Lemon-vanilla Pound Cake

Lemon-vanilla Pound Cake
By: Gale Gand with Lisa Weiss

12 Tablespoons (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter
1 cup whole milk
4 large eggs
2 ¼ cups sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon lemon extract
Grated zest of 1 lemon
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
Juice of 1 lemon

Melt 4 Tablespoons of the butter. Generously brush a 10-inch tube pan or decorative Bundt pan with the melted butter and refrigerate it for a few minutes. Once the butter has hardened, brush it again to cover any spots you missed the first time. Set the pan aside.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Bring the milk and remaining 8 Tablespoons of butter just to a boil in a medium saucepan. Set aside.

In an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the eggs on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Reduce the speed to medium and stir in 2 cups of the sugar, the vanilla, lemon extract, and lemon zest. On low speed, gradually mix in the flour. Pour the hot milk mixture, then add the baking powder, and stir until the batter is thoroughly combined. Pour the batter into the buttered pan and bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.

While the cake is baking, blend the lemon juice with the remaining ¼ cup sugar in a small bowl and set aside.

Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Invert the cake onto a cooling rack. Place the rack over a rimmed baking sheet and brush the warm cake all over with the lemon syrup, letting the syrup soak in as you go. Wrap the cake in plastic wrap and set at room temperature until ready to serve.

8-10 servings