Firm Lemony Pound Cake

Ingredients

Cake

• 1 cup cake flour (not self-rising) – (250ml)
• ½ teaspoon baking powder – (2.5ml)
• ¼ teaspoon salt (1.25ml)
• 2 tablespoons lemon balm – (30ml)
• 2 tablespoons freshly grated lemon zest – (30ml)
• 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened – (125ml)
• 1 cup granulated sugar – (250ml)
• 3 large eggs (separated)
• ¾ teaspoon vanilla – (3.75ml)
• 2 tablespoons milk – (30ml)
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice – (30ml)

Glaze

• ½ cup + 1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar – (140ml)
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice – (15ml)

Garnish

• Strawberries
• Fondant

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit
2. In a small bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, lemon balm and zest.
3. In another bowl, beat the room-temperature butter with an electric mixer.  Gradually add in the sugar until the mix is smooth.  One at a time, add the egg yolks while beating between each addition.  Add vanilla.  Add half of the flour mixture.  Then add milk and lemon juice.  Finally, add the remaining flour mixture until just combined.
4. In a copper bowl (if you have it), beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form.  Fold into the batter.  Butter and flour a 1-quart bundt pan and pour batter into it, smoothing the top.  Bake in the middle of the oven for 45-55 minutes or until golden brown on top and the tester comes out clean.  Cool on cake rack (with cookie sheet underneath it) for 15 minutes and then invert on rack to cool completely.  (Cake can be made 1 day ahead and kept chilled and covered.)
5. For glaze:  In a small bowl, add lemon juice and gradually whisk in confectioners’ sugar until thick and smooth.
6. When cake has completely cooled, apply the glaze onto it with a pastry brush (or alternatively, if not using fondant just drizzle glaze on top and let it drip down the sides of the cake).   Once the glaze has hardened, pour the fondant over iced cake, flowing from the centre and moving out in a circular motion.  Touch up the sides with a spatula.
7. Serve at room temperature with strawberries.