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June 9, 2011

Lemon-Drenched Lemon Cake

I just threw cake at my computer screen.  Actually it was aimed at weather.com.

Just a tiny piece, then I ate it. Cake is good. Wasting cake is bad. No need to be a cake wasting lunatic… but the weather has me going crazy.

The forecast for tomorrow is 100 degrees… yes, 100; it is June, right?
ridic.



I’ve made some clever plans to combat this heat storm- you should join me!

I’m making my room into an igloo (via AC, eskimo slippers, and one heck of an imagination), and calling out of life for the day.

It’s like a snow day for Summer, ya know?

Instead of stocking up on the winter storm list of eggs, cereal, and rum: I’ve got the freezer loaded with popsicles, half a pound cake, and rum.

Dexter season 3 is loaded and ready for my viewing pleasure.

So that’s a good 9 hours of amazing right there. Are you in?! Say you are!



In all seriousness, who the heck has any business strolling around when it’s 100 freakin’ degrees out there? That kind of heat takes my hair and makeup to levels of scary no one should ever see. Ever.
I was home schooled; I blame this for my altered justification process.

Let’s talk lemon pound cake covered in lemon sugary syrup.

I made this heavenly soft cake on Monday, and it was instant love. There is only a tiny chunk of this sweet loaf left. It’s been breakfast, lunch and midnight snacks, a great multi- meal cake.

Cake+Coffee= the breakfast of champions.

Champion of what is totally your call.

This cake has everything I desire in a lemon pound cake… and I’m a bit high maintenance when it comes to this one.

Soft crumb coat? check
Moist inner loaf? check
Just enough light lemon flavor? yup
Topped with the sweetest lemon sugar syrup your mouth has every experienced? Yeah. Get on this now.

I know everyone can take a heat day  off from life, but you can definitely make a pound cake right? Especially one that checks all the right boxes?

Good, I knew you were decent people.

Lemon-Drenched Lemon Pound Cake- Adapted from Dorie Greenspan Via Joy The Baker

For the Cakes:

2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

pinch of salt

2 1/3 cups sugar

1/2 plump, moist vanilla bean, split lengthwise, seeds scraped out and reserved, or 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

6 large eggs, preferably at room temperature

2/3 cups heavy cream

zest of two lemons, finely grated

1 stick, plus 7 Tablespoons (15 Tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

For the syrup:

1/3 cup water

1/4 cup sugar

juice of two lemons

Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter two 8 1/2-4 1/2-inch loaf pans, dust the insides with flour and tap out the excess. Even if the pans are nonstick, it?s a good idea to butter and flour them. Place the pans on an insulated baking sheet or on two regular sheets stacked one on top of the other.

Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt.

Put the sugar and the lemon zest in a large bowl, working with your fingers, rub them together until the sugar is moist and thoroughly imbued with the fragrance of lemon. Add the vanilla bean seeds and work them into the sugar. If you are using vanilla extract, add it later, after you have added the eggs.

Add the eggs and whisk them into the sugar, beating until they are thoroughly incorporated. Whisk in the extract (if using), then whisk in the cream. Continuing with the whisk, or switching to a large rubber spatula, gently stir in the dry ingredients in 3 or 4 additions; the batter will be smooth and thick. Finish by folding in the melted butter in 2 or 3 additions. Pour batter into the pans and smooth with a rubber spatula.
Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean.

Making the syrup: Stir the water and sugar together in a medium saucepan over medium heat until the sugar melts, then bring to a boil

Remove the pan from heat and stir in the lemon juice. Pour the syrup into a heatproof bowl and let cool.
When the cakes test done, transfer them to a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes before unmolding them and turning them right side up on the rack. Place the rack over a baking sheet lined with wax paper and, using a thin skewer, cake tester or thin-bladed sharp knife, poke holes all over the cakes. Brush the cakes all over with the syrup, working slowly so that the cakes sop it up. Leave the cakes on the rack to cool to room temperature.

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Filed Under: Cakes

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Gina @ Running to the Kitchen says

    June 9, 2011 at 6:09 am

    I will take this insane heat any day over winter and frigid temperatures! Lemon + cake is just a perfect match. I used to suck lemons dry as a kid. I kinda like them 🙂

    Reply
  2. Cooking Creation says

    June 9, 2011 at 11:48 am

    The weather is ridiculous! I laughed out loud when you said you ate the cake after it had been on your computer screen! The cake looks delicious! Thanks for sharing 🙂

    Reply
  3. yummy supper says

    June 9, 2011 at 1:14 pm

    What is not to love about that tasty cake….Moist, lemony, yummy! Only problem with your post is that is made me too hungry;)
    -Erin
    P.S.I dig your writing. It cracked me up!

    Reply
    • bakerbynature says

      June 9, 2011 at 2:25 pm

      Not a problem if you make yourself a delish cake!

