Limoncello Pound Cake Lemon (Print Version)

A tangy and moist pound cake infused with citrus and liqueur, finished with a zesty lemon glaze.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pound Cake

01 - 2½ cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2 teaspoons baking powder
03 - ½ teaspoon salt
04 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
05 - 2 cups granulated sugar
06 - 4 large eggs, room temperature
07 - 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
08 - ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
09 - ⅓ cup Limoncello liqueur
10 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
11 - ½ cup whole milk, room temperature

→ Lemon Glaze

12 - 1½ cups powdered sugar, sifted
13 - 2 to 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
14 - 1 tablespoon Limoncello liqueur, optional
15 - 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 10-cup Bundt pan or standard loaf pan.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
03 - In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar together with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, approximately 3 to 4 minutes.
04 - Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in the lemon zest, lemon juice, Limoncello, and vanilla extract until combined.
05 - Alternately add the flour mixture and milk to the batter, starting and ending with flour. Mix until just combined without overmixing.
06 - Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top surface evenly.
07 - Bake for 50 to 55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
08 - Cool the cake in the pan for 15 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack to cool completely.
09 - Whisk together the powdered sugar, lemon juice, Limoncello if desired, and zest until smooth and pourable.
10 - Drizzle the glaze over the cooled cake and allow it to set before slicing.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • It's the kind of cake that tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen, but the technique is genuinely forgiving and straightforward.
  • The Limoncello gives it a sophisticated flavor that makes people ask for the recipe before they've even finished their slice.
  • It stays moist for days, making it perfect for meal prep or bringing to gatherings without stress.
02 -
  • Room temperature ingredients aren't a suggestion—cold eggs and butter literally won't combine properly, and you'll end up with a grainy, disappointing cake no matter what else you do right.
  • The alternating wet-and-dry method exists for a reason; adding all the flour at once creates gluten strands that make the cake dense, while alternating keeps it tender and moist.
03 -
  • If you want to make this non-alcoholic without losing the moisture, replace the Limoncello with equal parts fresh lemon juice and a neutral oil like vegetable oil—this maintains the liquid ratio without the alcohol.
  • Zest your lemons before juicing them; once you've cut them in half, it's nearly impossible to get clean zest, so plan ahead and you'll save frustration.
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