I used to have an aversion to lemon desserts. Lemon meringue pie? No thank you. Lemon bars? Don’t tease me with that powdered sugar topping. Lemon cake? Eh. Truthfully, I have an initial reaction to any dessert lacking chocolate that involves a little bit of apprehension. Even though I adore ice cream, plain vanilla will provokes the same reaction. It better be REALLY good if there is no chocolate involved. Warm fruit desserts and anything involving peanut butter generally passes the test, but it isn’t easy.
So when my in-laws raved about Del Frisco’s Lemon Cake a couple of years ago, I kind of smiled and nodded. First of all, restaurant desserts in general are almost never as good as you think they will be. And it is lemon cake! Really, what would even be the point? But through it all, I am a dessert lover and it wouldn’t be fair if I didn’t give the cake a chance. So when I found myself with them at Del Frisco’s and everyone insisted on ordering Lemon Cake, I suggested we also order the chocolate banana bread pudding (um, yum!), but was willing to give this infamous dessert a try. That was the Lemon Cake that turned me around.
Don’t get me wrong, I still don’t like lemon meringue pie or lemon bars, but a rich moist cake with a very light lemon flavor is actually refreshing without being over the top. So when the husband requested a lemon dessert last weekend, I willingly made my first ever Lemon Cake.
This is actually a simple Lemon Pound Cake that is very easy and comes out extremely moist and flavorful. If I were to serve it at a dinner party, I’d make a glaze or top it with fresh whipped cream and berries. Don’t worry, there would be some sort of chocolate alternative as well.
To begin, whisk your dry ingredients (flour, baking powder and salt), and set aside
In a large mixing bowl, beat together cream cheese and butter on high speed for several minutes until mixture is light and creamy
Use a microplane to lightly grate the skin of a lemon
Be careful not to scrape too deep, the white of the skin is more bitter
On high speed, beat the lemon zest and greek yogurt into butter and cream cheese mixture for about a minute
Add sugar and beat on high speed until batter is smooth and creamy
Now add the eggs, one at a time, putting the mixer on high for about a minute or two between each
Add in the vanilla on high speed for a minute; scrape the sides of the bowl and turn mixer on high again until well combined
Reduce speed to low and gradually add in your dry ingredients
Before it is fully combined, remove bowl from mixer and lightly fold batter to get all of the dry ingredients mixed in; this will prevent overbeating and a cake with the density of a rock
Pour batter into a 9×5 loaf pan
Bake for 45-50 minutes or until a knife comes out clean
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Lighter Lemon Pound Cake
Adapted from Joy the Baker
Serves 8
Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 8-ounce block of low fat cream cheese, softened at room temperature
1/2 cup (1 stick) of unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup fat free plain greek yogurt
1 TB fresh lemon zest (about 1 lemon’s worth)
1 cup granulated sugar
4 eggs brought to room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions:
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees
Whisk dry ingredients (flour, baking powder and salt), and set aside
In a large mixing bowl, beat together cream cheese and butter on high speed for several minutes until mixture is light and creamy
Use a microplane to lightly grate the skin of a lemon
On high speed, beat the lemon zest and greek yogurt into butter and cream cheese mixture for about a minute
Add sugar and beat on high speed until batter is smooth and creamy
Add the eggs, one at a time, putting the mixer on high for about a minute or two between each
Add in the vanilla on high speed for a minute; scrape the sides of the bowl and turn mixer on high again until well combined
Reduce speed to low and gradually add in dry ingredients
Before batter is fully combined, remove bowl from mixer and lightly fold batter to get all of the dry ingredients mixed in
Pour batter into a 9×5 loaf pan sprayed with non-stick cooking spray
Bake for 45-50 minutes or until a knife comes out clean
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Sidenote: We actually had our rehearsal dinner at Del Frisco’s! No lemon cake for me that night, I was too excited to eat (and let me tell you, that never happens).
How do you feel about lemon desserts?
LOVE pound cake, angel food cakes, etc… this looks great. I meant to buy orange extract so that I could make an orange one!
I for one LOVE lemon desserts. This definitely takes the cake!
I’m a chocolate lover like you. But, I also love citrus desserts–especially lemon. So, I’m all over this one. My mom used to make a lemon cake where she poked holes in the top of the baked cake with a toothpick and drizzled on a lemon/powdered sugar glaze all over the top. The glaze ran down into the toothpick holes and added some intense flavor to the cake. Okay, as I write this I’m craving that cake. I think I’ll use your cake recipe and add the glaze like my mom.
Yum, that sounds excellent! I always wanted to try a poke cake and never do for some reason.
This sounds delicious! I’m a big fan of lemon desserts because they’re light and refreshing. I saw Ina Garten make a lemon pound cake last night but this looks lightened up and even moister if that’s possible.
Comparing my dessert to Ina Garten’s? BEST comment ever:-)
I am with you on being a chocoholic. I will never order a fruit dessert. To me personally, fruit does not belong in any dessert. The lemon cake sounds like the perfect compliment to a light afternoon tea.
