Limoncello Pound Cake Lemon (Printable)

A moist pound cake infused with Limoncello and finished with a tangy lemon glaze for refreshing flavor.

# Components:

→ Pound Cake

01 - 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2 tsp baking powder
03 - ½ tsp salt
04 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
05 - 2 cups granulated sugar
06 - 4 large eggs, room temperature
07 - 1 tbsp finely grated lemon zest
08 - ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
09 - ⅓ cup Limoncello liqueur
10 - 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
11 - ½ cup whole milk, room temperature

→ Lemon Glaze

12 - 1 ½ cups powdered sugar, sifted
13 - 2–3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
14 - 1 tbsp Limoncello liqueur, optional
15 - 1 tsp finely grated lemon zest

# Method:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 10-cup Bundt pan or standard loaf pan, ensuring all surfaces are evenly coated.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt until evenly distributed. Set aside.
03 - In a large bowl, cream the softened butter and granulated sugar together using an electric mixer until light and fluffy, approximately 3–4 minutes.
04 - Add eggs one at a time to the butter mixture, beating thoroughly after each addition. Mix in the lemon zest, lemon juice, Limoncello liqueur, and vanilla extract until well combined.
05 - Alternate adding the flour mixture and milk to the batter in three additions, starting and ending with flour. Mix until just combined, avoiding overmixing.
06 - Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for 50–55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center emerges clean.
07 - Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack to cool completely.
08 - Whisk together the powdered sugar, lemon juice, Limoncello if desired, and lemon zest until smooth and pourable.
09 - Drizzle the glaze over the cooled cake and allow it to set before slicing.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It stays impossibly moist for days, getting even better as the flavors deepen and marry together.
  • The tang from fresh lemon juice and zest cuts through the richness in a way that feels almost sophisticated, like you didn't just pull it from your own oven.
02 -
  • Room temperature ingredients are not optional—cold eggs and butter will curdle your batter and create a grainy, separated mess instead of a smooth, silky base.
  • The moment you see flour in the mixer, stop beating; one extra five seconds of mixing can turn a tender cake into a tough brick because gluten develops fast once flour and liquid meet.
03 -
  • If your glaze drips off before setting, let the cake cool in a cool room or even the refrigerator for 20 minutes to firm up the crumb before glazing.
  • A microplane zester creates the finest, most aromatic zest and makes the texture of your finished cake noticeably finer and more elegant than a standard box grater.
Return