Old-Fashioned Lemon Curd Glazed Pound Cake

 

 

There is something wonderfully comforting about a simple lemon cake, and this Lemon Curd Glazed Pound Cake delivers everything a lemon lover could want.  Rich and buttery with a moist, tender crumb, it's infused with fresh lemon zest and juice, then finished with a glossy coating of tangy lemon curd that soaks into the warm cake.

Easy to make and bursting with bright citrus flavours, this old-fashioned cake is perfect for afternoon tea, weekend baking, or whenever you're craving a little slice of sunshine!

 

I don't think you can ever have such a thing as too many lemon cake recipes do you?  That's why when I saw this recipe for a Lemon Curd Glazed Pound Cake, I immediately bookmarked it to bake at some future date. Lemon curd is something that I always have in my refrigerator or larder and I am always looking for ways to use it. In all truth I love the stuff so much that I could eat it by the spoonful.  True that.

This cake is flavoured with both lemon zest and lemon juice in the batter. I like to employ Dorie Greenspan's method of rubbing the lemon zest together with the sugar when making a cake to really help bring out and enhance the natural oils of a lemon.  Fresh is always best when it comes to lemon juice as well.

The original cake made a full Bundt sized cake. I did not need a big cake like that so I cut the recipe in half to make a loaf pan sized cake. Oddly enough it took longer to bake then the original, but that's okay. All ovens are different. 

The lemon curd glaze is applied while the baked cake is still warm. It is all gooey and sticky and gorgeous.  This is a cake you will want to eat with a knife and fork, unless you don't mind sticky fingers!

We loved this cake. The texture was lovely. Not quite as dense as my normal pound cake, but nice all the same. It actually tastes even better on the second day, but that is often the way with cakes like this. If you only have time to bake one cake this week, you really can't go wrong with this one!

 

INGREDIENTS NEEDED

TO MAKE

🍋LEMON CURD GLAZED POUND CAKE🍋

Except for the lemon curd you probably have everything you need in the house to make this today.  (However, if you are like me 😉 you will have the lemon curd too!)

• 1/2 cup (115g) butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup (190g) granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups (180g) all purpose, plain flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup (120ml) whole milk, room temperature
• 1/2 TBS freshly grated lemon zest
• 1 TBS lemon juice
• lemon curd to glaze (3 to 4 TBS)

🍋INGREDIENTS NOTES🍋 

Butter

Using room temperature butter helps it cream properly with the sugar, creating a light, tender crumb. I always use salted butter, but you can use unsalted if you wish.

Granulated Sugar

Sugar sweetens the cake while also helping to create a moist texture and beautiful golden colour during baking. In the U.K. I recommend using caster sugar. I like to rub the lemon zest into the sugar to help enhance the lemon flavours.

Eggs

Room temperature eggs blend more easily into the batter, helping to create a smoother mixture and a more even rise.

All-purpose Plain Flour

Regular flour provides the perfect structure for this cake. Be sure to measure carefully for best results and avoid a heavy cake. (Spoon into the cup and level off with a straight edge.)

Baking Powder

A small amount of baking powder gives the cake a little lift, keeping it light while still maintaining that classic pound cake texture.

Salt

Don't skip the salt. It enhances all of the flavors and balances the sweetness beautifully.

Whole Milk

Whole milk adds moisture and richness. Let it come to room temperature before using it so it blends smoothly into the batter.

Fresh Lemon Zest and Juice

The zest contains the lemon's fragrant oils and provides the brightest, freshest lemon flavours. I rub it into the sugar to really bring out the oils. Freshly squeezed juice gives the cake a lovely tangy note that complements the sweet crumb and enhances the lemon flavour.

Lemon Curd

This is the finishing touch. Brushing lemon curd over the baked cake while it is still warm adds extra moisture, sweetness, and an intense burst of lemon flavours. Homemade or a good quality store-bought lemon curd both work well. I have a great homemade recipe here. 

 

HOW TO MAKE LEMON CURD

🍋GLAZED POUND CAKE🍋

This is a very easy make and goes together very quickly, especially if you have all of your ingredients ready to go before you start.

1. Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C/ gas mark 4. Butter a 9 by 5 inch loaf tin and line it with baking paper, leaving an overhang so you can lift the finished cake out. (I use baking parchment that I get from Costco. Kirkland brand. I only leave an overhand on the long sides of the loaf tin)
2. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt together in a bowl. Set aside. (This ensures that the the baking powder gets evenly distributed.)
3. Rub the lemon zest into the sugar until it gets really fresh and fragrant. (This is a tip to really enhance the lemon flavors.)
4. Using an electric hand whisk beat the butter and sugar together until the mixture is light and fluffy. (about 3 to 4 minutes) (This also helps to break down the sugar.)
5. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, making sure each one is thoroughly incorporated. (Make sure one is incorporated before adding the second one.)
6. Add the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture, alternating with the milk, making three dry and two wet additions. (Do not over beat.)
7. Fold in the lemon juice until combined.
8. Spread the batter in the prepared pan, smoothing over the top.
9. Bake in the preheated oven for about 55 minutes until risen, golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. (Start checking about five to ten minutes before the end of the cook time. Mine took 55 minutes.)
10. Leave in the tin to cool for 10 minutes, then lift out onto a wire rack to finish cooling.
11. While the cake is still quite warm spoon the lemon curd on top and spread it out with the back of a metal spoon to cover the cake. Leave to cool completely before serving. (This makes a lovely sticky, tart/sweet glaze.)

 

 

🍋HINTS & TIPS FOR CAKE BAKING SUCCESS🍋 

• Try to have all of your ingredients at the same temperature, which usually means room temperature.
• Measure accurately. Baking is an exact science and guess work doesn't work here.
• When measuring flour, spoon it into the cup measure and then level off the top with a straight edge.
• Read the recipe through several times prior to beginning and get out any equipment you are going to need to prepare the recipe.
• Preheat the oven.
• Have all of your ingredients measured, prepped and ready to go before starting. This can keep you from leaving out an integral part of any recipe.
• Baking by weight is a much more accurate method to use as a gram is always a gram, but cups can often vary in size.
• If baking by using cups use dry cups (usually metal or plastic without graded or spouted measurements) for dry ingredients and liquid measuring cups (usually clear glass with a spout for pouring) for wet ingredients. 

 

🍋WHY YOU WILL LOVE THIS CAKE🍋

Perfect Lemon Flavours

Lemon and butter come together perfectly in this deliciously moist cake.

Ease of Preparation

This cake goes together very quickly and easily. Especially if you have everything assembled prior to beginning.

Classic

Pound cake is a classic cake with a beautiful texture that everyone loves. This is an especially lovely moist and delicious version. Try serving it with some fresh berries for a special dessert.

🍋HOW TO STORE THIS CAKE🍋

 

This cake will keep for at least three days at room temperature. Refrigerate for longer storage. You can also freeze this cake for up to three months. For freezing don't glaze. Simply wrap tightly in cling film and then foil.  Label and date.

  

🍋A FEW MORE LEMON CAKE RECIPES TO ENJOY🍋 

Here are a few more lemon lemon cakes that I bake that you might also enjoy!

SQUIDGY LEMON CAKE - A simple, old-fashioned cake with a soft, buttery crumb and bright fresh lemon flavour. Nice dollops of lemon curd are dropped on top and swirled into the cake prior to baking. All of that lovely lemon curd sinks down into the cake, creating moist pockets of deeply flavoured lemon crumb that positively make your cheeks ache with lemon joy!  A simple lemon glace icing finishes off the baked cake to perfection.

LEMON BUTTERMILK CAKE - A delicious loaf cake with a beautiful dense moist texture and full on lemon flavours. Buttermilk keeps it especially moist and adds a bit of a tang. This one is also glazed and goes beautifully with fresh blackberries. Lemon. Buttermilk. A beautiful combination.

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Yield: one 9 by 5 inch loaf

Author: Marie Rayner

Lemon Curd Glazed Pound Cake

Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 55 MinTotal time: 1 H & 5 M

A moist, delicious pound cake with a tender crumb, mild lemon flavour and sticky lemon curd glaze.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup (115g) butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup (190g) granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups (180g) all purpose, plain flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup (120ml) whole milk, room temperature
• 1/2 TBS freshly grated lemon zest
• 1 TBS lemon juice
• lemon curd to glaze (3 to 4 TBS)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C/ gas mark 4. Butter a 9 by 5 inch loaf tin and line it with baking paper, leaving an overhang so you can lift the finished cake out.
2. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt together in a bowl. Set aside.
3. Rub the lemon zest into the sugar until it gets really fresh and fragrant.
4. Using an electric hand whisk beat the butter and sugar together until the mixture is light and fluffy. (about 3 to 4 minutes)
5. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, making sure each one is thoroughly incorporated.
6. Add the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture, alternating with the milk, making three dry and two wet additions. Do not over beat.
7. Fold in the lemon juice until combined.
8. Spread the batter in the prepared pan, smoothing over the top.
9. Bake in the preheated oven for about 55 minutes until risen, golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
10. Leave in the tin to cool for 10 minutes, then lift out onto a wire rack to finish cooling.
11. While the cake is still quite warm spoon the lemon curd on top and spread it out with the back of a metal spoon to cover the cake. Leave to cool completely before serving.

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