A bowl of lemons has been sitting on my kitchen counter all week.  I'll use one or two in a dinner recipe or when making a vinaigrette.  But whats even better?…To use fresh lemons when baking.  Nothing compares to the zest or juice of fresh lemons when making cakes, breads or cookies. 

THE RECIPE:  A lemon pound cake with lemon glaze. The recipe that I used called for a cup of juice, which would take five or six lemons.  I rarely have this many lemons on hand so I knew it was the perfect time to try this recipe!

You can make small loaf pans or fill one Bundt pan.  I think you could also pour the batter into muffin tins so they are bite-size and easy to eat.  

Today I divided the batter into loaf pans.   I am sending one with my dad to work tomorrow morning.  The glaze hardened on the cake so I wrapped one loaf in a clear bag, tied it with a ribbon and wrote out the recipe. 

THE RESULT: A very moist and sweet pound cake!  The icing itself is very sweet so it gives the cake a fresh boost of lemon flavor.  It is a perfect dessert after a summer meal.   If you make the cake in loaf pans like I did, it is very easy to slice individual pieces with a serrated knife.

GLAZED LEMON POUND CAKE

recipe by Martha Stewart

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• ¾ cup buttemilk
• grated lemon zest from 2 lemons
• 1 cup lemon juice (from 5-6 lemons)
• 1 ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 2 cups sugar
• 5 large eggs


-Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour two loaf pans (4 ½ by 8 inches) or one Bundt pan

-Combine buttermilk, lemon juice and zest.

-whisk in a medium bowl flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda

-Mix on medium speed the sugar and butter until light and fluffy.  Add eggs one at a time until fully incorporated (scrape down sides of bowl if needed)

-At low speed add flour mixture and alternate with the buttermilk mixture.  End with the flour mixture until batter is smooth. Do not overmix.

-Divide batter between the pans.  Bake until toothpick comes out clean (about 50-60 minutes).  Cool 15 minutes in pan.  Turn out onto rack and cool completely (top side up).  Pour glaze over cakes and let set 30 minutes and the glaze will harden.

LEMON GLAZE

• 2 cups powdered sugar (plus more if needed)
• 3-4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

-Place sugar in a bowl and add the lemon juice and stir.  Add more powdered sugar or lemon juice if needed.  Until the glaze is thick but pourable. Ice the cooled cakes.