Limoncello Pound Cake Lemon (Printable)

A moist pound cake infused with Limoncello liqueur and topped with tangy lemon glaze, perfect for any occasion.

# What You Need:

→ Pound Cake

01 - 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
02 - 2 cups granulated sugar
03 - 4 large eggs, room temperature
04 - 1/4 cup Limoncello liqueur
05 - 1/4 cup whole milk, room temperature
06 - 2 tablespoons freshly grated lemon zest
07 - 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
08 - 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
09 - 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
10 - 1/2 teaspoon salt

→ Lemon Glaze

11 - 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
12 - 2 to 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
13 - 1 tablespoon Limoncello liqueur
14 - Extra lemon zest for topping (optional)

# How To Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 9x5-inch loaf pan or bundt pan.
02 - In a large bowl, cream together softened butter and granulated sugar until pale and fluffy, approximately 3 to 4 minutes.
03 - Beat in eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition.
04 - Stir in lemon zest, Limoncello, lemon juice, and milk until fully combined.
05 - In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
06 - Gradually add dry ingredients to wet ingredients, mixing just until incorporated without overmixing.
07 - Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth the top surface.
08 - Bake for 50 to 55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
09 - Allow cake to cool in pan for 15 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
10 - Whisk powdered sugar with lemon juice and Limoncello until smooth and pourable consistency is achieved.
11 - Drizzle glaze over cooled cake and top with extra lemon zest if desired. Allow glaze to set before slicing.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It stays moist for days thanks to the Limoncello and milk, so you'll actually have cake left on day two (if you're patient enough).
  • The glaze is thin enough to drizzle but thick enough to cling, giving you that bakery-quality finish without the fuss.
  • Fresh lemon zest perfumes your entire kitchen while it bakes, and honestly, that alone is worth the effort.
02 -
  • Do not skip bringing ingredients to room temperature—cold eggs and butter will cause the batter to separate and your cake will crack on top and bake unevenly.
  • Lemon zest is delicate and its oils fade fast, so zest your lemons the day you bake or even an hour before, not days ahead.
  • Overbaking by even five minutes will dry it out, but underbaking will leave it gummy; the toothpick test is your only reliable guide.
03 -
  • Invest in a good zester or microplane because pre-zested lemon stored in a jar tastes like cardboard compared to what you can fresh-zest in 30 seconds.
  • If your kitchen is cold, place the mixing bowl over a pot of warm (not hot) water for a minute or two before creaming—warm bowls help butter and sugar incorporate faster and more completely.
Return