Limoncello Lemon Pound Cake (Print Version)

Moist pound cake infused with Limoncello and topped with tangy lemon glaze, ideal for dessert or tea.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pound Cake

01 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
02 - 2 cups granulated sugar
03 - 4 large eggs, room temperature
04 - 1/4 cup Limoncello liqueur
05 - 1/4 cup whole milk, room temperature
06 - 2 tablespoons freshly grated lemon zest
07 - 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
08 - 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
09 - 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
10 - 1/2 teaspoon salt

→ Lemon Glaze

11 - 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
12 - 2 to 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
13 - 1 tablespoon Limoncello liqueur
14 - Extra lemon zest for topping, optional

# How To Make:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 9x5-inch loaf pan or bundt pan.
02 - In a large bowl, cream together softened butter and granulated sugar until pale and fluffy, approximately 3 to 4 minutes.
03 - Beat in eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition.
04 - Stir in lemon zest, Limoncello, lemon juice, and milk until combined.
05 - In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
06 - Gradually add dry ingredients to wet ingredients, mixing just until incorporated.
07 - Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth the top surface.
08 - Bake for 50 to 55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
09 - Allow cake to cool in pan for 15 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
10 - Whisk together sifted powdered sugar, lemon juice, and Limoncello until smooth and pourable.
11 - Drizzle glaze over cooled cake and top with extra lemon zest if desired. Allow glaze to set before slicing.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The Limoncello gives you a sophisticated edge that regular lemon cakes simply can't match, making even a weeknight dessert feel like you're serving something special.
  • It stays moist for days thanks to the liqueur and milk, so you can actually make it ahead without it turning into a hockey puck.
  • The glaze is foolproof and forgiving—too thick, add a splash of juice; too thin, dust in more powdered sugar.
02 -
  • Room temperature ingredients are not a suggestion—they're the difference between a fluffy cake and a dense brick, and I learned this the hard way on a morning when I grabbed eggs straight from the fridge.
  • Overmixing after you add the flour is the silent killer; mix just until you see no white streaks, then step away from the bowl.
  • If your lemon zest is sitting around, it loses its punch, so zest your lemons right before you make the batter.
03 -
  • If your glaze cracks or looks too thick when it hits the cake, you can gently warm it over low heat for 30 seconds and it will flow like silk.
  • Substitute half the all-purpose flour with cake flour if you want an even more delicate crumb, though the original version is already impossibly tender.
  • A microplane zester gives you finer, more fragrant zest than a box grater, and it's one of those small tools that changes how you feel about cooking citrus.
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