Lemon Pound Cake

Continuing with the "all things lemon" theme of the last few posts today's entry is Lemon Pound Cakes based on a recipe for Orange Pound Cake from Barefoot Contessa, Ina Garten. (She and Paula Deen are just about my favorites for baking as it "all starts with a stick of butter"). Since I still have some 200 Meyer lemons ripening I convert a lot of things to lemons these days.

Just wait am only a couple of weeks away from grapefruits. I may have to start bagging them and handing them to the fruit sellers at the offramps and let them make some free money whilst disposing of my bounty.

Lemon Pound Cake

• 2 sticks butter at room temperature
• 2 c sugar
• 4 extra large eggs at room temperature
• 1/3 c grated lemon zest (about 8 large lemons)
• 3 c all purpose flour
• 1/2 t baking powder
• 1/2 t baking soda
• 1 t kosher salt
• 1/4 c fresh squeezed lemon juice
• 3/4 c buttermilk at room temperature
• 1 t pure vanilla extract

Simple Syrup

• 1/2 c fresh squeezed lemon juice
• 1/2 c sugar

Icing

• 1 c powdered sugar
• 1 1/2 t fresh squeezed lemon juice

Grease and flour two loaf pans. Line bottoms and drape 2 sides with parchment paper. Preheat oven to 350F. Cream butter and sugar, beat 5 minutes until very light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time and beat well with each addition. Fold in lemon zest.

Combine Dry ingredients and sift into seperate bowl. Combine wet ingredients. Add 1/3 of flour and beat well. Add 1/2 wet ingredients beat well. Add next 1/3 flour and beat well. Add remaining liquid and beat in well. Add the last of the flour and beat well.

Divide batter between loaf pans. Smooth tops. Bake center oven for 45 - 60 minutes until toothpick comes out dry.

While baking prepare simple syrup by bringing juice and sugar to a boil stirring until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and cool.

When cakes are done remove from oven and cool in pan for 10 minutes. At the end of the 19 minutes the cakes will be quite warm , remove them by loosening the sides and pulling parchment paper putting cake on a wire rack. Spoon over each cake 1/2 of the lemon syrup.

When cake is cooled make the glaze by whisking in lemon juice to the powdered sugar. Add additional lemon juice by drop full until it is a runny consistency. Spoon the glaze over cake until the top is covered and it begins to run down the sides of the cake.

Enjoy one, pass the other on to a friend. That's what us folks with fruit trees do. A lot.