Simple Lemon Pound Cake Loaf with Lemon Glaze

This moist lemon cake is high up in my top 5 things I love to have as a teatime treat. So easy to put together, this recipe uses whipped cream to make the cake extra moist and fluffy. It also takes you step by step to make it from scratch. Plus, it is delicious, super tasty, zesty and the perfect balance of acid and sweet. And to make it even more perfect you it is covered with lemon glaze. You can also use lemon curd as a frosting if you prefer, it works out great.

Ingredient notes

• Lemon zest: must be freshly grated. (see below for more tips)
• Whipping cream: must have full fat content for it to be able to be properly whipped to soft peaks.
• Butter: use full fat content butter. It must be incorporated into the batter melted and warm.
• The usual suspects: flour, sugar, eggs, baking powder and salt.

About the cake pan

This simple recipe calls for a 21x11x8 cm (8. 5 x 4. 5 x 2. 75 inch) loaf cake pan.

You can make this into a mini lemon cake recipe: simply divide the batter amongst 6 mini cake pans. I usually use these mini bundt cake pans, or you can use regular rectangular loaf cake pans. And don't forget to adjust baking times.

The most important thing to end up with a delicious cake, in one piece, is to grease the cake pan. You can:

• Use baking spray.
• Butter the cake pan using a brush.
• Line the cake pan with parchment as shown in the photos below. Make sure to grease or butter the pan, so that the parchment paper stick to it.

How To Make this Recipe

To make this recipe you basically need to add on ingredients in a certain order to your mixer (which should always be turning), following some practical advice.

You just need to follow the tips I list below to make this simple cake the best you have ever made.

Some Tips To Make This a Super Moist Cake

First off you should cream the eggs and sugar: it takes about 10 minutes. You should mix until the eggs and sugar have grown in volume, changed its color to a pale yellow and change its texture.

I use an electric mixer, but you can also do this by hand. It will take a little longer. Patience. This is the first key to success.

The second secret is related to heavy cream. I have discovered that if you add the cream once it already been whipped to the batter you end up with a very moist lemon cake. If you do not feel like doing this extra step, no big deal. You can always add the cream to the egg/sugar mixture before they have reached that pale-yellow colour and mix for 8 extra minutes. If you can, the effort pays off.

The third key to a super moist cake is butter related, obviously. You should add the melted butter, slightly warm but not hot.

And to make things even better, let your lemon cake batter rest in the mould for an hour before baking.

A Word On The Lemon Zest

Lemon zest or peel should be added to the batter freshly grated. This way it will not dry up and lose all its flavour, and your cake will be super zesty.

You can keep your lemon zest fresh by grating it directly over the batter when it needs to be incorporated. Or you can grate it when you prepare and weight all the other ingredients. In this case, grate over parchment paper and then wrap the lemon zest with it.

Baking Tips

Whenever I mention baking/cooking times in this blog, it is an approximation. Do not forget. So, the 45-minute baking time to be taken with care. The baking time will be determined by the oven you have and by the size of the mould you chose to bake your lemon pound cake in.

So, if you decide to bake mini lemon cakes, baking time will be shorter. The important thing to take into consideration: the cake is ready if golden and set.

When you think your cake is ready, insert a skewer at the centre. If it comes out clean, then your lemon cake is ready. If it has crumb stuck to it, it needs to go back in the oven.

Finally, do not open the oven during the first stages of baking. Your cake will end up with a crater at the centre. To test with the skewer, wait at least until it has risen properly, and it is golden.

A note about the lemon glaze

You will notice that powdered sugar absorbs a lot of liquid. So maybe you might have to adjust quantities. I suggest you add in the lemon juice to the powdered sugar slowly.

The amount of lemon juice you will use, will depend on the glaze consistency you are looking for. If you like your icing dense, then you will not be adding all the juice. I sometimes like it on the liquid side, which will give a nice effect on the cake, I use a little more juice in this case.

Make the lemon glaze however you like it best!

Storage tips

This cake keeps at room temperature for 3 to 4 days.

Once it has been sliced, cover the crumb with plastic wrap to keep the cake moist.

Freezer instructions

It freezes super well. Once it has completely cooled down, cover in film wrap, several times and then place in a freezer bag or container. It keeps for up to a month.

To defrost: remove from freezer and let it sit, wrapped, at room temperature overnight. Glaze and enjoy!

How to make ahead

This loaf pound cake can be made ahead:

• Make the batter, don't forget the fresh lemon zest!
• Fill the loaf cake pan.
• Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight and up to 36 hours.
• Let it sit 30/45 minutes at room temperature before baking.
• Bake following the recipe instructions.