Lemon Pound Cake

I found this pound cake recipe posted on an answer-type website.   It was the answer to someones question of whether anyone had the recipe for Starbuck's Lemon Loaf cake.  I have a feeling that the recipe came from another website because there is a request to look at "Illustrations below" but there are no illustrations anywhere on that site.  Sadly, I can't give the original owner of this recipe the proper adulation.  This is a really great cake.  I am not a lemon cake person.  Neither is my husband.  I made this cake specially for D.  He always orders the lemon pound cake when we go to Starbucks so I thought it would be fun to try to replicate that cake.  I did not think that the glaze was right.  It should have a cream cheese or at least some type of thicker frosting made with powdered sugar.  Not that the glaze isn't totally yummy but it is not authentic.  Try this cake. You will love it.

Lemon Pound Cake


Published: March 1, 2002

Makes one 9 by 5-inch cake, serving 8

You can use a blender instead of a food processor to mix the batter. To add the butter, remove the center cap of the lid so it can be drizzled into the whirling blender with minimal splattering. This batter looks almost like a thick pancake batter and is very fluid.

INGREDIENTS

16 tablespoons unsalted butter (2 sticks), plus 1 tablespoon, softened, for greasing pan

1 1/2 cups cake flour (6 ounces), plus 1 tablespoon for dusting pan

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon table salt

1 1/4 cups granulated sugar (8 3/4 ounces)

2 tablespoons grated lemon zest plus 2 teaspoons juice from 2 medium lemons

4 large eggs

1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Lemon Glaze (Optional)

1/2 cup granulated sugar (3-1/2 ounces)

1/4 cup lemon juice , from 1 or 2 medium lemons


1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 9 by 5-inch loaf pan with 1 tablespoon softened butter; dust with 1 tablespoon cake flour, tapping out excess. In medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

2. In glass measuring cup or microwave-safe bowl, microwave butter, covered with plastic wrap, at full power until melted, 1 to 2 minutes. (Alternatively, melt butter in small saucepan over medium heat.) Whisk melted butter thoroughly to reincorporate any separated milk solids.

3. In food processor, process sugar and zest until combined, about five 1-second pulses. Add lemon juice, eggs, and vanilla; process until combined, about 5 seconds. With machine running, add melted butter through feed tube in steady stream (this should take about 20 seconds). Transfer mixture to large bowl. Sift flour mixture over eggs in three steps, whisking gently after each addition until just combined.

4. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees and continue to bake until deep golden brown and skewer inserted in center comes out clean, about 35-45 minutes, rotating pan halfway through baking time. Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn onto wire rack.

5. If using lemon glaze, while cake is cooling in pan, bring sugar and lemon juice to boil in small nonreactive saucepan, stirring occasionally to dissolve sugar. Reduce heat to low and simmer until thickened slightly, about 2 minutes.

6. After turning cake onto wire rack, poke the cake's top and sides with a toothpick and brush on Lemon Glaze. Cool to room temperature, at least 1 hour. (Cooled cake can be wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and stored at room temperature for up to 5 days.)


Enjoy!

The Creative Cook