Ingredients:

  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cubed, room temperature
  • 1 ¾ cups granulated sugar (for cake)
  • 4 large eggs, room temperature
  • 3 tbsp fresh lemon zest (approx. 3 large lemons)
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and levelled
  • 1 ½ tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp fine sea salt
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • ½ cup full-fat sour cream or Greek yoghurt, room temperature
  • ¼ cup fresh lemon juice (for soak)
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar (for soak)
  • 1 ½ cups powdered sugar (icing sugar), sifted (for glaze)
  • 3–4 tbsp fresh lemon juice (for glaze)

Instructions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C). Grease and line a 9x5 inch loaf pan with parchment paper, allowing an overhang 'sling' for easy removal.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
  3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the room-temperature butter, 1 ¾ cups granulated sugar, and lemon zest on medium-high speed until the mixture is light, fluffy, and significantly paler (5–7 minutes). Do not skimp on this creaming step.
  4. Reduce the speed to medium. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition until fully incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl often. Add the vanilla extract.
  5. With the mixer on low speed, begin adding the flour mixture and the sour cream alternately, starting and ending with the flour (Flour ⅓, Sour Cream ½, Flour ⅓, Sour Cream ½, Flour ⅓). Stop mixing immediately once the last flour streaks disappear to avoid overmixing.
  6. Scrape the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top with a spatula.
  7. Bake for 60–70 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. If the top browns too quickly, tent loosely with foil around the 40-minute mark.
  8. While the cake bakes, prepare the soak: gently heat the ¼ cup lemon juice and ¼ cup sugar in a small saucepan until the sugar is fully dissolved, forming the syrup soak.
  9. Remove the cake from the oven. While still in the pan, pierce the top repeatedly with a skewer. Immediately pour the warm lemon syrup evenly over the hot cake, allowing it to soak in fully.
  10. Let the cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Then, using the parchment sling, transfer the cake to a wire cooling rack to cool completely (about 45 minutes).
  11. Mix the Glaze: Whisk together the sifted powdered sugar and 3 tablespoons of lemon juice until smooth and thick but pourable. Add the remaining tablespoon of juice only if needed.
  12. Drizzle the glaze generously over the cooled cake. Allow the glaze to set (5–10 minutes) before slicing and serving.