Limoncello Pound Cake Lemon (Printable Version)

A moist pound cake with limoncello and tangy lemon glaze, perfect for spring gatherings.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Pound Cake

01 - 2.5 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 0.5 teaspoon baking powder
03 - 0.5 teaspoon fine sea salt
04 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
05 - 2 cups granulated sugar
06 - 4 large eggs, room temperature
07 - 0.33 cup limoncello liqueur
08 - 0.25 cup whole milk, room temperature
09 - 0.25 cup fresh lemon juice
10 - 2 lemons, zest
11 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

→ Lemon Glaze

12 - 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
13 - 2 to 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
14 - 1 tablespoon limoncello liqueur
15 - 1 lemon, zest for garnish

# Step-by-Step Guide:

01 - Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease and flour a 9 by 5 inch loaf pan or bundt pan.
02 - In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy, approximately 3 to 4 minutes.
04 - Beat in eggs one at a time, ensuring each is fully incorporated before adding the next.
05 - Mix in limoncello, milk, lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla extract until combined.
06 - Gradually add flour mixture to wet ingredients, mixing just until incorporated. Do not overmix.
07 - Pour batter into prepared pan, smoothing the top surface.
08 - Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. If the top browns too quickly, tent with foil after 40 minutes.
09 - Cool the cake in the pan for 15 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
10 - In a small bowl, whisk powdered sugar with 2 tablespoons lemon juice and limoncello, adding additional lemon juice to achieve pourable consistency.
11 - Drizzle glaze over cooled cake. Garnish with lemon zest. Let set before slicing.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It tastes like spring decided to move into your kitchen permanently.
  • The crumb stays moist for days, making it even better the next morning with coffee.
  • Limoncello does something butter and eggs alone can't quite capture—it adds sophistication without pretension.
02 -
  • Eggs and butter must be room temperature or your batter will break and create pockets of dense cake that no amount of baking time will fix.
  • The moment you see flour disappear is the moment you stop stirring—every extra rotation around the bowl tightens gluten and hardens your final crumb irreversibly.
03 -
  • Brush the warm cake with an extra tablespoon or two of limoncello before glazing if you want the citrus flavor to hit even harder—the warm cake absorbs it like a sponge.
  • Use a microplane grater for zest, not a box grater; it captures only the colored oil layer without the bitter white pith underneath.
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