7up pound cakes

7up pound cakes are delicious and SO easy!

For more than 25 years I’ve been giving baked goods from my kitchen as gifts for the holidays. And for a long – LONG – time, the array of treats was the same year in and year out.

But a few years ago I decided to switch things up. Life had gotten significantly more hectic, and I needed to streamline the holiday baking process. I still wanted to give a homemade gift, but was also craving more time to enjoy the season myself – not always possible when churning out hundreds of cookies, cakes, barks and brittles.

Doing this was a game changer for me. I felt happier and less burnt out at the end of the holidays, and I’ve never looked back.

One of the key changes I made was in reducing the variety of items to make. For example, one year I made a few different flavors of shortbread cookies, using one “base” for the dough and incorporating a variety of mix-ins. Another year it was homemade bark – again, a simple base of melted chocolate with two or three different toppings.

And this year? Mini pound cakes.

There is something irresistible about a tiny cake – just right to share with a friend, and the perfect size for giving. In the past I’ve done vanilla and chocolate cakes, but I wanted to go a bit retro for this year’s model.

A quick Pinterest search led me to a cake I had never heard of – 7UP pound cake.

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I know!

I had always been curious about cakes made with soda, as there are a bunch of recipes out there touting not only their ease, but their delicious results too. This was my chance!

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I have to tell you – this just may be my new favorite cake. Light, moist and tender, with a bright citrus flavor from the 7UP® along with the fresh lemon and lime juices and zest. I drizzled a simple glaze on top and popped the cakes in clear cellophane bags with a raffia ribbon and kraft paper tag.

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And the best part? This recipe makes six mini loaves – which means that in one afternoon of baking you can have several dozen delicious treats for giving!

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As for me, I think my “recipients” are going to love it – and I get to spend more time enjoying all of the festivities of the season!

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How do you streamline things during the holidays? Any tips or secrets you’d like to share?

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7UP Pound Cake

Cake:
3 sticks butter, room temperature
3 cups sugar
5 eggs
1 tablespoon each lemon and lime zest
2 tablespoons each lemon and lime juice
1 teaspoon vanilla
pinch salt
3 cups flour
1 cup 7UP

Glaze:
1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
1 tablespoon each lemon and lime juice (plus more if needed)
2 tablespoons 7UP

Pre-heat oven to 350 – grease and line six mini loaf pans, 6″ x 3″ x 2″ (see Note, below). In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar till light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides. Add the eggs, one at a time, followed by the zests, juices, vanilla and salt. Scrape down the sides. Add the flour and beat till well blended. Add the 7UP® and beat till well blended.

Pour the batter evenly into your prepared pans. Bake for 40 minutes or till a tester comes out clean. Cool cakes in pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then remove from pans to cool completely.

Prepare the glaze: In a small bowl whisk the sugar, juices and 7UP® till smooth. Add more sugar if glaze is too thin, or more juice if too thick. Drizzle over cooled cakes and let set completely. Cakes may be frozen up to two months in advance.

Note: This recipe will also make one 10″ tube or bundt cake OR two 9″ x 5″ loaves. Adjust baking time accordingly, 65-75 minutes for the tube cake, 50-60 minutes for the loaves.

(print this recipe)


This delicious recipe brought to you by Sheri Silver
https://sherisilver.com/2015/12/04/7up-pound-cakes/

My adventures in baking with soda continue, with this cake, this pie and these dumplings!

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25 Comments

  1. David @ Spiced on December 4, 2015 at 9:44 am

    Pound cake is seriously one of my favorite desserts, and this one looks incredible! I totally want to make this for the weekend now. Thanks for sharing! #client

    • sherisilver on December 4, 2015 at 9:57 am

      Thanks David – I’m “team pound cake” too – this one’s a keeper!

  2. Jean on December 10, 2015 at 1:55 pm

    We are having our office Christmas party and I think this would be great to share with my co-workers.

