| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 2 hr |
| Active: | 45 min |
| Yield: | 8 to 10 slices of pound cake |
Ingredients
- 2 sticks salted butter, at room temperature, plus more for the pan
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for the pan
- 2 lemons
- 3 large eggs, plus 1 egg yolk, at room temperature
- 1/4 cup plus 3 to 4 tablespoons heavy cream
- 2 1/4 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 cups organic cane sugar
- 3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
Instructions
- Make the pound cake: Preheat the oven to 350˚. Butter the bottom and sides of a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan, then line with parchment paper in two overlapping strips, leaving an overhang. Butter the parchment and dust with flour, tapping out the excess.
- Grate the zest of 1 1/2 lemons and remove the remaining zest in wide strips with a vegetable peeler. Juice both lemons into a small bowl; set aside.
- Whisk the eggs, egg yolk, 1/4 cup heavy cream and 2 teaspoons vanilla in a medium bowl until slightly foamy; set aside. Beat the butter and 1 cup cane sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium speed until well combined, 1 to 2 minutes. Scrape down the bowl, then beat on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, 6 to 7 minutes, adding the grated lemon zest after about 5 minutes. Reduce the mixer speed to low and beat in the flour until just combined. Gradually add the egg mixture and beat until combined. Scrape down the bowl; increase the speed to medium and beat until fluffy, 15 to 30 seconds.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake until golden and the top springs back when gently pressed, 1 hour 10 minutes to 1 hour 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, make the lemon syrup: Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil. Add the lemon zest strips and cook 1 minute; drain. Repeat twice, using fresh water each time; drain and transfer the lemon zest to a cutting board. Wipe out the saucepan.
- Thinly slice the lemon zest strips and return to the saucepan along with the reserved lemon juice, the remaining 1/4 cup cane sugar and 1/4 cup water. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar; cook until slightly reduced, 3 to 5 minutes. Let cool. Strain the syrup through a fine-mesh sieve; reserve the syrup and candied zest.
- Remove the cake from the oven, transfer to a rack and let cool 10 minutes in the pan. Poke 12 holes in the top of the cake, then brush with half the lemon syrup. Let soak 5 minutes, then lift the cake from the pan and remove the parchment. Transfer to a rack. Poke a few holes in the sides of the cake, then brush all over with the remaining lemon syrup. Let cool completely.
- Make the glaze: Combine the confectioners’ sugar, 3 tablespoons heavy cream and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon vanilla in a medium bowl and whisk until thick and smooth; thin with the remaining 1 tablespoon heavy cream, if needed. Spoon the glaze over the cooled cake and top with the candied lemon zest. Let set at least 20 minutes.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 9 servings |
| Calories | 462 |
| Total Fat | 27 g |
| Saturated Fat | 16 g |
| Carbohydrates | 50 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 1 g |
| Sugar | 30 g |
| Protein | 5 g |
| Cholesterol | 149 mg |
| Sodium | 197 mg |
Reviews
I have a question! Can I make this cake in a bundt pan?
Good
Came out great
Heavenly! Followed the recipe, although the cake was done in about an hour. It was rewarding to make a cake from scratch. Velvety texture and looks so pretty. My family loved it!
I love this it taste amazing I love cooking and this is amazing
I made this for Easter, and it was delicious and lemony. There were many steps, but I think it was worth the effort considering all the nice components.
For those who reviewed that it was dry, I’m wondering if they followed the instructions for poking holes and pouring in the lemon simple syrup.
Also, when it comes to baking times, I find that going by the tried and true methods of both pressing lightly on the cake to see if it bounces back, and also using a cake tester to see if the batter no longer sticks to it. I use suggested baking time only as a rough guide, as ovens and altitudes vary.
The main problem with this cake is that I couldn’t stop slicing off small pieces until it was gone!
For those who reviewed that it was dry, I’m wondering if they followed the instructions for poking holes and pouring in the lemon simple syrup.
Also, when it comes to baking times, I find that going by the tried and true methods of both pressing lightly on the cake to see if it bounces back, and also using a cake tester to see if the batter no longer sticks to it. I use suggested baking time only as a rough guide, as ovens and altitudes vary.
The main problem with this cake is that I couldn’t stop slicing off small pieces until it was gone!
I made the pound cake but made a mistake and put the lemon juice into the pound cake mixture. I only baked for 50 minutes. It’s fabulous
Fantastic flavorful Cake!! The recipe seems to be set up to help you get the cake in the oven. Then, while the cake is baking, you have time to follow the instructions to make the candied topping. I made the mistake of sharing this with several people and now everyone is requesting it again!! Cooking/baking is a process. Lean into it and enjoy! If you are looking for a one-step cake, buy a mix!! Rocking recipe! Excellent fresh tangy lemon flavor.
As others have noted, it’s a tedious recipe but tastes great. I ended up using 4 mini loaf pans, instead of one big loaf, baked those for only 35-40 minutes. I also substituted half & half for the cream in the cake, with good results.
Would half and half be an okay substitute for the heavy cream ?