This buttery, dense pound cake looks and tastes just like summer! It uses frozen lemonade concentrate to amp up the lemon flavor.
2 cups (4 sticks) butter, room temperature
3 1/2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons lemon extract
10 large eggs, room temperature
4 ½ cups cake flour or White Lily All Purpose Flour
1 cup frozen lemonade concentrate, room temperature
1/2 cup buttermilk, room temperature
Preheat oven to 300°F. Prepare Old Country Kitchenware square tube pan by brushing with pan coat (if using two piece pan, fit with a parchment paper square between the two pieces first). In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat butter and sugar on medium speed until pale, light and fluffy (about 6 minutes). Add baking powder, salt, extracts, and 1/2 cup flour, beat until combined. With the mixer running on low, add one egg at a time, beating well after each addition until fully incorporated. Add 2 cups of flour, beating until incorporated. With the mixer on low, slowly drizzle in half the lemonade concentrate and buttermilk. Beat in the remaining flour, followed by the rest of the lemonade concentrate and buttermilk. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl, then beat for another 10 seconds on medium speed. Pour batter into prepared tube pan and gently shake to help settle the batter. Place on middle rack of oven. Place a baking sheet on the rack below to catch any drips. Bake 2 hours or until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean. Let cool until the pan is comfortable enough to handle. (If using two-piece pan, place it over a metal can and press down to remove the outer piece first). Transfer the cake to a wire rack in two steps: first, turn the cake up on its side, then invert fully. Let cool completely.
Candied Lemons
4-5 small, seedless lemons (like Meyer lemons)
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups water
Can be done in advance. With a sharp knife, slice lemons into thin, even rounds. Bring water and sugar to a simmer and add lemons. Maintain a low simmer, turning gently occasionally, for 30-45 minutes or until lemon rinds are translucent. Remove to a wire rack and let cool. Taste the syrup, if it isn’t too bitter, reserve to sweeten your tea.
Lemonade Icing
4 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup thawed lemonade concentrate, plus a little more (or water)
Beat sugar and 1/3 cup lemonade concentrate with an electric mixer. Add more liquid a spoonful at a time until you reach the desired consistency. If a thicker icing is desired, add more powdered sugar. If a thinner icing is desired, add more liquid, one spoonful at a time. Slowly pour over cooled cake. Let cake stand 10 minutes or until glaze has set a little, then apply candied lemons.
