I was in the mood to make a lemon cake yesterday, and it occurred to me that I still had not tried the Boyajian Lemon Oil Pound Cake. I've mentioned it before. I'm a fan of their products and use their lemon oil in place of lemon extract. It has a cleaner, more natural flavor, and a little bit goes a long way.
The full version of this cake calls for a whole tablespoon of lemon oil which gives it a good lemon flavor. The batter has very little baking soda and is baked at a low temperature for 1 ½ hours, so it rises slowly and has a neatly shaped dome. And finally, the texture is tight crumbed and light.
Loaf Cake or Tube Cake
At one point I had a link to the original recipe, but it seems to have changed. The best way to find it is to go to the Boyajian website recipe collection. Their version is for a Bundt or tube pan. I wanted a loaf pan size cake, so I halved the recipe, increased the salt, and baked it in a Pyrex loaf pan.
Recipe
Boyajian Lemon Pound Cake
Ingredients
- 3 large large eggs room temperature
- 1 ½ sticks unsalted butter, softened (175 grams)
- 1 ¼ cups granulated or superfine sugar (230 grams)
- ½ cup sour cream, room temperature (114 grams)
- 1 ½ teaspoons Boyajian lemon oil
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 ½ cups 180 grams sifted all-purpose flour (measure AFTER sifting)
Icing:
- 1 ½ tablespoons of fresh lemon juice
- Confectioners sugar as needed About ⅓ to ½ cup
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Grease and flour a 9x5 inch loaf pan. A Pyrex loaf pan works quite nicely!
- Put the eggs in a bowl and beat them until yellow. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter and sugar together until creamy. Add the beaten eggs, sour cream, lemon oil and salt all at once, then beat for about two minutes or until well blended. Beat in the baking soda.
- Using low speed of mixer (or by hand), add the flour gradually, stirring until it is well blended. Beat by hand until it is just thoroughly mixed, but don't overbeat after adding the flour.
- Pour into pan and bake and spread evenly with a scraper. Draw the sraper through the center of the batter to remove any air bubbles.
- Bake at 300 for 90 minutes or until cake tests done.
- Let cool on a wire rack.
- To make the icing, put the lemon juice in a large glass measuring cup, then add confectioners' sugar a few spoonfuls at a time, stirring until the icing is thin enough to drizzle. Spoon it over the cake and let it set.
Anna says
Thanks for the comparison. I bought the Duncan Hines mix and plan on making that one with your changes. Sadly, i will not be able to taste it because I am making it for a group I volunteer for. I'm sure it will be great, and I'll try your Triple Lemon version, too.
karenb says
Anna, I made the Triple lemon Cake today to compare to your Lemon Pound Cake recipe.
I wound up adding 1 1/2 tsp Boyajian Lemon Oil to the batter to increase the Lemon flavor.
This recipe was Excellent!! The cake was moister than the Lemon Pound Cake. It also had a slightly denser, "melt in your mouth" mouth feel.
My husband raved about BOTH cakes , but this one was his favorite!
I liked both of them equally and will probably decide on which one to make in the future, based on the ingredients I have on hand.
If you make this Triple Lemon Cake, or your Lemon Pound Cake with my "additions," please let me know what you think.
karenb says
Anna, that's really hard to say since I haven't made the Triple Lemon Cake in a while.
It was my favorite Lemon Cake though, UNTIL I made your cake recipe with "my additions." I cannot tell you how INCREDIBLE this cake was!!! The slight crispiness of the Lemon Syrup Glaze and addition of Lemon Zest, just made it Burst with flavor! You really must try it.
I will make the Triple Lemon Cake today and get back to you but, I have a feeling that your recipe will be the winner!!!
Anna says
Do you like the Bon Appeti or your new Duncan Hines version better?
Anna says
That sounds fantastic! I think I'll try your added lemon version this weekend. Thanks for trying the Duncan Hines cake and testing it with even MORE lemon.
karenb says
Comment Moved
https://www.cookiemadness.net/2015/11/lemon-pound-cake/#comment-825116
karenb says
Note: Comment moved to https://www.cookiemadness.net/2015/11/lemon-pound-cake/
Anna says
Karen, would you mind posting a link to that Bon Appetit recipe? I'd love to see it.
karenb says
Anna, thanks for your reply and additional comments on the Lemon Pound Cake.
I like to use BOYAJIAN LEMON oil to make a lemon flavored Confectionery glaze for cakes. I think it is more "potent" than real lemon juice.
The Duncan Hines Lemon Cake with Lemon Pudding mix, reminds me of a great recipe I got from Bon Appetite Magazine in the 80's. But, this recipe used Lemon Jello instead of instant pudding and tastes similar to the Lemon Bundt Cake sold at Sam's Club Bakery. I will have to give your recipe a try.
Anna says
Karen, you are right in that I really didn't offer up much of an opinion on this one. Honestly, it was a great little cake and Todd and and Emma want you to know they loved it. I liked it too, but I'm kind of embarrassed to admit that right now my favorite lemon cake is the one made with a box of Duncan Hines lemon cake mix and lemon pudding mix. There's not much of an art to making it, but I love eating it. I feel like I'm cheating as a baker when I make it, but I crave that flavor because my grandma made it.
https://www.cookiemadness.net/2015/11/lemon-pound-cake/
I hope that was a good enough answer for you. I'll try to do better. Feel free to email me anytime you want more info.
As for Boyajian, I like it because it doesn't exactly taste like fresh lemon, yet it doesn't taste like normal lemon extract, which sometimes reminds me of cleanser. It's not quite the same as Duncan Hines lemon, but it's closer than fresh lemon or lemon extract.
karenb says
Anna, I have been following your blog on & off for several years. Most of your recipes I have tried have been very good and I appreciate you sharing them! However, I wish you would provide a "better" critique of your recipes, i.e "Loved this recipe, great flavor, definitely recommend, just okay, no big deal; need to tweak, etc.
My family really loves anything lemon and I was excited to see the Lemon Pound Cake recipe. However, I wasn't sure if you/your family enjoyed it. Your description/comments did not convince me to try this recipe.
I am afraid I might be passing on some of your GREAT recipes because of lack of information.
Anna says
Angie, you can order if off Amazon of course, but sometimes you can find it at Sur le Table. I think Sur le Table usually sells it in a pack with other flavors. I usually buy it off Amazon and I buy the smallest size (1 oz).
Angie says
I need to find the oil, do you get it in a regular grocery store?
I'm always tempted to get a piece of lemon cake when I stop at Starbucks. I'll try making it and post my review though I already know it's delicious!!!