Lemon Pound Cake
Servings: 10 servings
Ingredients
- 2 cups 9 ounces all purpose flour
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 cup butter 8 ounces, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 4 eggs room temperature
- 1 vanilla bean split lengthwise and seeds scraped out (or 1 tsp pure vanilla extract)
- ¼ cup milk
- 1 tbsp finely grated lemon zest optional
For glaze:
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup lemon juice or water, for plain vanilla cake - see above
For frosting:
- ⅓ cup unsalted butter softened
- 2 cups confectioners' sugar
- 2 tbsp milk or lemon juice
- ⅛ tsp vanilla extract omit if using lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350º. Line an 9x5" loaf pan with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
- Combine butter and sugar in standing mixer and beat on medium speed until very light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Beat in eggs one at a time, beating for about 15 seconds after each and pausing to scrape down sides of bowl before adding the next. Beat in vanilla bean seeds.
- With mixer speed on low, gradually beat in half of the flour mixture. Stop mixer, scrape down sides of bowl, then beat in milk on low speed, followed by remaining flour mixture. Scrape batter into prepared pan and bake 45 minutes - 1 hour, until tester inserted in centre comes out clean. Place on wire rack for 10 minutes to cool in pan, then carefully invert cake directly onto rack. Peel off parchment paper and invert again so that it's right-side up.
To make glaze:
- Combine sugar and lemon juice in a small saucepan over medium heat until sugar is dissolved. While cake is still warm, poke several holes in the top with a toothpick and brush glaze over repeatedly until it's all used.
To make frosting:
- Beat all ingredients together on medium speed of electric mixer until light and fluffy. Spread on completely cooled cake.