Juicy – Citrus pound cake

I know, it’s only a few days ago that I claimed that I am more into savoury than sweet dishes around this time of the year.

Yeees, that’s still right, but then – when I walk across the market – those piles of various kinds of oranges, grapefruits and lemons don’t let me just pass either.

Actually I am a great fan of lemon zest and juice throughout the year (Here, here, here and here are only some proofs.).

So, here’s my contribution to this years citrus season: an orange lemon pound cake. Doesn’t sound spectacular? Well, this of course is a matter of perspective and I’ve often found the simple things to be the best.

Besides this, this cake in fact has some extras:

First of all, it’s not really a pound cake in its literal meaning, cause the ratio of flour, sugar, butter and eggs is not equal. It’s more of a skinny pound cake – without making concessions when it comes to texture and flavour.

Then, it is juicy, fresh and tart, full of lemon and orange flavour – cause all of the fruit is packed into this cake:

The batter contains 1. zest of one orange and one lemon, plus 2. orange flesh that turns into juicy pockets (inspired by Yossys cake here), plus 3. orange juice.

And here we even go another step further: After baking, the cake is brushed with the juice of one lemon that is soaked up and makes the cake super moist.

Now: Who says that this is just an ordinary lemon pound cake?!

Citrus pound cake

ingredients
220 g flour, 3 teaspoons baking powder, 130 g sugar (+ 2 tablespoons), 150 g butter (room temperatur), 1 orange, 1 lemon, 3 eggs

preparation
Preheat oven to 180°C. Wash and zest orange and lemon. With a sharp knife cut top and bottom of orange off. Remove as well the rest of the skin (including all the white stuff) with the knife. Over a bowl, carefully cut the segments out of the membrane letting fruit and juices fall into the bowl. Squeeze out the remaining membrane as well. In another medium bowl mix sugar and fruit zest, add butter and beat until creamy. Add eggs, one after another while beating the cream. Add orange juice, flour and baking powder and combine well. Finally fold in orange wedges. Fill into a loaf pan. Bake for 50 minutes.

Take cake out of the oven. Squeeze lemon, mix with 2 tablespoons sugar and brush top of cake with it. Let rest for 5 minutes in the tin. Then let fully cool out on a wire rack.