Citrus-Almond Poundcake

Name: Citrus-Almond Poundcake
Total time: 1 h 30 min
Yield: 10 to 12 servings
Ingredients: 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cubed, plus more for pan; Flour for pan; 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice; 1/2 cup fresh orange juice; 3 cups plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar; 7-ounce tube almond paste; 7 large eggs; 2 teaspoons lemon zest; 2 teaspoons orange zest; 2 teaspoons vanilla extract; 1 1/2 cups cake flour; 3/4 teaspoon baking powder; 1/4 teaspoon salt

Recipe from Grandaisy Bakery

Adapted by Mark Bittman

Citrus-Almond Poundcake — Evan Sung for The New York Times

Total Time: 1½ hours
Rating: 5(250)
Notes: Read community notes

This poundcake is richer, moister and more flavorful than any you’ve tasted, and it’s not difficult to make. (Much of it is done in the food processor; do not pulse more than you must.) The consistency and flavor rely on the almond paste in the batter, and a simple soak of lemon juice, orange juice and sugar; the cake acts like a sponge, absorbing the sweetened citrus juice. A word of advice about this or any other Bundt cake: butter and flour the pan well. Even nonstick Bundt pans can be tricky. There’s nothing more frustrating than having your cake fall partly out, leaving the pretty top bit clinging to the pan. —Mark Bittman

Featured in: Sneaking a Poundcake Out of the Food Processor

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Ingredients

Yield:10 to 12 servings

12tablespoons (1½ sticks) cold unsalted butter, cubed, plus more for pan
Flour for pan
¼cup fresh lemon juice
½cup fresh orange juice
3cups plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
7-ounce tube almond paste
7large eggs
2teaspoons lemon zest
2teaspoons orange zest
2teaspoons vanilla extract
1½cups cake flour
¾teaspoon baking powder
¼teaspoon salt

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Preparation

Make the recipe with us

Step 1
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour an 8-cup Bundt pan. Put lemon juice, orange juice and 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar in a small saucepan over low heat; cook until the sugar dissolves and remove from heat.
Step 2
Put almond paste and remaining 2 cups sugar in food processor and process until well combined; add butter and continue processing until light and fluffy. With the machine running, add eggs one at a time along with zest and vanilla, and continue to process until smooth.
Step 3
Stop the machine, add the flour, baking powder and salt, and pulse a few times — just until the dry ingredients are integrated (be careful not to over process, or the cake will become tough). Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until golden, about 1 hour and 10 minutes. When a skewer or thin-bladed knife inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, remove the cake from the oven and let cool slightly.
Step 4
Pour the citrus soak over the cake and let it sit for about 30 minutes, or until all the liquid is absorbed and the cake releases from the pan easily. Cut into slices.

Ratings

5 out of 5

250 user ratings

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Cooking Notes

AE6 years ago

I reduced the sugar to 1/3 cup for the syrup and 1 1/2 cups for the cake and it tastes really good. I will bake it for 60 minutes and in a larger cake pan next time since it got really dark on the outside and stuck to the pan despite the buttering and flouring. I had to scrape it out of the baking pan.

Yvette6 years ago

This cake is a must, must, must. Every time I make it I get asked for the recipe. So delicious and really easy in the food processor. Just make sure to grease the pan well or it will stick at the bottom (or really the top). It also takes way more than 30 minutes for the liquid to get absorbed.

Edna josell5 years ago

Another option for syrup is to wait till cake is out of pan , turn cake over and prick with fork Then pour the syrup over it . The top of cake will become nice and crunchy with a soft inside and it won’t be drowned in the syrup . This is the method used in the Maida Hatters lemon cake . The East 62nd lemon cake -also found in NYT cooking and which is one of my favorite cakes .

Andrea Beugnon6 years ago

It is WAY too sweet and wet with the juice/sugar mixture poured over. I would try it again without. If it’s your first time and you don’t believe me, I recommend trying only half of the liquid soak. I love sugar but it makes it a wet cake, not a moist bundt. The batter tasted great so I feel the the bath at the end ruined it.

Valerye6 years ago

Got rave reviews on this recipe. I used very little of the soaking syrup as I felt the cake was plenty moist and sweet. I used the syrup instead on some berries that I served with the cake, along with shipped cream. I did add a half teaspoon of almond extract as I love almond flavor.

