Limoncello Lemon Pound Cake (Printable)

A moist citrus pound cake infused with limoncello, finished with a tangy lemon glaze.

# Components:

→ Pound Cake

01 - 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
03 - 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
04 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
05 - 2 cups granulated sugar
06 - 4 large eggs, room temperature
07 - 1/3 cup limoncello liqueur
08 - 1/4 cup whole milk, room temperature
09 - 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
10 - Zest of 2 lemons
11 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

→ Lemon Glaze

12 - 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
13 - 2 to 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
14 - 1 tablespoon limoncello liqueur
15 - Zest of 1 lemon for garnish

# Method:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 9 by 5-inch loaf pan or bundt pan.
02 - In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, approximately 3 to 4 minutes.
04 - Beat in eggs one at a time, ensuring each is fully incorporated before adding the next.
05 - Mix in limoncello, milk, lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla extract until combined.
06 - Gradually add flour mixture to wet ingredients, mixing just until incorporated. Do not overmix.
07 - Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth the top surface.
08 - Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. If the top browns too quickly, tent with foil after 40 minutes.
09 - Cool the cake in the pan for 15 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
10 - In a small bowl, whisk powdered sugar with 2 tablespoons lemon juice and limoncello, adding additional lemon juice as needed for a pourable consistency.
11 - Drizzle glaze over cooled cake and garnish with lemon zest. Allow glaze to set before slicing.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The limoncello keeps the crumb impossibly moist while adding a sophisticated boozy warmth that regular lemon cakes can't touch.
  • It's elegant enough to bring to a spring dinner party but casual enough to slice for coffee on a random Tuesday morning.
  • One cake feeds a crowd, and somehow it tastes even better the next day when the flavors have had time to settle.
02 -
  • Don't skip cooling the cake completely before glazing—a warm cake will melt the glaze right off, and you'll end up with a puddle at the bottom of your cake plate instead of a beautiful glossy finish.
  • The alcohol in the limoncello doesn't completely burn off during baking, which is what makes the texture so moist and what gives the cake that subtle warming finish that regular lemon cakes don't have.
03 -
  • Room temperature ingredients are your secret weapon here—a cold egg or cold milk will cause the batter to seize up and look curdled, which affects the final texture even if the cake still bakes okay.
  • Don't judge the cake by how it looks in the pan—it rises and sets as it cools, so something that seems a tiny bit underbaked when you pull it out will be perfect by the time it reaches room temperature.
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