      Reply
  4. Cheryl Barker says

    June 9, 2011 at 1:38 pm

    Sounds and looks very yummy. Cake for breakfast makes perfect sense to me! 🙂

    By the way, I loved that you used the word “ridic”. I say that, too, and my family always teases me about it 🙂

    Reply
    • bakerbynature says

      June 9, 2011 at 2:25 pm

      gahhhh I love saying redic haha

      Reply
  5. Grace @ Balancing Me says

    June 9, 2011 at 1:45 pm

    Ooooh, pound cake and coffee sounds so good right now. (I think my body is screaming for coffee this morning and I just haven’t given it any yet.) I don’t know if it’s your incredible photo-taking skills or how amazing that cake actually is (likely both), but I am dying for that cake right now! I wish I actually knew you in person so I could be your “taste-tester” …. hahaha.

    Happy Thursday!

    Reply
    • bakerbynature says

      June 9, 2011 at 2:26 pm

      I may need a taste tester soon… the elastic in these yoga pants is at it’s final strecthing point I believe.

      Reply
  6. Lauren at Keep It Sweet says

    June 9, 2011 at 9:15 pm

    That cake looks so moist and the lemon is just perfect for summer!

    Reply
  7. lynn @ the actor's diet says

    June 10, 2011 at 1:29 am

    ha! i love the bame of this cake

    Reply
    • lynn @ the actor's diet says

      June 10, 2011 at 1:29 am

      er, name…

      Reply
      • bakerbynature says

        June 10, 2011 at 1:33 am

        bame name it’s all the same!

        Reply
  8. megan {a dash of megnut} says

    June 11, 2011 at 1:18 am

    you are too funny!! i loved reading this post. and lemon is my absolute favorite flavor so i cannot wait to give this a try!

    Reply
    • bakerbynature says

      June 11, 2011 at 4:00 pm

      I love lemon too! Give this a try; not bad with ice cream on top.

      Reply
  9. Kate (What Kate is Cooking) says

    June 11, 2011 at 2:32 am

    I am such a sucker for lemon flavored baked goods- this looks divine!

    I’ll take a tiny bit of that heat. It’s hardly 70 degrees here in California! We have cool summers and hot autumns 🙁

    Reply
  10. Roxana GreenGirl says

    June 11, 2011 at 4:01 am

    I love lemon cakes. about a year ago had my first lemon dessert and fell in love with its taste. never thought before lemons could be used in desserts.
    your cake sounds and looks delicious, thanks for sharing

    happy weekend

    Reply
  11. sheila @ Elements says

    June 11, 2011 at 5:09 am

    Your pictures are killing me ! Your cake looks so good!! We’ve had many, many days over 100 degrees here. We’ve been enjoying being at the pool, but playing tennis in this heat has been crazy. It’s fun, but I’m telling you, we were both just dripping wet and couldn’t get enough to drink. I’m not complainin’ though. I love summer! And lemon cake on a hot summer day would certainly hit the spot! 🙂

    Reply
    • bakerbynature says

      June 11, 2011 at 3:57 pm

      Ah, I wish I had a pool!!!

      Reply
  12. Lisa @ Sweet as Sugar Cookies says

    June 12, 2011 at 8:08 am

    Your pictures are just stunning and that pound cake looks so moist and dense. I have a sweet treat linky party going on at my blog and I’d love it if you’d come by and link your cake up. http://sweet-as-sugar-cookies.blogspot.com/2011/06/sweets-for-saturday-21.html

    Reply
  13. Maria @ Scandifoodie says

    June 15, 2011 at 7:11 am

    I love citrusy desserts, this cake is right up my alley!

    Reply
  14. Hollis says

    March 8, 2016 at 10:56 pm

    Hi Ashley, is this pound cake adaptable to making it a bundt cake> It seems by the ingredients could work but would love your opinion. Thanks

    Reply
    • bakerbynature says

      March 10, 2016 at 5:49 pm

      Hi Hollis. While I’ve never tried converting this recipe into a bundt cake, I think it would likely work just fine. You will need to adjust the baking time since a bundt will likely take longer to bake. I’d love to hear your results if you give it a try 🙂

      Reply
      • Hollis M says

        March 19, 2016 at 10:02 pm

        Hi Ashley, I’m pleased to report that the conversion of your adaptation of Joy The Baker’s wonderful lemon cake to a bundt cake was a success. The only difference is I lowered the temperature to 325 and baked it for 60 minutes and did not add the syrup but made an glaze, it was too dense at first which is why the added time to make it flaker was perfect. Thanks as always!

        Reply

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Meet Ashley

Hey! I’m Ashley, a creative spirit with a major sweet tooth. Most days you can find me in my happy place: the kitchen. If I’m not there, I’m probably snapping photos of food, planning a party… or dreaming about my next trip to Paris (AKA my favorite place in the entire world). I’m a story teller, recipe developer, and photographer who firmly believes that a homemade life is a happy life. Learn More.

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