Limoncello Pound Cake

I have been craving lemon lately. Actually, I have been craving lemon since we made the limoncello. I decided to combine my love of lemons with my love of cake. And if I was going to make a cake, shouldn't I go all out and add liquor to the mix? Yes, yes I should. I guess I may have gone a little overboard adding limoncello to the cake, the glaze, and the whipped cream. But I can always make more limoncello. Actually, come to think of it, I am in the process of making more.

This pound cake has a light taste of lemon and is totally addictive. It is super rich and is better the second day. 

Limoncello Pound Cake

3 Cups (375 g) of Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1/4 Tsp of Baking Soda
1/2 Tsp of Salt
1 Cup (227 g) of Unsalted Butter
3 Cups (675 g) of Granulated Sugar
6 Large Eggs
Lemon Zest from One Large Lemon
1/4 Cup (60 ml) of Limoncello (Creamy or Regular)
1 Cup (250 ml) of Buttermilk

Preheat the oven to 325F/165C/Gas Mark 3. Grease a 9 or 10 Cup Tube Pan (3 L Tube Pan).
Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt in a bowl and set aside.
In a large bowl beat together butter and sugar.

Mix in the eggs one at a time. If you are using a mixer, mix the remaining ingredients by hand. Stir in the lemon zest and limoncello. Gently stir in the flour mixture alternating with the buttermilk.


Once combined, pour into the tube pan and bake in the oven for about 90 minutes.

Do not open the oven for the first 60 minutes but start checking the cake after 60 minutes of baking. The cake is ready when the cake pulls away from the sides of the pan.


Let cool 10 minutes, take a knife around the edges, and remove from pan.  At this point glaze the cake.

Glaze

1 Cup (113 g) of Powdered Sugar
1/4 Cup (60 ml) of Limoncello, Creamy or Regular
2 Tbsp of Fresh Lemon Juice

Mix the ingredients together and pour over still warm cake.

Limoncello Whipped Cream

If you really want to take this up another notch, top with limoncello whipped cream.

1 Cup (250 ml) of Heavy Cream
2 Tbsp Powdered Sugar
2 Tbsp of Limoncello, Creamy or Regular

In a large bowl, beat together until fluffy.

The bottom line: Will I make this again? Yes, yes I will. Probably not until this summer. Well, not until the next bottle of limoncello is ready. Well, the next bottle is almost ready. I predict I will make another one before the end of April.