This moist, tender pound cake has a tangy lemon flavor and is paired with a delightfully sweet lemon caramel.
1 lb (4 sticks) butter, room temperature
4 cups sugar
1 lb (2 packages) cream cheese, room temperature
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon lemon extract
1 teaspoon baking powder
8 large eggs, room temperature
1/3 cup lemon juice
4 ½ cups cake flour or White Lily All Purpose Flour
Preheat oven to 300°F. Prepare Old Country Kitchenware square tube pan by fitting a parchment paper square between the two pieces and brushing with pan coat. Beat butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer until pale, light and fluffy (about 6 minutes at medium speed). Beat in cream cheese. Add ½ cup flour, salt, baking powder, and extracts and beat until combined. Scrape the bottom and sides of the mixing bowl. With the mixer running at low speed, add 1 egg and beat until fully incorporated. Repeat with each egg, beating well after each addition. Beat in lemon juice. Add the rest of the flour in 2 additions, beating on low until it just disappears. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl and beat for another 15 seconds on medium speed. Pour batter into prepared tube pan and gently shake to settle the batter. Place on middle rack of oven with a baking sheet on the rack below it to catch any drips. Bake 2 1/2 to 2 3/4 hours or until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean. Let the cake cool until the pan is cool enough to handle. To unmold, place it over a metal can and push down to remove the outer piece. Once the tube is cool enough to touch for 4 seconds, lift or turn the cake out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Soft Lemon Caramel
2 cups sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) butter
1/2 cup water
2 teaspoons lemon extract
1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
In a saucepan over medium heat, stir together sugar, butter, water, and lemon extract. When almost boiling, stir in sweetened condensed milk and turn down to low or medium low. Stir and scrape the bottom occasionally until it starts boiling, then do not stir. Keep boiling, tipping or swirling the pan occasionally, until mixture reaches 235° to 240°F. If you don’t have a candy thermometer, let boil for 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Let cool, stirring occasionally, until thickened (about one hour or until it is around 125-130F), then pour over cake.
