Limoncello Pound Cake | Made From Scratch
A tender, buttery, infused with fresh lemon zest and glazed in a bright limoncello glaze. The result is a moist, fragrant cake with a delicate citrus kick and a soft, melt-in-your-mouth crumb, perfect for dessert, brunch, or an afternoon coffee break.
Servings 12 people
Ingredients
For the cake
- 3 Cups (360g) Unbleached All-purpose flour
- 3 teaspoons Baking powder
- 3/4 Cup (180ml) Sour cream or milk at room temperature
- 1/4 Cup (60ml) Limoncello liquor
- 1 tablespoon Lemon juice (juice of half a lemon)
- 4 Large Eggs, at room temperature
- Zest of two lemons
- 1 Cup (225g) Unsalted butter, soft
- 1/3 Cup (80ml) Olive oil or vegetable oil
- 1 3/4 Cups (350g) Sugar
For the glaze
- 1 Cup (120g) Powdered sugar
- 2-4 Tablespoons Limoncello liquor or lemon juice
Instructions
Make the cake
- Preheat the cake to 350F (180C) and grease one 10-cup bundt pan.
- Mix the flour (360g), and baking powder (3 teaspoons), in a medium bowl.
- Mix the sour cream (180ml), lemon juice (1 tablespoon), and liquor (60ml) in a large measuring cup.
- Use a fork to run the lemon zest into the sugar (350g).
- At medium-high speed, beat the sugar with the butter (225g)until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl.
- With the mixer on, slowly drizzle the oil (80ml) and mix to incorporate. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl.
- With the mixer at medium-high speed, add the eggs (total 4), one at a time, waiting for each egg to completely incorporate before adding the next.
- Reduce speed to low, and add the flour mixture in three additions alternating with the wet ingredients. No need to wait for the flour to fully incorporate, this step should not take more than 20 seconds.
- Once you add the last portion of the flour, turn the mixer off and use a rubber spatula to finish mixing.
- Fill the prepared pan with the cake batter and bake over the middle oven rack for 50-55 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out from the center of the cake with a few moist crumbs.
- Remove from the oven and allow the cake to cook in the pan for 15-20 minutes, then invert it into a wire rack.
Make the glaze
- Measure the powdered sugar (125) in a medium bowl, then mix in the liquor one tablespoon at a time until it reaches the desired consistency.
- Drizzle the glaze over the chilled cake and serve.
Notes
- It is essential that all of the ingredients are at room temperature and that a kitchen scale is used for best results.
- To replace the sour cream with buttermilk, use 150g buttermilk (2/3 cup minus 1 tablespoon)
- This recipe yields one ten-cup bundt pan or two 8, or 9-inch loaf pans lined with parchment paper.
- Brush additional limoncello simple syrup over the cooled cake before serving for a more intense limoncello flavor.
- Garnish the cake with fresh lemon peels or zest for an extra citrus flavor.
- If you don't have limoncello, you can substitute it with lemon juice or extract, although the flavor profile will differ slightly.