LOL I just pictured you sitting and eating lemon cake and drinking tea hahaha
I don’t often crave lemon desserts, but they certainly have their place… namely after a heavy meal. This pound cake sounds delicious! Rich and light all at the same time, if that makes any sense ;).
I love lemon pound cake.. but its the creamy lemony desserts that I’m not really a fan of…
This does look light and refreshing! A perfect afternoon snack for me:)
i love lemon desserts a lot. Everyone of them. I made the Lemon Lemon Cake from the Baked book a couple of weeks ago and I loved it. This reminds me of that. I’ll have to try this one too.
this looks amazing, looking forward to trying this recipe soon!
See I’m actually the opposite. I go crazy for anything vanilla or lemony or caramely and am just mediocrely enamored with chocolate. I am an enigma. I know.
This lemon pound cake sounds wonderful! So fresh flavored.
I’m actually not a lemon fan either! I think it’s because I made lemon cookies once and thought they tasted awful (of course, I blamed the lemon flavor and not myself :D).
A light lemon cake definitely looks and sounds ideal, though! I’ll have to try it :)
Well I was actually off to the kitchen to make a pound cake. You have just completely changed my mind in which one I will make. I am definitely going to make this lightened up lemon pound cake. Thank you so much for sharing!
xo
Yay! Let me know how it turns out!!
Lemon desserts are some of my favorites! This sounds mouth-watering!
Glad you saw the light with this dessert because lemon desserts are wonderful and versatile. This looks delicious!
You asked about erythritol in my PB truffles…it’s just a low carb sweetener, but you could replace with sugar.
Oh, good to know! Those truffles looked amazing!!
Oh man, I could so go for this right now. I’m not particularly a lemon-lover, but occasionally I just really, really want a good lemon cake! I can’t wait to try this one!!
lemon cake wins in my book every single time…so tart and sweet and perfect!
I use to not care for lemon desserts but now I LOVE them. I don’t when the change about came, but I’m sure glad it did. This looks awesome! Thumbs up!
I will never be a fan of lemon merenge (sp?) pie, but a good lemon pound cake is something to behold – and I love lemon zest! Every time I make blueberry pancakes my secret ingredient is lemon zest and it makes the pancakes.
Thanks for sharing this recipe!
Oooh lemon zest in blueberry pancakes does sound good!
I love this lighter version! My grandmother is a huge fan of all things lemon. Holding on to this recipe to surprise her with next time she visits :) Thank you!
That makes me so happy! Let me know if she likes it:-)
I’m not much of a lemon dessert fan either, but this cake looks promising. It looks so light and moist!
Lemon desserts aren’t my favorite but I could see how this recipe might change things!
I have never been a fan of citrus…unless it comes in the form of cake :) The family I nanny for would love this!
OH how I love lemon pound cake! This looks amazing! :)
Sounds delicious! I love pound cake!!
http://happensafterfive.wordpress.com
Lemon is the new black…
Ooh, see, I’m a lemon lover. I’d take a lemon bar over chocolate cake in a heart beat. I still have my days where I NEED chocolate though.
I bet the cream cheese in this pound cake makes it unbelievable! Great recipe :)
Something about lemon sounds so right in the wintertime! Luv the idea of a pound cake – so many awesome ways to serve it!
YUM! This cake looks delicious!
Haha I was the same way at my rehearsal/wedding day…couldn’t eat a thing! And that literally never happens!!
I also think restaurant desserts are never as good as they sound or look in the picture!!
I’m not usually a fan of lemon either, but your cake looks wonderful.
Haha I’m glad I’m not the only person who pretty much things that dessert should = chocolate something.
I’ve never been a big fan of lemon things either, but this recipe looks so good! Maybe it could win me over ;)
I really don’t like lemon/citrus desserts in general… but if a fellow lemon-dessert-averter says it’s good, maybe i should try it!
While my mom didn’t make too many desserts growing up, there was always pound cake around. Delicious, moist, lemony pound cake.
Great post friend!
That is interesting! We never had lemon desserts growing up, but there were definitely always desserts:-)
This sounds delicious and I love that it’s lightened up since I am always looking for ‘ass friendly’ recipes! :-)
LOL
this lemon pound cake recipe sounds really good. thank you for sharing this and have a great day.
Your pound cake looks divine! I love all pound cakes–the citrus is perfect for this time of year…terrific post!!
I love lemon desserts. In fact, this past week, I’ve made two versions of lemon pudding cake. It separates during baking to make a cake on top, pudding on bottom. One recipe used Grape-Nuts cereal too. Yummy!
hey girl!
congrats you won my giveaway for the 2 cookbooks by warren brown. shoot me an email vanillasugarblog@aol.com with your mailing address so i can get them out to you next week.
Congrats girl!!! yahooo!
Yay, thanks!
It really must be phenomenal, given how much you dislike lemons. But, yes, chocolate banana bread pudding wouldn’t be too bad either! :)