The Easy Cake That Starts With a Bottle of 7UP

Once convenience ingredients like canned goods, frozen food, and sugary treats became commonplace in American supermarkets, recipes popped up left and right utilizing them in surprising new ways. And while some haven’t stood the test of time (I’m looking at you, savory JELL-O molds), 7UP cake is the perfect example of a retro recipe that is just as delicious today.

With a classic, buttery pound cake base, the tender cake gets an infusion of lemon-lime flavor from the soda. An easy glaze sets the whole thing off, making it a total show-stopper. Bonus: it’s easy to make, but everyone who tries it will think you’re a baking genius.

Tips for Making 7UP Cake

• Room-temperature ingredients are the secrets to a great pound cake. This helps the ingredients to be incorporated more easily, achieving a smoother batter and a more even bake. 
• As you aren’t adding any leaveners to this cake like baking soda or baking powder, beating the butter for the appropriate amount of time is crucial as the air incorporated during this stage will create the cake’s fluffiness. 
• Make sure to coat your pan fully with butter or shortening and then flour. Bundt cakes are notorious for sticking to the pan’s ridges. 
• Allowing the cake to cool a bit in the pan before removing is also important to avoid sticking. This gives the cake time to shrink, which naturally happens as the cake cools, and pull away from the pan. However, you don’t want to let the cake sit in the pan too long, as the hot pan can continue to cook the cake.

Bundt Cake Time

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Preheat the oven to 325°F. 

Liberally brush a 10-inch/15-cup Bundt pan with softened butter or shortening, being sure to coat every ridge. Coat with flour, shaking out any excess; set aside.

Start the pound cake batter: 

Beat the butter with an electric mixer on medium until pale in color and fluffy, about 3 minutes. With the mixer on medium speed, gradually add the sugar, beating until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes total.

With the mixer on low, add the eggs, one at a time, beating until just combined after each addition, about 1 minute total. Add the lemon extract or juice and beat on low speed until just incorporated, about 10 seconds.

Add the dry ingredients:

With the mixer on low, gradually add the flour and salt, alternately with the soda, beginning and ending with the flour mixture, beating until just combined after each addition, about 3 minutes total. The batter should be smooth and thick.

Bake:

Spoon the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top into an even layer with a rubber spatula. Bake in the preheated oven until a long wooden skewer or cake tester inserted in the center of the cake comes out with a few moist crumbs but no wet batter, 1 hour and 20 minutes to 1 hour and 25 minutes. 

Let cool in the pan on a wire rack for 20 minutes. Invert onto the wire rack, remove the pan, and let the cake cool completely, about 2 hours.

Make the icing and decorate:

Whisk together the powdered sugar, soda, lime zest and juice, and salt in a medium bowl until smooth and thickened, about 15 seconds. Pour or spoon the icing on the cooled cake, allowing it to drip down the sides. 

Garnish with additional lime zest, if desired. Slice and serve. 

Store leftover cake, tightly covered, for up to 5 days at room temperature or a week in the fridge.

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