Instructions

You will need a large bowl and a medium-sized loaf pan to bake this cake. As noted above, you need either a stand mixer or handheld electric beaters, too. The recipe is written for readers with either one or both items. Please read the recipe through to see which baking variation applies. You’ll also need a small bowl for the lemon juice, zest, and milk.

Remove the butter from refrigerator a few hours before baking.

Place oven rack in middle position. Preheat to 350F/180C.

Butter an 8×4 inch/20x10x6cm loaf pan. A comparably sized pan is fine.

Mix the almond flour, all-purpose flour, and one-quarter teaspoon of the salt in the big bowl. Blend with a large fork or whisk. Set aside.

I pour the dairy, lemon juice, and zest into the same small bowl, because it’s added at the same time. It saves washing up. The milk may appear curdled. It’s okay.

Separate the eggs.

If you have a hand mixer and a stand mixer, beat the egg whites with the second quarter teaspoon salt in a large bowl until foamy, a minute or so. Gradually add the cup of sugar, taking care not to spatter the whites. The mixture will turn bright white and triple in size. Blend until bright white and whites hold firm peaks, about five minutes.

If you only have a stand mixer, beat whites using your mixer, with the whisk attachment. Have an immaculately clean large bowl and spatula ready. Using the spatula, scrape the beaten egg whites into your waiting bowl. You don’t need to wash to mixing bowl. Just set it back on the mixer and continue with the recipe.

If you are working with just a hand mixer, move the beaters from the egg whites to a second large clean bowl. Proceed with recipe.

Cream butter in standing or hand mixer/bowl with remaining 1/4 cup sugar until butter is fluffy, three to five minutes.

Add egg yolks, one at a time, blending well, scraping down bowl with spatula if necessary.

Alternately add the lemon juice/dairy mixture with large spoonfuls of the flour mix to the butter mixture. Mix on low until just blended. Fold in egg whites until just blended. Do not overmix.

Tip batter into the baking pan, smooth top, and set pan in oven. Bake for about an hour. Cake is done when tester comes out clean. Cake will appear browned on top, pull slightly from sides and smell lemony.

Cool on rack for about 20 minutes before tipping out of pan. Allow to cool before slicing.

Lemon pound cake keeps, wrapped or in a cake dome, on counter for 4-5 days. Freezes, well-wrapped, up to three months. Excellent with lemon curd, fruit, creme fraiche, or ice cream.

Note: The original recipe called for condensed milk, which I never have around. I used half-and-half, which is half milk, half heavy cream with great success. Regular milk will also work.

I have baked this cake with fine almond flour and coarser almond meal. Both worked well, but I thought the finer almond flour gave a nicer result.