1 1/2cupsall-purpose flourspooned into a measuring cup and leveled off with a knife
1/2teaspoonbaking powder
1/2teaspoonsalt
1Tablespoonlemon zest
1cupunsalted buttertwo sticks, at room temperature
1cupgranulated sugar
3largeeggsat room temperature
1/2cupsour creamat room temperature
1teaspoonvanilla extract
1lemonjuiced
Icing
1cuppowdered sugarsifted
2Tablespoonslemon juice
1Tablespoonheavy whipping cream
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350°F and spray an 8×4 inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and lemon zest; set aside.
Using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment beat the butter until creamy, about 1 minute.
Add the sugar and beat for 2 minutes until creamed, scraping down the sides of the bowl.
Turn the mixer down to low speed and slowly add the eggs one at a time. Turn off the mixer.
Add the sour cream, vanilla extract, and lemon juice. Beat on medium speed until combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.TIP - The mixture may look curdled before adding the flour to the batter. This is normal and it will smooth itself out after you mix in the flour.
Slowly add in the flour mixture and mix until just combined. Avoid overmixing the batter.
Evenly spread the batter in the greased loaf pan and bake for 50-65 minutes.
Set the cake on a cooling rack and allow it to cool completely before icing.
For The Icing
Add all of the icing ingredients to a medium size mixing bowl and whisk until thick and pourable.
Pour the glaze over the top of the cake. Let the cake sit for about 30 minutes to 1 hour to allow the glaze to set. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
Ensure all ingredients are at room temperature before you begin.
You will need two whole lemons to create this recipe. Sometimes it's even safer to grab 3 just in case one of the lemons doesn't yield enough juice. Fresh is best, I wouldn't recommend bottled lemon juice. A microplane grater works really well for zesting the lemon and a handheld lemon squeezer does wonders for juicing. If you really want to take the lemon flavor further, you can substitute the vanilla extract with lemon extract.
Properly measuring your flour is the key to success when it comes to baking. To do so, measure your flour using the scoop and sweep method. Aerate the flour with a spoon, then scoop the flour into a measuring cup until it is slightly overflowing. Then, take the flat end of a butter knife and gently sweep it across the top to level it. Never scoop flour straight from the bag and do not tap the measuring cup to pack in the flour. Doing either of those two things is typically the main culprit for dry, dense baked goods – which we definitely don’t want.
STORING - Leftover lemon pound cake can be stored in an airtight container or wrapped in plastic wrap at room temperature for up to 7 days.
FREEZING - Wrap the fully cooled cake or leftover slices a couple of times in plastic wrap and store in an air-tight container or large ziptop bag. Freeze for up to 3 months and thaw overnight on the countertop before serving.