Lemon Pound Cake

I was up early this morning and decided I was going to bake something before leaving for work.   Did a search on Foodgawker and found an appealilng  photo of a Lighter Airy Pound Cake.  The photo and recipe were posted on Eat My Cake blog.

The original recipe which makes two cakes was posted by the New York Times. This is the recipe that I used.  I made one large loaf and two small loaves.   I also made a lemon glaze using the juice from one lemon and powdered sugar.

This cake has a nice texture but it is more time consuming to put together than similar cakes because the egg whites are beaten separately from the yolks.  I actually prefer my regular lemon loaf recipe over  James Beard's.

Jame Beard's Pound Cake
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New York Times
Adapted from Beard on Food.

Note: I made a glaze from the juice of one lemon and icing sugar (Powdered sugar) and drizzled it over the still warm cakes. 


1 pound (4 sticks) butter, at room temperature, plus more for greasing the pan
3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting the pan
1 teaspoon baking powder
Salt
8 large eggs, separated
1 3/4 cups sugar
2 tablespoons Cognac
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest.

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a tube pan. Sift the flour onto waxed paper and then spoon it gently back into the sifter, adding the baking powder and a good pinch of salt. Sift the mixture twice more, each time spooning it lightly into the sifter.

2. Using an electric mixer, whip the egg whites until they hold soft peaks and then gradually beat in 1 cup of the sugar, 2 tablespoons at a time. Transfer to a bowl.

3. Fit the electric mixer with a paddle attachment and cream the butter until light and fluffy. Beat in the remaining 3/4 cup sugar until fluffy. Beat in the egg yolks until light and lemon-colored and then add the Cognac and zest.

4. Gradually fold the sifted flour mixture into the butter-egg mixture. Fold in the beaten egg whites just until the batter is smooth. Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake in the oven for 1 hour or until a toothpick pierced in the center comes up clean. Makes 1 cake.




 This recipe is my standard lemon loaf cake.  One I have been making for over 20 years.

Lemon - Glazed Lemon Loaf with Rum
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Toronto Star Early 1980's
Note:  This cake is also nice with the addition of poppyseeds.

4 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
2/3 cups melted butter
1 1/2 cups milk
Grated zest of a lemon
3 tablespoons baking powder
1 3/4 cups cup sugar
4 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup rum
1 tablespoon real vanilla

Lemon Glaze

4 tablespoons icing sugar (powdered)
2 tablespoons rum
2 tablespoons lemon juice
.
Preheat oven to 350°F.  Light grease 2 large loaf pans or a combination of large and mini.

Into large mixing bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, salt and sugar.  In separate bowl, blend butter, eggs, milk, rum, lemon zest and vanilla.  Add the liquid ingredients all at once into dry ingredients.
Blend just until moistened.  Turn into prepared pans and tap pan to smooth out mixture.

Bake 60 to 65 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into centre comes out clean.  Let cool slightly in pan, and then remove and place on a wire rack to cool.  Poke top in several places with a toothpick and
brush with lemon glaze while still warm.

Glaze
Blend ingredients until sugar is dissolved.

Click here for Printable Recipe