Granny's Lemon Pound Cake

By Erica H.

The lemon pound cake has been such a ubiquitous presence at family holiday meals since I was a kid that I 1) often forget that it's not a staple in every household and 2) am constantly surprised that other versions of pound cake exist. Did you know they make it in chocolate? And caramel apple? There's even a lovely-looking plain version right here in the Food Lush archives. But oh, lemon. The seasonal bounty of winter may get a bad rap, but bright citrus can turn around a gloomy day like no other. Particularly when that bright citrus is shining through an irresponsibly thick layer of butter and sugar.

This is my Granny's favorite cake, and she is 92, so you know she's not messing around.

Lemon Pound Cake

• 1 1/2 c. butter
• 3 c. sugar
• 5 eggs
• 3 c. flour
• 1 c. warm milk
• 1/2 t. baking powder
• 1 t. vanilla
• 1/2 t. lemon extract
• 1/2 t. orange extract

Bring the butter and eggs to room temperature.

Beat butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition. ("Thoroughly" is the original wording, but I would amend it to read "to an extent that feels excessive." Really, really beat them.)

Sift flour and add alternatly with milk.

Mix in baking powder vanilla, and orange and lemon extracts.

Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes at 350 degrees in tube or bundt pan. DO NOT PREHEAT OVEN.

Coat warm cake with Lemon Glaze.

Lemon Glaze

• 3 T. milk
• 3 T. butter
• 2 c. sifted confectioner's sugar
• 3 T. lemon juice
• 1 T. grated lemon zest

Heat milk and butter until butter melts. Pour over sugar and stirt until smooth. Add lemon juice and zest and blend well.

Of course, you don't have to glaze it. (I definitely think you should glaze it.) And by no means do you have to confine the finished product to dessert. There have been many slices of toasted pound cake on our breakfast table throughout the years. You could even use two slices to make a fried ham and cheese sandwich like some demented Monte Cristo, though clearly you'd have to be a madman to attempt it.

(All photo credit mine, all pound cake credit my mother's.)

Comments

[Tara C.]

You just blew my mind right there with the ham and cheese lemon pound cake sandwich.