Limoncello Lemon Pound Cake
3 Jan
Here we are… the last day of winter break.
And then………….. dun dun dun…………. back to the rigors of school, homework, basketball, cheerleading…. my god I’m tiring myself out just thinking about.
I know, I know, get over it, right?
Well, I for one have thoroughly enjoyed the kids’ time off from school. Even though there were just a few days (ok, twist my arm – there were 4) when I wanted to bang their heads together for bickering, for the most part it’s been just great.
But alas, all good things must come to an end. And it’s a bit of a sad feeling, much like how David felt when he reached the end of this pound cake.
A few weeks ago, I got a wild hair to make a lemon pound cake, and a quick search led me to Gale Gand’s version – which, by itself is terrific, but I couldn’t resist gilding the lily and throwing in a few shots of limoncello. I think I may have been a bit too heavy handed with it, because my cake didn’t rise very much. But what it lacked in rising power it more than made up for in flavor. David declared it a winner – and that’s all I needed to know.
Limoncello Lemon Pound Cake - adapted from Gale Gand
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
8 oz. (2 sticks) butter, softened
1 cup sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup lemon juice, plus 2 or 3 tbs. of limoncello liqueur
Glaze:
1/3 cup lemon juice
1/3 cup granulated sugar
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 6-cup loaf pan and line it with parchment or waxed paper. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt.
Using an electric mixer, cream the butter and 1 cup of the sugar. With the mixer running at low speed, add the eggs one at a time, then add the vanilla.
Working in alternating batches, and mixing after each addition, add the dry ingredients and 1/4 cup of the lemon juice (along with the limoncello) to the butter mixture. Mix until just smooth.
Pour into the prepared pan and bake until raised in the center and a tester inserted into the center comes out dry and almost clean (a few crumbs are OK), 65 to 75 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the glaze: In a small saucepan, heat together the 1/3 cup sugar and the 1/3 cup lemon juice, and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from the heat and set aside.
When the cake is done, let cool in the pan 15 minutes (it will still be warm). Run a knife around the sides of the pan. Set a wire rack on a sheet pan with sides (to catch the glaze) and turn the cake out onto the rack. Peel off the waxed paper.
Using a pastry brush, spread glaze all over the top and sides of the cake and let soak in. Repeat until the entire glaze is used up, including any glaze that has dripped through onto the sheet pan. Let cool at room temperature or, wrapped in plastic wrap, in the refrigerator.
this sounds like a great twist w/the lemoncello…did you adjust the amount of lemoncello for the recipe (taking into account the rising issue)?
i really want to bake this…thanks for a reply…
we really enjoy lemon pound cakes…i regularly bake the lemon lemon loaf from the “baked:new frontiers in baking” cookbook & it is also a winner!
happy 2010!
I’m mourning the last day of break too. Tomorrow will be hard, but I’ll get over it
This cake looks delicious! My husband would love it, since he goes crazy over lemon desserts!
Tomorrow will be like a swift kick in the butt. LITERALLY. Here’s hoping Monday isn’t too brutal.
When I hear the word “limoncello”, I am always reminded of “Marcello” from “Under The Tuscan Sun”-and it makes my heart race.
This cake looks delicious!!!!
Sounds like something Warren would love as well.
I’m not looking forward to the routine starting up again tomorrow and admit that banging heads together crossed my mind a time or two as well.
I’m kind of excited for “the norm” to be back tomorrow!
I think it’s funny that David laughs at all your ccc shenanigans, but he can’t seem to get enough lemon cakes!
This looks really good and I’m sure the limoncello gives it an extra kick. I saw Ina make a lemon yogurt cake on the Barefoot Contessa this morning and have wanted lemon cake all day.
Wow Megan- look how moist the pound cake is. It looks so good. I have looked for limoncello in the markets and can’t find it. I have been wanting it for about a year now. When I finally find it, I will be stocking up
This looks delicious 
Heavy handed with the limencello is there such a thing?:) It looks wonderful, moist, delicious and I so want a piece right now with my morning hot coffee. Delicious once again!
Pound cake is supposed to be dense, I don’t know what you’re talking about. It sounds fantastic. I don’t like limoncello much on its own…and somehow I ended up with a bottle after the holidays. I sense pound cake in my future.
Yum! Lemon is my favourite, and I love that you added limoncello!
This sounds wonderful, and sounds like a great excuse to buy a bottle of limoncello!
I just got a bunch of Meyer lemons and should make this but being the first of the year,I made other commitments. Damn Diet!!! I’ll have to bookmark it!
My kids are back today and, while they definitely had some cabin fever, I am going to miss our lazy days over break. Great looking cake.
YUM. That sounds delicious. I haven’t baked with limoncello. I’ll have to do it soon…
I’ve got to share a secret about pound cake!
Slice a piece and toast it in your toaster. Serve it warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Pure heaven!
Ooh, this looks good. So moist. great addition.
OK, I have some limoncello that is crying out to be made into this cake–it looks so darn good!
I love limoncello!! Great recipe.
great idea! looks good to me!
I love anything from Gale Gand! This looks really,really good!
WOW! How delicious! You always get me with the Limoncello recipes. I want to be in Italy.
I love pound cake, lemons, and limoncello, so this one has to be a winner. And, I have 2, count ‘em, 2 bottles of limoncello in my cupboard, one from Italy, and one from right here in Ventura. Yes, they make limoncello right here, locally. Beautiful bottle, too.
This sounds great. Gale Gand has some amazing recipes.
Your pound cake looks delicious. I made my own limoncello recently and will use “just a bit” in this recipe. Also, I made preserved lemons and plan on doing some Moroccan cooking with my new tagine. Thanks for sharing.
This was a wonderful suggestion! I made it last week with my in-laws’ homemade limoncello and snacked on it for breakfast…and then again while I was making dinner most every night. The delicate flavor totally fixed this pregnant girl’s craving for alcohol without any danger. Thanks for posting!