  3. Sandy Rigdon on December 10, 2015 at 8:47 pm

    I am eager to try this recipe! One check quick question just to be positive. Is the flour in the recipe all-purpose or self-rising? Thanks!

    • sherisilver on December 10, 2015 at 8:50 pm

      All purpose! Let me know how it turns out! 🙂

  4. Cuzco on December 10, 2015 at 11:31 pm

    Did you forget to add baking powder to the list of ingredients?

    • sherisilver on December 11, 2015 at 11:42 am

      Nope! I imagine that the carbonation of the 7UP contributes the leavening needed to make the cake rise – it’s like magic! 😉

  5. Florence on December 11, 2015 at 3:39 pm

    Usually when you add the flour and liquid it goes like this: Start with adding some flour beat good and then add some liquid (in this case 7-UP) in other words start with the flour (dry) alternate with the liquid end with the dry.
    I just want to know before I start the cake. It looks really good and I am anxious to bake.

    • sherisilver on December 11, 2015 at 5:54 pm

      I’m a rule-breaker here. I never alternate unless the cake is a delicate one and the directions specify. I did not do that here and it came out great. That said, there’s no harm in alternating so go for it – and let me know how it turns out! 🙂

  6. Shelia on December 11, 2015 at 11:24 pm

    “Add more sugar if glaze is too thick, or more juice if too thin.” Shouldn’t this part of your instructions be reversed? too thick….more juice & to thin….more sugar?

    • sherisilver on December 12, 2015 at 8:12 am

      Shelia – thank you for that catch! I just corrected the instructions; you are absolutely right! 🙂

  7. Joyce Garry on December 14, 2015 at 1:38 pm

    I’m new to baking. Just purchased my first Kitchen Aid. My first receipe will be a pound cake and this looks like a keeper. I will be attempting to make it. Hope mine comes out as good as this one looks, and no doubt taste.

    • sherisilver on December 14, 2015 at 3:12 pm

      It’s so easy – I know you’re going to love it! 🙂

  8. Sherrie on December 14, 2015 at 6:20 pm

    I love pound cake, I am going to try this recipe this weekend with my family. If all goes well, I will make it for New Years Eve. Thanks for the recipe

    • sherisilver on December 14, 2015 at 7:03 pm

      I hope you enjoy it; let me know how it turns out! 🙂

  9. Ta Juanna Starks on December 15, 2015 at 10:37 pm

    This is a delicious cake, a very popular and long-standing favorite in the African-American Community. It is delicious with ceme cheese drizzle. This cake is in the genre of the Sock-It-to-Me cake. Ever heard of that one. Happy baking. I’m sure your recipients will be love it!

    • sherisilver on December 16, 2015 at 8:33 am

      I have never heard of Sock-It-To-Me cake! And that cream cheese drizzle sounds amazing; thanks for sharing!

  10. Jackie Amsler on December 16, 2015 at 2:34 am

    I have been looking for this recipe for some time and so glad to have found it. However it will not let me print it out….I am now hand copying it into my notebook.

    • sherisilver on December 16, 2015 at 8:31 am

      Oh no! I just tried it and it worked for me – I hope the recipe’s a winner! 🙂

    • sherisilver on December 16, 2015 at 8:31 am

      Oh no! I just tried it and it worked for me – I hope the recipe’s a winner!

  11. Glorius on November 19, 2018 at 11:54 pm

    Do you have to use limes and lemons? Can you use lemon extract instead?

    • sherisilver on November 20, 2018 at 6:46 am

      I think they fresh juice and zest lend a lot of flavor. If you want to use lemon extract I’d swap it for the vanilla extract!

  12. Yazzy on July 5, 2021 at 11:41 pm

    Where can I get the packaging you used in the photo?

    • sherisilver on July 6, 2021 at 7:39 am

      I got everything at Michaels – cellophane bags, kraft tags and raffia ribbon!

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