Simple Lemon Pound Cake | Cookies and Cups

This Lemon Pound Cake recipe is wealthy, tangy, and bursting with the flavour of actual recent lemons. Topped with a simple lemon glaze whipped up with limoncello liqueur, this lemon cake is the last word summer season deal with.

If you happen to love this recipe for do-it-yourself pound cake with a citrus twist, give my Orange Pound Cake a strive, too!

Moist Lemon Pound Cake With Lemon Glaze

My lemon pound cake is moist and tangy, with all of the candy flavors of a Starbucks lemon loaf, solely higher. This straightforward lemon cake recipe is swirled with do-it-yourself lemon curd all through and bursting with the flavour of actual lemon zest.

In true pound cake vogue, this cake is wealthy and dense, but completely balanced with the brightness of the citrus. I high my moist lemon loaf with creamy limoncello glaze. It’s one in every of my favourite treats to get pleasure from within the afternoon with espresso or tea, or for dessert (and let’s be trustworthy, generally each).  

Why You’ll Love This Pound Cake Recipe

If you happen to love lemon desserts as a lot as I do, put together to be hooked by this luscious lemon pound cake! Listed here are only a few causes to adore it:

• Home made lemon curd. This pound cake is swirled with ribbons of my do-it-yourself lemon curd recipe all through a delicate, buttery lemon crumb. It’s surprisingly straightforward to make your personal lemon curd from scratch!
• Limoncello glaze. I make a brilliant easy lemon glaze for this pound cake by combining powdered sugar with limoncello liqueur. It’s a scrumptious, grownup twist with a great deal of candy, lemony taste. In fact, you possibly can choose to make a lemon glaze sans alcohol in case you desire. 
• Good for brunch or dessert. This pound cake is flexible sufficient to make for a lightweight afternoon deal with, a candy addition at brunch, or a simple dessert to take alongside to any event. 

Why Is It Known as Pound Cake?

Pound Cake dates again to the early 1700s and it’s named after how the recipe was initially made: with one pound every of flour, butter, sugar, and eggs. Historically, pound desserts are baked in both a loaf pan, like on this recipe, or in a bundt pan, like my 7UP Pound Cake.

Folks generally confuse pound cake with sponge cake. And it’s true, each recipes have many substances in frequent. One important distinction is that sponge desserts name for whipping the eggs within the recipe individually, ensuing within the cake’s “spongy” texture.

What You’ll Want

I buck custom with this lemon pound cake recipe. Quite than add a full pound of every ingredient, I’ve tailored issues slightly, with superior outcomes (if I do say so myself). Under is a brief overview of the substances you’ll want, with the complete recipe particulars out there within the recipe card.

• Eggs: For construction and richness within the cake.
• Milk: You should utilize entire milk or 2% milk on this recipe, both one is okay.
• Sugar: For essentially the most constant outcomes, use common granulated sugar.
• Lemon Zest: Contemporary lemon zest is a should! You’ll get the very best taste from lemons after they’re in season.
• Vanilla: Skip utilizing imitation vanilla and use actual vanilla extract. The flavour is so significantly better!
• Oil: I add liquid coconut oil to my cake batter, although one other sort of oil, like vegetable oil, can even work. Including oil rather than butter yields a lighter, extra tender cake crumb.
• Baking Powder and Salt: For leavening and to steadiness the sweetness.
• Flour: I like to recommend utilizing all-purpose flour.
• Lemon Curd: I exploit my recipe for straightforward Homemade Lemon Curd and swirl all of it all through the pound cake. So dreamy! If you happen to’re pressed for time, it’s also possible to use your favourite model of store-bought lemon curd.
• Powdered Sugar: You’ll whip collectively a simple glaze utilizing powdered sugar, additionally known as confectioner’s sugar, mixed with lemon liqueur.
• Limoncello: That is an Italian lemon liqueur created from lemon zest and sugar with a candy, intense lemon taste. You’ll discover Limoncello in most liquor shops all through the US. If you happen to don’t have it or aren’t a fan, use a little bit of recent lemon juice and/or zest as an alternative to amp up the lemon taste within the glaze.

