Looking for a soft, fluffy, and tangy cake to refresh your taste buds before you welcome fall with more cozy recipes? Then try this easy lemon cake recipe with lemon frosting for a tantalizing feeling at every bite. This moist pound cake bursting with fresh lemon flavor will go perfectly with your evening coffee or tea and you can even enjoy it as a dessert post-meal. If you keep the cake well covered, it can stay fresh for up to four days even at room temperature. An airtight container would be the best way to store it.
Ingredients
For the lemon pound cake
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice, about ½ lemon
- ½ cup buttermilk
Ingredients for lemon syrup
- ¼ cup lemon juice, about 1 lemon
- 3 tablespoons powdered sugar
For the lemon icing
- 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
- 1 ½ tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon milk
Preparation
- To make the lemon pound cake recipe, preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a 9 x 5-inch (or 8 x 4-inch) loaf pan.
- Then, in a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder, lemon zest, and salt. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar together. Use medium-high speed until the mixture is pale and fluffy (should take about 4-6 minutes). Alternatively, you can use an electric mixer. Then, scrape the sides of the bowl as needed.
- With the mixer running on low speed, add the eggs one at a time, then beat in the vanilla extract and lemon juice. Beat on medium-high speed until combined.
- Continue running the mixer on low and add about one-third of the flour mixture. Then, mix until almost combined and add half the buttermilk and mix until just combined.
- Repeat with another third of the flour mixture and then the last half of the buttermilk, ending with the last third of the flour. Make sure to beat until just incorporated to avoid over mixing it.
- Then, scrape the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 45-55 minutes. The cake should be golden brown and a toothpick should come out mostly clean with only a couple of moist crumbs when you are done baking (baking times vary, so keep an eye on yours). Let the lemon pound cake cool for about 15 minutes in the pan.
- Meanwhile, stir together the lemon juice and confectioners’ sugar for the lemon syrup.
- Carefully invert the loaf pan, and transfer the lemon pound cake to a cooling rack, then brush the syrup on the cake while it’s still warm. Allow the cake to cool completely.
- When the cake is cooling, combine all the icing ingredients, start with one tablespoon lemon juice, milk, and add the remaining lemon juice as needed (the icing should be thick and not runny).
- Pour icing over lemon pound cake and let it dry before serving.
With this, you have completed all the steps of your lemon pound cake recipe. Now, slice the cake and enjoy with your loved ones. If you want to skip the icing, feel free to do so as the lemon pound cake will be just as delectable with just the syrup. This cake will taste amazing with lime juice or orange juice as well.
So, get the ingredients and try your hands at this lemon pound cake recipe for your family to enjoy. Also, do share your kids’ reactions in the comment section below because we are sure they will love it!
