Simplifying Lemon Pound Cake - Cooks Illustrated

Published March 1, 2002.

Although made from only a handful of ingredients, pound cake can be a finicky, disappointing dessert prone to disaster. We set out to construct a foolproof recipe.

The Problem

Pound cakes often turn out spongy, rubbery, heavy, and dry-and lemon pound cakes often lack true lemon flavor.

The Goal

We wanted to produce a superior pound cake (fine-crumbed, rich, moist, and buttery) while making the process as simple and foolproof as possible.

The Solution

Use a food processor to ensure perfect emulsification of the eggs, sugar, and melted butter. Add baking powder to the cake to increase lift and produce a consistent crumb. Finally, in addition to mixing lemon zest into the cake batter, glaze the finished cake with lemon sugar syrup for a blast of flavor.

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