Dessert
• Cuisine: American

I love you Mommy. And I hope you all love this cake.

See you next time!