High-Altitude Lemon Pound Cake

Hey guys! We’re right in the middle of winter here, and it’s snowing while I write this post, so I wanted to share something bright and yummy for you guys today. This High-Altitude Lemon Pound Cake is super yummy, and it’s really easy to make as always!

I like to top mine with this lemon glaze to really bring home the lemon flavor, and it makes for something so good you’ll keep coming back for more. Let’s get to it!

How to Make High-Altitude Lemon Pound Cake

This recipe comes together with simple ingredients. We’re starting out by mixing together some butter and sugar with lemon zest until it’s light and fluffy. Then we’re beating in some eggs, and then adding in our dry ingredients alternating with some fresh lemon juice. Your batter will be thick and smooth, something like this:

Then once it’s in the loaf pan, I like to run a knife down the center for that classic cracked top that we all know and love. Just put a butter knife into the cake batter all the way down to the bottom, and run it across once. It’ll look like this before and after baking:

Time for a generous pour of a really lemon-y glaze that gives this cake an extra tangy kick and some light sweetness.

And that’s it- it’s a super simple and classic recipe, but it’s so bright and yummy that I’m pretty obsessed with it during these winter months. This is the perfect little loaf cake- hope you guys enjoy it!

Tips & Tricks for High-Altitude Lemon Pound Cake

Here are all my tips and tricks to help you along the way while you bake this High-Altitude Lemon Pound Cake!

• Be sure to use fresh lemon zest and juice to ensure that you’ve got a bright, lightly-lemony cake in the end.
• How long should I beat together the butter and sugar mixture? You want it to be light and fluffy. I use a stand mixer, and beat it for about 1-2 full minutes on medium speed, or until the butter has lightened in color noticeably.
• Beat the batter well after everything has been added. The batter should be thick and smooth, and while you don’t want to over-beat the mixture, this batter holds up well to a little extra mixing, and it actually helps the cake rise better by aerating the eggs a bit.
• Grease your loaf pan generously to ensure that the cake doesn’t stick. Optionally, you can line the cake pan with parchment paper that has over-hanging edges for easier removal.
• Don’t be afraid to cover your lemon pound cake with foil as it bakes if it’s getting to browned on top. I call for this in the recipe, but just go by what it looks like for you!
• Let the cake cool completely before icing or else the icing will just run off the lemon pound cake completely! You want it to run down the sides a little, but also hold to the cake.
• I’m at about 5,000 ft. above sea level and I find that most people who live between about 3,000-7,000 ft above sea level do not need to make any adjustments to my recipes.

Enjoy!

Print

High-Altitude Lemon Pound Cake

Servings 10 slices

Ingredients

For the cake:

• 2 3/4 cups flour
• 1 1/4 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 cup softened butter
• 1 1/4 cup sugar
• 4 eggs
• 2 tbs. lemon zest from 1-2 lemons
• 1/4 cup lemon juice from 1-2 lemons

For the icing:

• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice from about 1 large lemon
• 2- 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Instructions

For the cake:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and grease a loaf pan- set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. In a large bowl, beat together the butter, sugar, and lemon zest until light and fluffy. Add in the eggs, beating the batter between each egg addition. Add in about half of the flour mixture and beat until smooth. Then add in the lemon juice and stir. Add in the remaining flour and beat for several minutes until the batter is completely smooth.
3. Pour into your prepared pan. Optionally, if you want a crack in the cake down the middle, run a butter knife down the middle of the batter to just create a line. Bake for 45 minutes, or until the top is golden brown, and then cover gently with a foil tent and continue baking for an additional 20-25 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool completely in the pan, uncovered, and frost the cake when it’s completely cooled.

For the icing:

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the lemon juice and 2 cups of powdered sugar until smooth and well combined. If you’d like a thicker texture, add more powdered sugar until your icing is thick and drizzlable. Pour it over your cooled cake, and allow the icing to set before you slice and serve.

Dough-Eyed

Hello and welcome! My name is Nicole, and Dough-eyed is a food blog for people who want to bake for their family and friends in high-altitude areas. Think of me as a friendly voice there with you in the kitchen, here to give you confidence when you’re baking, and to help you with the struggles of baking at high-altitude. Come back every week for new recipes, tips, and advice on high-altitude baking!