Recipe Background
Lady Bird's Lemon-Lime Pound Cake celebrates achievement with zest.
The first time I made this Lemon-Lime Pound Cake was right after my daughter's first school play. She had been rehearsing for weeks, running around the house singing her lines with such fervor that I found myself humming them at random times. On the day of her performance, as she transformed into a sunflower on stage, I had a pang of nostalgia, remembering my own childhood plays and the little treats my mom would prepare to celebrate those tiny triumphs. That evening, I wanted to create something equally special for her.
With butter softening on the counter and a can of lemon-lime soft drink tucked under my arm, I set about crafting what has now become a family favorite. The citrusy aroma that filled the kitchen brought everyone together, buzzing with excitement over how the play had unfolded. I sprinkled in the lemon zest with care, knowing that little bursts of flavor would make the cake a standout. It was my nod to those moments of stage fright and joy, all rolled into one comforting slice.
A tip my mom always emphasized was to let the cake cool completely before adding the glaze, ensuring it clung perfectly to the surface without soaking in. While the kids giggled in the living room, I drizzled the tangy glaze and arranged candied lemons artfully atop. The cake was more than just a dessert—it was a little tradition in the making, marking each achievement with zest. The cake shared our family's milestones, echoing the thrill of a sunflower-shaped debut and finding delight in life's simplest sweets.
Ingredients
For the cake:
- shortening to taste, for the pan
- 1 1/2 cups butter softened
- 3 cups sugar
- 5 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon lemon extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup lemon-lime soft drink
- candied lemons optional, to taste, for garnish
For the glaze:
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Grease a 10-inch fluted pan with the shortening.
- In the bowl of an electric stand mixer, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy.
- Gradually add the sugar to the butter and beat until light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes.
- Add the eggs 1 at a time to the butter mixture and beat after each addition, until just blended.
- Stir 2 tablespoons of the lemon zest, the vanilla extract, and the lemon extract into the butter mixture.
- Alternately add the flour and the lemon-lime soft drink to the batter, beginning and ending with the flour and beating after each addition.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
- Bake the cake for 45-50 minutes.
- Cover the cake with foil and bake until a long wooden pick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 20-30 minutes.
- Let the cake cool completely.
- While the cake is cooling, add the powdered sugar, the remaining lemon zest, the lemon juice, and the lime juice into a bowl and stir to combine.
- Drizzle the glaze over the cooled cake.
- Top the cake with the candied lemons.
- Slice and serve.
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