Lemon & Almond Pound Cake

The flavor combination of Lemon with Almond is one of my absolute favorites.  Whenever I think of making a Pound Cake, these are the flavors that I long for, that I imagine swirled together with the light sweetness of a soft pillowy bite of cake.  I love a nice piece of Pound Cake in the morning with a hot cup of coffee, just as much as having a large hunky piece after dinner.  Pound Cake is classic, simple, and seriously perfect for any occasion.

I cannot lay claim to this recipe because I adapted it from the Better Crocker Pound Cake recipe (did I mention that Pound Cake is a classic dessert), but I have done plenty of research.  I have tried a ton of other recipes from all over the internet, some with less butter, some with less eggs, some with more flour, or less sugar.  You get the picture, but none of them ever came out as perfectly as this one.  I have made this recipe many times now, and it is perfect EVERY single time.  I love a recipe like that and honestly, I think they are rather elusive.  I guess that’s why old “Betty” is still putting out cookbooks en masse even after almost 100 years.

 

Ingredients & Instructions:

3 C. King Arthur's All Purpose Flour
1 tsp. Baking Powder
¼ tsp. Salt
2 ½ C. Sugar
1 C. (2 Sticks) Unsalted Butter (at room temp)
5 Large Eggs
1 C. Milk
1 tsp. Almond Extract
Zest of 2 Lemons
Powdered Sugar (if desired)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Prepare a fluted tube pan (lightly coat with shortening and dust with flour).  In a medium mixing bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt.  In a standing mixer, beat the butter, sugar, extract, zest, and eggs on low until blended, and then on high for an additional 5 minutes.  Alternately add flour mixture and milk to mixer beating until just smooth after each addition.  Pour mixture into the tube pan and bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.  Cool for 20 minutes and remove from the pan to a cooling rack for another 2 hours.  Sprinkle with powdered sugar and enjoy (morning or night).