Lemon-Lime Pound Cake

I can see Spring is around the corner.  The first day of Spring is March 20th, and I can’t wait for it to get here.  I have noticed that all of my tulips and daffodils are starting to pop up.  I hear the birds already chirping and having fun being free.

I came across this Lemon-Lime Pound Cake recipe in a Southern Living magazine. The cake looked so refreshing and I thought that it would be the perfect cake to make and get me in the spirit of Spring.

Every time I make a dessert with lemon it reminds me of my mom.  My mom’s favorite desserts were all made with lemon.  She loved lemon meringue pie.  The taste of lemon really comes through in this cake because of the lemon zest in the batter.

For the cake I used a stoneware baking pan.  It gives the outside of the cake a beautiful color.  Adding just the lemon-lime glaze over the top was perfect.  The cake turned out really good.  I had  a couple of pieces with my coffee, and gave my neighbors a piece too.  Within a couple of days the cake was gone, a sign that the cake was really good.

The candied lemons were a great addition to the cake and were really tasty.

I cooked the lemon rounds in sugar and water for about 45 minutes, then I placed them on a wire rack for about a couple of hours before decorating the cake.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups butter, softened
3 cups sugar
5 large eggs
2 tbsp lemon zest
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp lemon extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup lemon-lime soft drink (7up)
shortening
lemon-lime glaze
candied lemons-optional
lime rind twists, garnish-optional

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 10-inch bundt pan with shortening and flour, set aside. Beat butter at medium speed with a heavy-duty electric stand mixer until creamy. Gradually add sugar, beat at medium speed 3 to 5 minutes or until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition. Stir in the lemon zest and extracts.

Add Flour to butter mixture alternately with lemon-lime soft drink, beginning and ending with flour. Beat at low speed just until blended after each addition. Pour batter into prepared pan.

Bake at 350 for 1 hour 15 or until a long wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean, shielding with aluminum foil after 45-50 minutes to prevent excessive browning. Cool in pan on a wire rack 10 minutes, remove cake from pan to wire rack. Spoon Lemon-Lime Glaze over warm or room temperature cake. Top with Candied Lemons, if desire.

Lemon-Lime Glaze

2 cups confectioners’ sugar
2 tsp lemon zest
1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp fresh lime

In a bowl whisk together all ingredients until blended and smooth. For a thinner glaze, stir in an additional 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice, 1 tsp at a time.

Candied Lemons

2 medium lemons cut into 1/8 inch thick slices
4 cups water
2 cups granulated sugar

In a large, heavy saucepan stir together water and sugar, bring to a light boil, stirring just until sugar dissolves. Add lemons, reduce heat to medium low. Gently simmer 45 minutes or until rinds are very soft and lemons are translucent, turning lemons every 15 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon, and place in a single layer on a wire rack. Cool Completely.

Source:  Southern Living