Rich and Tender Limoncello Pound Cake

Lemon and orange pound cakes have long been part of our kitchens and feel almost like family. This version came to life after I had some limoncello left over from making my Limoncello Tiramisu, inspiring me to bake something simple, unfussy, yet rich and festive.

The limoncello adds another layer of lemony flavor and its high acidic value, it balances the sweetness while creating a tender short crumb.

Key Ingredients

The complete recipe is at the bottom of this post in the recipe card, including measurements. I listed below the key ingredients, and substitutions when possible.

• Unbleached All-purpose flour. It is the best type of flour for the job, it has the ability to soak in the moisture and retain it during baking increasing the moist texture of the cake.
• Unsalted butter softened, and Olive oil. A combination of flavor and texture: while the butter provides an airy texture from being creamed with the sugar and its unique, unmistakable flavor, the olive oil adds extra moistness and a hint of Italian flair that complements the limoncello.
• Sour cream at room temperature. You can replace it with buttermilk, but keep in mind that sour cream is rich in fat and you the cake will bake slightly lighter and less rich. See recipe notes for amounts.
• Limoncello liqueur. A homemade limoncello is ok. You can replace the limoncello liqueur and replace it with lemon juice for the cake and syrup. However, remember that the distinct limoncello flavor will be missing. Feel free to experiment with other citrus liqueurs, such as orange or grapefruit, if you prefer. Just adjust the amount to your taste preference.
• Lemon juice, and lemon zest. What give the cake its zesty bright lemony flavor. Especially the lemon juice.

Make The Cake

The best part about this cake is that is it a homemade, made from scratch cake, which gives it extra points. This is a pound cake and its made is a simple few steps, below are the step-by-step images for your reference. The secret for the success of the cake is not in the fact mixer of high end oven, it is in the mixing process and paying attention to the following:

• All of the ingredients must be at room temperature: the butter, eggs, sour cream, lemon juice and limoncello. Ingredients with an uneven temperature or cold ingredients will not mix into a cohesive batter and the cake wil bake short, dense, and chewy.
• Use a rubber spatula to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl as you go and gather any un mixed ingredients.
• Once you add the last portion of the flour, use a rubber spatula to mix it into the batter. It will prevent over mixing.
• Use any bunt cake you like, the secret is to make sure the batter does not go above 3/4 full. If too full, the cake will compress and bake dense and heavy.
• Allow the cake to cool in the pan until the pan is warm and easy to touch before inverting it. If inverting too fast it might collapse, and if cooled completely in the pan, it might stick to the pan.

Serving ideas

• If you don’t have limoncello, you can substitute it with lemon juice.
• Serve the cake as individual slices topped with lemon curd, whipped cream, or mascarpone frosting. 
• Kids can enjoy this cake, since the alcohol evaporates during baking. Make sure to use lemon juice for the glaze when serving to kids.

Storing and Freezing

Store any leftover Limoncello Cake in an airtight container at room temperature for 5 days.

You can freeze the cake for up to three months, wrap it with plastic wrap, place it in a plastic bag (or aluminum foil), and freeze it. When ready, remove it from the freezer, unwrap it, and allow it to reach room temperature.