Redbud tree branches covered in pink redbud flowers with a bright blue sky in the background.

Photo credit: Taylor Smith

Celebrate the arrival of spring with a delightful local treat, lemon pound cake with redbud flowers. This unique twist on the classic lemon pound cake incorporates the subtle sweetness and floral notes of redbud blossoms, in the legume family, just like sweet peas. It’s a pot luck show stopper!

Ingredients

For the Cake:

  • 1 2/3 cups (200g) all-purpose flour
  • 2/3 cup (100g) fine-ground cornmeal​
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder​
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt​
  • 3 large eggs​
  • 1/2 cup sugar (or brown sugar)​
  • 1/2 cup honey​
  • 1 cup yogurt (or sour cream)​
  • 1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, melted and cooled​
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract​
  • Zest of 1 large lemon​
  • 1 1/2 cups fresh redbud flowers​

For the Glaze and Garnish:

  • 3/4 cup powdered sugar​
  • 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons lemon juice (from the redbud soak lemon juice)​
  • 1 cup fresh redbud flowers​
The top of two loaves of lemon pound cake drizzled with icing surrounded by sliced lemons.

Photo credit: Julissa Capdevilla

Instructions

Prepare the Oven and Pan

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).​
  2. Grease a 1-pound loaf pan with butter.​

Mix Dry Ingredients

  1. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.​
  2. Prepare Wet Ingredients:
  3. In another bowl, whisk together the eggs and sugar until blended.​
  4. Add the honey, yogurt, melted butter, oil, lemon zest, and vanilla extract. Whisk until well combined.

Combine Ingredients

  1. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until just blended.​
  2. Fold in the redbud flowers, ensuring they are evenly distributed.​

Bake the Cake

  1. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan, smoothing the top with a spatula.
  2. Bake for about 60 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean.​
  3. Cool the Cake

Prepare the Glaze

  1. Add ½ Redbud Flowers to 1 cup of warm but not boiling lemon juice. Let sit overnight. Strain the next morning.
  2. In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and lemon juice until smooth. Adjust the consistency as needed by adding more lemon juice for a thinner glaze or more powdered sugar for a thicker one.​

Glaze and Garnish

  1. Once the cake has cooled, drizzle the glaze over the top, allowing it to drip down the sides.​
  2. While the glaze is still wet, sprinkle the remaining redbud flowers over the top for garnish.​

Additional Tips:

  • Foraging Redbud Flowers: Ensure that the redbud flowers you use are from trees that have not been treated with pesticides. Gently rinse and pat them dry before incorporating them into the recipe.​
  • Flavor Profile: Redbud flowers have a subtle, slightly sweet flavor with a hint of tartness. They pair wonderfully with the citrusy brightness of lemon and the hearty texture of cornmeal.
  • Leftover redbuds for juice! Soak Red Bud flowers in warm water or lemon juice, like in this recipe, and if you have leftovers, make a pink redbud lemonade!

Storage: Store any leftover cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days.​

This lemon pound cake with redbud flowers offers a local blend of flavors and a beautiful springtime aesthetic, making it a perfect treat to celebrate the season.

Recipe adapted from Ful-Filled.com.