Palmabella's Passions

One of my favorite baking cookbooks is The Secrets of Baking by award-winning pastry chef Sherry Yard.

LEMON POUND CAKE:
This makes TWO 9x5x3" loaves:

1 1/2 c. flour
1 1/2 c. cake flour
1 t. baking powder
1/4 t. salt
1 c. buttermilk
2 T. fresh lemon juice
1 pound (4 sticks) unsalted butter at room temp
2 c. sugar
1/4 c. finely grated lemon zest
4 large eggs

Lemon Syrup:
1/2 c. + 1 T. lemon juice
3/4 c. sugar

Preheat oven to 350. Prepare two 9x5x3" loaf pans by spraying pans with cooking spray, then lining the length of the pans with a strip of parchment paper, and spraying the parchment.

Triple sift the flours, baking powder and salt into a medium bowl and set aside.

Combine the buttermilk and lemon juice and set aside.

Beat butter on high speed for 1 minute until soft and creamy. Slowly add sugar and lemon zest, and beat on high for 10 minutes, until white, light and fluffy. Scrape sides of bowl with a rubber spatula.

Add eggs, one at a time, incorporating each thoroughly.

Add 1/3 of the sifted dry ingredients, and mix on low speed. Add 1/3 of buttermilk mixture and beat until incorporated. Repeat with remaining 2/3 in two additions.

Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake for 1 hour-1 hour 20 minutes until golden, and a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool on rack 5-10 minutes.

Make syrup by boiling lemon juice and sugar for about 2-3 minutes, stirring, until sugar is dissolved. Poke holes in cakes with a skewer, and using a pastry brush, brush on 2-3 coats of syrup over warm cake.

Remove cakes from pans when cool. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Serve alone, or topped with lemon curd, lemon pudding, or berries.