Limoncello Pound Cake Lemon (Printable)

Moist, zesty pound cake infused with Limoncello, finished with a bright 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)

# Directions:

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

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It's the rare cake that feels fancy enough for company but approachable enough to make on a Tuesday when you need comfort food.
  • The Limoncello lifts everything beyond ordinary lemon cake—it's complex, slightly boozy, and utterly addictive in a way that keeps people asking for slices days later.
  • One batch yields enough for a small gathering or enough for you to enjoy it throughout the week with your morning coffee.
02 -
  • Room temperature eggs and milk aren't optional—they emulsify properly into the batter, and skipping this step is the quickest way to end up with a gritty, dense cake instead of a tender one.
  • The glaze will seem too thick when you first whisk it, but it firms up as it cools, so resist the urge to add more juice—drizzle a little over the edge of the cake first to test the consistency.
03 -
  • If you can't find Limoncello or prefer not to use alcohol, substitute with additional lemon juice plus a tiny pinch of vanilla extract—it won't be identical, but it'll still be delicious and less complex.
  • Cake flour instead of half the all-purpose flour gives you an even more delicate crumb if you want to try that variation next time.
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