Lemon Brandy Pound Cake

Posted by liz at recipegoldmine.com May 26, 2001

Source: Cookin' Dad - Member posted 01-30-2001 10:19 pm

I made this cake for a couple of American college students the other day. They really liked it, so I thought I would post the recipe. This recipe was easy to make and basically used what I had leftover in my refrigerator and pantry. Hope you enjoy this as much as we did.

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
3 cups granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups margarine (3 sticks), softened
1/2 cup Crisco shortening
5 eggs (room temperature)
1 cup whipping cream
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons brandy
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
4 teaspoons lemon zest

Heat oven to 325 degrees F.

Sift flour, baking powder and salt together. Lightly mix with spoon or spatula and set aside.

Next, cream sugar, margarine and shortening until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. After eggs have been added, take the dry mixture and add about 1/4 of it to the cake batter. Beat well. After this, add about 1/3 cup whipping cream. Continue to alternate with whipping cream and flour mixture until batter is well mixed.

Please note that, like the orange walnut pound cake recipe I posted earlier this month, after the second or third addition of flour the cake batter will become viscous and a little difficult to work with. By the last addition you will probably have to mix by hand unless you have a heavy-duty mixer. Rest assured that this is perfectly normal and that everything will turn out just fine. Now, you can add the vanilla and brandy, lemon zest and lemon juice. Stir all of these by hand. Pour batter into greased and floured standard Bundt pan and bake for about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Do not overbake. I watched my cake like a hawk starting at 1:10 minutes into the baking cycle because I HATE dry over-baked cakes. Incidentally, my cake was very creamy with a couple of small penny to quarter-size spots in cake that would make people think cake was underdone if the whole inside of cake was like that. For those of you who often make pound cakes, you'll know exactly what I'm talking about. I love that kind of texture in a pound cake - mmm, mmm, mmm!!

Lastly, if you want a glaze for the cake, mix 1/2 cup lemon juice and two cups powdered sugar together. Pour glaze over cake after it has cooled for 15 minutes or so and been turned onto cooling rack or cake plate. For your information, my wife didn't think the cake needed a glaze. One of my American student guests, who is from the South and does not like bland food, also thought it was fine without the glaze. I was going to glaze half the cake, but was overruled (lol)! Bye for now.