- 8
Ingredients
- 16 Tablespoons (2 sticks) unsalted butter, plus 1 tablespoon, softened, for greasing pan
- 1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) cake flour, plus 1 tablespoon for dusting pan
- 1 Teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 Teaspoon salt
- 1 1/4 cups (8 3/4 ounces) sugar
- 2 Tablespoons grated zest plus 2 teaspoons juice from 2 medium lemons
- 4 Large eggs
- 1 1/2 Teaspoons vanilla extract
Preparation
Step 1
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 thre 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 minutes, rotating pan halfway through baking time. cool in pan for 10 minutes, then tunr onto wire rack and brush on Lemon Glaze, if desired. 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).
With Lemon Glaze:
Brush this glaze onto the warm cake to give it a fresh sweet-tart lemon kick.
1/2 Cup (3 1/2 ounces) sugar
1/4 Cup juice from 1 or 2 medium lemons
While cake is cooling, 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. Apply glaze as shown in illustrations below.
With Lemon Poppy Seed:
Follow recipe for Lemon Pound Cake through step 1. Toss 1 tablespoon flour mixture with 1/3 cup poppy seeds in smal bowl; set aside. Continue with recipe from step 2, folding poppy seed mixture into batter after flour is incorporated.