16 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened but still cool
5 large eggs, room temperature, lightly beaten
Syrup
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup lemon juice (2 lemons)
Glaze
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Directions
1. FOR THE CAKE: Adjust oven rack to middle position
and heat oven to 325 degrees. Grease 9 by 5-inch loaf pan
with butter, dust pan with flour, then tap out excess.
Sift flour, baking powder, and salt into bowl. Stir sour
cream and lemon juice together in second bowl.
2. Using your fingers, toss lemon zest and sugar
together in large bowl until clumps are gone. Using stand
mixer fitted with paddle, beat sugar mixture and butter on
medium-low speed until smooth and light, about 3 minutes,
scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Add beaten eggs in
3 additions, mixing until smooth and scraping down bowl after
each addition (mixture will begin to look curdled). With
mixer on low speed, add one-third of flour mixture, followed by
half of sour cream mixture, scraping down bowl as needed.
Repeat, ending with flour mixture. Scrape down sides of
bowl, then mix on low speed until smooth, about 30 seconds.
Use rubber spatula to give batter final stir.
3. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan and smooth with
spatula. Gently tap pan on counter to release air bubbles.
Bake until golden brown and toothpick inserted in center comes
out with few crumbs attached, 55 minutes to 1 hour 10 minutes.
4. FOR THE SYRUP: Meanwhile, stir sugar and
lemon juice together in saucepan over medium-high heat until
sugar dissolves. Simmer for 2 minutes, remove from heat,
and set aside while cake is baking.
5. Let cake cool in pan on wire rack for 10 minutes,
then turn it out onto rack.
6. Brush top and sides of still-warm cake with syrup
and let cool completely, about 2 hours.
7. FOR THE GLAZE: Whisk confectioners' sugar
and lemon juice in bowl until smooth. Spread glaze over
cake, allowing some to drip down sides. Let glaze set for
at least 15 minutes before serving.
