7UP Cake

Name: 7UP Cake
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 1 h 15 min
Total time: 2 h 55 min
Cuisine: Southern American
Ingredients: Baking spray with flour, for a 10- to 12-cup Bundt pan; 1 1/2 cups (340 g) unsalted butter, softened to about 67°F; 2 3/4 cups (550 g) granulated sugar; 5 large eggs, room temperature; 3 cups (360 g) cake flour, spooned and leveled; 1/2 teaspoon (3 g) fine salt; 1 tablespoon (6 g) finely grated lemon zest; 1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract; 3/4 cup (180 ml) freshly opened 7UP, room temperature; 1 1/2 cups (180 g) powdered sugar; 2 tablespoons (30 ml) freshly opened 7UP, plus more only if needed; 1 tablespoon (15 ml) fresh lemon juice

Published by Fork Around & Find Out Kitchen — presented in the Lila editorial voice. Editorial standards

Quick Answer

Cream butter and sugar until very light, beat in five eggs one at a time, then fold in cake flour and freshly opened 7UP. Bake in a thoroughly greased 10- to 12-cup Bundt pan at 325°F for 70 to 80 minutes, cool before turning out, then finish with a lemon-lime glaze.

Jump to Recipe

7UP Cake belongs to the pound-cake family: rich with butter and eggs, baked low and slow in a Bundt pan, and sturdy enough to slice cleanly without feeling dry. The lemon-lime soda contributes sweetness, liquid, and a little acidity, while fresh lemon zest keeps the citrus flavor from disappearing once the cake is baked. This version stays close to the Southern-style formula without burying the cake under an overly thick glaze.

The technique matters more than the novelty of the soda. Butter and sugar need a full five minutes of creaming so the batter starts with enough trapped air, and the eggs go in one at a time so the emulsion stays smooth. After the flour arrives, switch from enthusiastic mixing to restraint. A pound cake can survive many things, but beating the life out of it after the flour goes in is not one of them. The finished cake should be deeply golden, pull slightly from the pan, and read about 205–210°F in the center before it comes out.

Prep25 minutes

Cook1 hr 15 min

Total2 hrs 55 min

Serves12 servings

DifficultyMedium

Ingredients

Servings

Baking spray with flour, for a 10- to 12-cup Bundt pan
1 1/2 cups (340 g) unsalted butter, softened to about 67°F
2 3/4 cups (550 g) granulated sugar
5 large eggs, room temperature
3 cups (360 g) cake flour, spooned and leveled
1/2 teaspoon (3 g) fine salt
1 tablespoon (6 g) finely grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract
3/4 cup (180 ml) freshly opened 7UP, room temperature
Glaze: 1 1/2 cups (180 g) powdered sugar
2 tablespoons (30 ml) freshly opened 7UP, plus more only if needed
1 tablespoon (15 ml) fresh lemon juice

Instructions

1Heat the oven to 325°F. Coat every ridge and the center tube of a 10- to 12-cup Bundt pan with baking spray containing flour. Do not leave bare patches.
2Beat the softened butter and granulated sugar on medium-high speed for about 5 minutes, scraping the bowl twice, until noticeably paler and fluffy.
3Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing until each egg disappears before adding the next. Beat in the lemon zest and vanilla. If the batter looks slightly curdled after the final egg, continue; the flour will bring it back together.
4Whisk the cake flour and salt together. With the mixer on low, add the flour in three additions, alternating with the 3/4 cup 7UP in two additions. Begin and end with flour. Stop as soon as no dry streaks remain.
5Spoon the batter evenly into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Tap the pan firmly on the counter twice to release large trapped air pockets.
6Bake 70 to 80 minutes, rotating once after 50 minutes, until the top is deep golden, a long skewer comes out with moist crumbs but no wet batter, and the center registers about 205–210°F.
7Cool in the pan on a rack for 12 minutes. Loosen only the top edge if necessary, then invert onto the rack. Let the cake cool completely, at least 60 minutes, before glazing.
8Whisk the powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons 7UP, and lemon juice until thick but pourable. Add more 7UP only 1 teaspoon at a time if needed. Spoon over the fully cooled cake and let the glaze set for about 15 minutes before slicing.

Nutrition Information

Estimated per serving: 1 of 12 servings.

590Calories

6 gProtein

87 gCarbohydrates

26 gTotal Fat

15 gSaturated Fat

1 gFiber

63 gTotal Sugars

140 mgSodium

155 mgCholesterol

Estimated from the ingredients and quantities in this recipe using standard food-composition values. Brand choices, trimming, cooking loss, optional ingredients, and actual portion size can change the numbers. How we calculate nutrition estimates.

Pro Tips

Use a freshly opened bottle or can of 7UP. Flat soda still supplies liquid and sugar, but a fresh pour gives the batter the best chance at the classic lightened pound-cake texture.
A Bundt pan needs more attention than a loaf pan. Coat the center tube and every groove; missed spots become souvenir pieces left inside the pan.
Do not chase a perfectly dry skewer. Pull the cake when the skewer has moist crumbs but no wet batter and the center is around 205–210°F.

Substitutions

7UP → another full-sugar lemon-lime soda The flavor will shift slightly. Avoid diet soda here because the sweetener and solids behave differently in a long-baked pound cake.

cake flour → 2 3/4 cups plus 1 tablespoon (about 345 g) all-purpose flour The crumb will be a little firmer, but the cake will still work.

dark glaze → skip the lemon juice and use 7UP alone This makes a sweeter, softer citrus glaze with less tartness.

Storage Instructions

Keep the completely cooled cake covered at room temperature for up to 3 days, or refrigerate tightly wrapped for up to 5 days. Bring chilled slices to room temperature before serving for the best butter-rich texture.

Make Ahead

Bake the cake one day ahead and glaze after it has cooled. For longer storage, freeze the unglazed whole cake or individual slices tightly wrapped for up to 2 months. Thaw while wrapped, then glaze after it reaches room temperature.

Allergen Note

Contains wheat, egg, and milk.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does this 7UP Cake not use baking powder?

This is built as a classic-style pound cake. Its lift comes mainly from thoroughly creaming the butter and sugar, incorporating the eggs correctly, and handling the batter gently after the flour goes in. Adding baking powder changes the crumb and is not necessary for this formula.

Does the 7UP need to be fresh?

Use freshly opened, room-temperature 7UP. The recipe does not depend on soda bubbles alone, but a fresh pour gives more predictable aeration and flavor than a bottle that has been sitting open in the refrigerator.

How do I keep a 7UP Bundt cake from sticking?

Use baking spray that contains flour and coat every ridge and the center tube. Cool the cake only about 12 minutes before turning it out; leaving a high-sugar cake in the pan until cold can make the crust cling.

How can I tell when 7UP Cake is done?

The top should be deep golden, the cake should pull slightly from the sides, and a long skewer should show moist crumbs but no wet batter. An instant-read thermometer in the center should read roughly 205–210°F.