lip puckering lemon cake

Tonight I am attending an auction and they have asked for contributions to the bake sale.  I love bake sales because they are a great excuse to do lots of baking and experimenting without having to eat the results for the next few months.  One of the items I made is a lemon pound cake, it’s delicious, and it’s infused with lemon in every way – lemon zest in the batter, a lemon-sugar syrup poured over top, and to top it all off, a drizzled lemon icing.  I guess this is what happens when I find a few stray lemons in the fridge.  

Here’s the recipe…..

Lemon Cake


Adapted from Smittenkitchen.com which adapted it from ”Barefoot Contessa Parties!” by Ina Garten

2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature


2 1/2 cups sugar


4 extra-large eggs, at room temperature


1/3 cup grated lemon zest,6 to 8 large lemons (In my case, I used only 3 lemons)

3 cups all-purpose flour


1/2 teaspoon baking powder


1/2 teaspoon baking soda


1 teaspoon kosher salt


3/4 cup plus 3 1/2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
 (I used the juice of 3 lemons and some bottled lemon juice)

3/4 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
 (I didn’t have buttermilk so I mixed a little lemon juice with 3/4 cup of milk and let it sit for 5 mins)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract


2 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted (I only used 1 cup of confect. sugar and drizzled the cakes with it)

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two 8 1/2-by-4 1/4-by-2 1/2-inch loaf pans.*

2. Cream butter and 2 cups sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment for about 5 minutes, or until light and fluffy. Mixing at medium speed, add eggs, one at a time, and lemon zest.

3. Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl. In another bowl, combine 1/4 cup lemon juice, buttermilk and vanilla. Add flour and buttermilk mixtures alternately to butter and sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour. Divide batter evenly between pans, smooth tops, and bake for 30 to 45 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean.

4. Combine 1/2 cup sugar with 1/2 cup lemon juice in a small saucepan, and cook over low heat until sugar dissolves.

5. When cakes are done, let them cool 10 minutes. Invert them onto a rack set over a tray, and spoon lemon syrup over cakes. Let cakes cool completely.

6. For glaze, combine confectioners’ sugar and remaining 3 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice in a bowl, mixing with a whisk until smooth. Milk can be added a few drops at a time if the glaze is still too thick.  Pour over top of cakes, and allow glaze to drizzle down the sides.

Yield: 2 cakes.

*Or in my case, this recipe yielded one bundt cake and four mini loafs.