Sara T2 months ago

Delicious! My food processor is in the smaller size but I was able to finish all the steps up to adding the flour, which I just combined in a separate bowl at the end. I checked the cake at 55 min and it was already almost overcooked, wish I had taken it out at 50 min. I will definitely make again, but with less time in the oven and will also remove from the pan before glazing (was tough to get out after just 10 min and the pan was VERY well greased)

minne4 months ago

This is an excellent recipe that results in a lovely, fine crumbed bundt cake. I used AP flour, not cake flour to assure some structure for a bundt cake. I followed the recipe as written but skipped the sugar syrup at the end. I only baked it for 50 minutes and it was perfect! Dusted with confectioners sugar- beautiful. Mixing it in a food processor made this a fast, easy cake, which feeds many people and is therefore good for a party. Don't change the recipe and it will be delicious.

kay4 months ago

Strawberry sauce,coulis

Day4 months ago

The tip for 1 1/2 cups of sugar in the batter and 1/3 cup in the syrup is spot on for perfect sweetness. Do start checking your cake at 45-50 minutes after baking. Your home will smell like heaven while this is baking. DO NOT eat the cake on day 1. It tastes weird - the almond is too strong and the flavors haven’t melded yet. But after 24 hours, this cake TRANSFORMS. So good. I found day 2 and 3 to be the best. Wrap in plastic film to ensure cut ends don’t dry out. No refrigeration needed.

Kelsey B.6 months ago

Delicious. It is very sweet (I made the recipe as written) but for a special treat it is perfect.

dina8 months ago

Can this be made ahead of time, frozen, then defrosted the day before serving?

Jennifer8 months ago

I used a food processor for the almond paste and sugar. The rest I used a stand mixer and let the butter and eggs warm to room temperature. My almond paste had sugar in it, so I followed others’ advice to reduce the sugar in both the syrup and batter. I love how moist the cake is. I love “wet” cakes like tres leche (though this is not as wet as that) so I used all the liquid. I also poked holes before pouring the liquid and it gives the cake a lovely bright orange lemon flavor.

cheryl1 year ago

Use 1/2 syrup

Claire1 year ago

Simply Devine! Made my own almond paste, didn’t even bother to blanch almonds - east leash. Did half the liquid but I WILL REMOVE FROM PAN WITHIN 10 minutes! It stuck SO badly after 30 minutes I wanted to cry , and I never have sticking issues ..but even after cake surgery it was cravable - will make again and again..like right now.

Franco1 year ago

Made this last night. I followed the instructions carefully. I checked on it at 1hr 5minutes. WOAH...nearly burnt top and very dark sides, way over cooked. I cooked at 350 in a light Nordic Bundt pan. I followed the advice of other with brushing half the syrup instead of pouring over. I will try again and check at 50-55 minutes.

Karen2 years ago

Terrific cake! My food processor wasn't big enough to hold all the batter so I moved it to a bowl once the butter was incorporated and finished the batter with a hand mixer. Also used my grandmother's tube pan.

Ellwell2 years ago

The texture and the flavor of the cake was great! It had a wonderful crust, which is my favorite part. I would do without the glaze altogether.

Hank D2 years ago

This cake is exceptional. I wonder if people who found it too sweet are using marzipan or sweetened almond paste rather than unsweetened? Agree with reducing the soaking liquid.

Deb2 years ago

Just made this for a dinner tomorrow and it's delicious (I sneaked some overflow batter)! Took a few suggestions from notes: used 1.5 c. of sugar in batter, not 2. I used a scant 1/2 tsp of Fiori di Sicilia, a beautiful citrus vanilla extract from King Arthur, and cut the vanilla to ~ 1 1/4 tsp. I used 6 X-large eggs. The cake baked in less than 50 minutes. Used about 1/2 of the soak. Let it cool for almost an hour and it came out of the spiral bundt pan just fine.

Tomese3 years ago

Made this today and used some of the suggestions from previous bakers. I cut the sugar in the cake to 1 1/2 cups - that is PLENTY. Cut the syrup proportions by half and cooked it down for about 5 minutes to get it more syrup-y. Poked holes over the warm cake and poured the syrup over. I got the first of the local strawberries at the farmers' market yesterday and this is a great cake to go with them. Made my own almond paste - no need to ever buy that again!

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