Italian Lemon Pound Cake

I came across this recipe when I was doing the lemon drops and I decided to try it about a week ago. It did not disappoint. It was moist and full of citrus flavour, perfect for an after lunch desert.

You will need:

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/ 4 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1/ 2 cup buttermilk
1/ 2 cup of sour cream
4 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tsp. of fresh ginger, minced (optional)
Zest of 2 lemons ( about 2 tbsp.)
1 teaspoon of vanilla

Method:

Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt and set aside. In another bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Mix in the sour cream, lemon juice, vanilla, ginger, and lemon zest. Mix half of the flour mixture into the butter mixture. Mix in the buttermilk and then add in the remaining flour mixture. Mix just until the flour disappears. Pour the cake batter into a bundt pan that has been generously sprayed with baking spray or greased and floured. Bake for 70 to 80 minutes or until a knife inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean. Remove the cake from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Turn the cake over on a cake platter. Spread the lemon glaze over the warm cake so that the glaze can soak into the cake. Let the cake cool completely and drizzle the lemon cream cheese frosting over the cake.
Tips: Make home made buttermilk by using 1/ 2 cup milk and 1/ 2 tablespoon vinegar and let sit for 5 minutes. Substitute sour cream with plain yogurt if you wish.
Lemon Glaze – 1 1/ 2 cup powdered sugar, 3 tablespoon lemon juice, at room temperature. Whisk the powdered sugar and lemon juice together and mix until the glaze is smooth.
Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting – 4 oz. of cream cheese, softened, 1 tbsp. of lemon zest. 1/ 4 cup of lemon juice, 2 cups of powder sugar. Mix all the ingredients together until smooth and creamy.