One of my favorite things to come out of the Midwestern multiverse is the 7Up pound cake my grandma made from scratch. She migrated from Corinth, Mississippi, to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, with the recipe in tow. Baked in a Bundt pan, it’s rich yet fluffy, with bright citrus flavor from lemon-lime soda in both the batter and the glaze.
A combination of butter and cream cheese keeps the crumb tender and moist for days, while fresh citrus zest sharpens the cake’s lemon-lime flavor without relying on extracts. Finished with a glossy lemon glaze inspired by grocery-store bakery classics, this cake is nostalgic, unfussy, and built to disappear slice by slice.
Tips for making 7Up cake
What 7Up does in a cake: A generous glug of soda adds a wealth of citrus flavor, while its carbonation helps create a lighter crumb and a crisp, golden-brown exterior. You won’t taste soda—just brightness and lift. Sprite—or any other lemon-lime soda—will also work.
Use fresh zest, not extract. Fresh lime and lemon zest provide a cleaner citrus flavor than the lemon extract found in many 7Up pound cake recipes.
Bring ingredients to room temperature. Room-temperature eggs, along with softened butter and cream cheese, blend more smoothly, helping the batter emulsify and bake evenly.
Grease the Bundt pan thoroughly. While I typically use softened butter and a pastry brush (or nonstick baking spray) to grease my Bundt cake pan, my grandma swore by a tube of Crisco shortening tucked away in her cabinet. Whichever you choose, be sure to coat every nook and cranny of the pan.
Cool completely before glazing. Pouring glaze over a fully cooled cake ensures a thick, glossy finish instead of one that soaks into the crumb.
