Lemon-soaked pound cake
Prep time: 1 hour
Cook time: 1 hour
Makes 1 loaf cake (16 slices)
Carol Anderson of Modesto was looking for a lemon loaf recipe similar to Starbucks' version. We featured a lemon cake recipe last month and have received more delicious- sounding recipes we're sharing today.
This recipe comes from Janice Thornton of Merced and is credited to Wildwood Restaurant and Bar in Portland, Ore.
Note: The prep time does not include the 1- to 2-hour chill time after baked cake is soaked in lemon syrup.
INGREDIENTS
Cake:
1½ cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup unsalted sweet butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs, room temperature
1 tablespoon chopped, grated lemon peel
2 tablespoons lemon juice
3 tablespoons buttermilk, room temperature
Lemon syrup:
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup lemon juice
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter, flour and line a loaf pan with parchment paper. Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
Cream the butter and sugar together in an electric mixer. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides, then slowly begin to beat again. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating each and completely between each addition. Add the lemon peel, beat again, and scrape down the bowl.
In a small bowl, mix the lemon juice with the buttermilk. With the mixer running slowly, add the flour mixture and the buttermilk mixture to the butter-sugar mixture, alternating additions, beating completely between each addition. When all flour mixture and buttermilk mixture has been added, increase the speed to high and beat for an additional minute. Scrape down the sides of bowl with a spatula and beat for 30 seconds more.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 45 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. While the cake is baking, prepare the lemon syrup.
For the lemon syrup: Combine the 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2 cup lemon juice in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to simmer and heat until the sugar dissolves. Turn off heat and let stand.
To finish: When the cake comes out of the oven, use a wooden skewer or similar item and poke holes in the top of the cake. Drizzle half the syrup over the cake. Let stand for 15 minutes. Then turn out the cake onto a sheet of plastic wrap and poke holes in the bottom of the cake. Pour remaining syrup over the bottom of the cake. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and chill for 1 to 2 hours.
If you don't want to soak the cake with lemon syrup, make a lemon glaze by combining 1½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice with 1 cup powdered sugar. Drizzle over the top of the warm cake.
Per slice: 209 cal.; 3 g pro.; 29 g carb.; 10 g fat (6 sat., 3 monounsat., 1 polyunsat.); 63 mg chol.; 60 mg sod.; 0 g fiber; 19 g sugar; 41 percent calories from fat.
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