The way to Make Lemon Pound Cake

Whereas the oven preheats to 350ºF, grease and line your loaf pan. I like to recommend lining it with a chunk of parchment paper reduce to suit into the underside of the pan, lengthy sufficient in order that the sides dangle over every finish. This makes it straightforward to carry the pound cake from the pan as soon as it’s baked. Subsequent, you’ll whip up the simple lemon pound cake batter:

• Mix the Elements: First, whisk collectively the eggs, milk, sugar, lemon zest, and vanilla right into a easy batter. Subsequent, stream within the coconut oil whereas persevering with to whisk, adopted by the baking powder and salt. Lastly, stir in your flour. It’s effective in case your batter appears to be like a bit lumpy, watch out that you just don’t overmix!
• Fill the Pan: Add about 3/4 of the cake batter to your ready pan, drizzle the highest with half of your lemon curd, after which add the remaining batter and one other drizzle of curd. Take care that the curd doesn’t contact the sides of the pan, because the sugar will burn if it bakes towards the new sides. 

• Swirl and Bake: Use a butter knife to swirl the lemon curd calmly by means of the batter. Bake your lemon pound cake at 350ºF for 50-55 minutes, then depart it to chill within the pan for 10 minutes. Afterward, carry the cake out of the pan and place it on a wire rack.
• Put together the Glaze: Make a fast lemon glaze by combining powdered sugar with a few spoonfuls of limoncello. Whisk till you attain a easy consistency.
• Glaze and Cool: Lastly, pour the glaze over the pound cake whereas the cake continues to be barely heat. Let the cake end cooling earlier than slicing and serving. See under for a few of my favourite serving concepts.

Ideas for the Finest Pound Cake

Observe these ultimate suggestions for the very best do-it-yourself lemon pound cake:

• You can also make this pound cake in a bundt pan. Be sure you generously grease and flour the pan in order that your lemon bundt cake pops out simply.
• Use recent lemon juice. I’m speaking freshly squeezed. Don’t use bottled lemon juice as the flavour simply gained’t be the identical. And whilst you’re at it, don’t skip the lemon zest!
• Preserve the curd away from the sides of the pan. I point out it earlier, however strive your finest to not let the lemon curd contact the perimeters of the pan if you’re swirling it in. This fashion the sugars gained’t burn.
• If the lemon glaze to your pound cake is simply too skinny, whisk in extra powdered sugar slightly at a time to thicken it. If it’s too thick, add extra Limoncello to get it to a pourable consistency.
• Pound cake is supposed to be slightly dense. Nonetheless, it shouldn’t be dry or heavy. In case your pound cake is dry, this might be the results of overbaking, or since you added an excessive amount of flour. 
• On that observe, ensure to measure the substances appropriately. If you happen to don’t have a kitchen scale, I like to recommend the spoon-and-sweep methodology the place you spoon substances like flour into your measuring cup and use the again of a knife to degree it off.

Variation Concepts

Trying to change issues up along with your lemon pound cake? Attempt these straightforward recipe variations:

• Substitute the Lemon Curd: If you happen to’re seeking to substitute the lemon curd on this recipe, strive lemon pie filling or lemon marmalade as an alternative.
• Completely different Fruit Preserves: You may also exchange the lemon filling altogether with fruit jam or preserves like strawberry jam, or raspberry jam for a lemon raspberry cake.
• Add Berries: For much more summery vibes, add recent seasonal blueberries for a simple lemon blueberry pound cake. Tossing your berries in flour earlier than folding them into the batter will assist to maintain them from settling on the backside of the cake. 
• Add Poppy Seeds: Stir in poppy seeds for a variation of my Lemon Poppy Seed Pound Cake.
• Skip the Glaze: If you happen to’d desire to depart your pound cake unglazed, you possibly can at all times mud the highest with powdered sugar as an alternative.

Serving Options

This can be a enjoyable and straightforward cake recipe to make for brunch or as a lightweight dessert. We’ll get pleasure from a slice of zesty lemon pound cake within the summertime with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. So scrumptious! I’ll even double up on the fruity flavors with a drizzle of Strawberry Syrup. It’s the proper summer season dessert to carry to Fourth of July BBQs and picnics. 

Serve your lemon pound cake for Easter brunch alongside different do-it-yourself treats like Cinnamon Rolls and Hot Cross Buns. Or, do as I do, and easily tuck right into a slice whereas passing by means of the kitchen. It’s actually the very best dessert for any event!

The way to Retailer Lemon Pound Cake

Preserve your lemon pound cake hermetic at room temperature for as much as 4 days. Pound cake tends to dry out when saved within the fridge.

Can I Freeze Pound Cake?

Sure, as soon as the glazed cake is totally cooled, wrap your pound cake tightly in plastic wrap, plus a layer of foil. You may freeze this cake entire or in straightforward grab-and-go slices. Freeze it for as much as 3 months, and defrost the cake at room temperature earlier than serving.

Extra Lemon Desserts to Attempt

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