Lemon Pound Cake to Die For

Just made this recently for Patricia V. — lemon pound cake tops her list of favorite indulgences.  After she finished a slice of the cake, I asked her if she liked it, and she exclaimed, “I don’t like it — I LOVE IT!”.  Goal achieved, yes!

Lemon Pound Cake to die for

3 cups all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
3 cups sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
1/2 cup shortening
5 large eggs
1 cup whole milk
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
1/2 teaspoon orange extract (optional)
1/4 teaspoon lemon extract (optional)

Preheat oven to 350F

Pam-spray and flour two 9 x 5 loaf pans.

Sift flour, baking powder and salt into medium bowl.  Set aside.

Using an electric mixer, cream together butter, shortening and sugar.  Add eggs one at a time, beating until well blended after each one.  Mix in lemon zest.

Add dry ingredients in three additions to butter mixture alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low to medium speed just until blended after each addition. Mix in lemon juice.

Pour batter into prepared pans.  Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 55 to 65 minutes.  Cool cakes in pans for 15 minutes.  Turn cakes out onto racks and cool completely.