Cranberry Lemon Pound Cake

A buttery pound cake bursting with tart cranberries and bright lemon flavor, made extra special with homemade lemon sugar and finished with a lemon glaze.

Ingredients

• Lemon sugar: 1 cup granulated sugar
• Lemon sugar: zest of 2 lemons
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup prepared lemon sugar
• 3 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup sour cream or full-fat Greek yogurt
• 1 1/4 cups fresh or frozen cranberries, roughly chopped
• 1 tablespoon flour (for tossing with cranberries)
• Glaze: 1 cup powdered sugar
• Glaze: 2 to 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• Glaze: 1 teaspoon lemon zest (optional)

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan and line it with parchment paper, leaving some overhang for easy removal.
2. Combine the granulated sugar and lemon zest and rub them together with your fingertips for about a minute, until fragrant, slightly moist, and pale yellow.
3. Beat the softened butter with the lemon sugar for 3 to 4 minutes, until pale and fluffy.
4. Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Mix in the vanilla and lemon juice.
5. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
6. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture in two additions, alternating with the sour cream. Mix only until combined.
7. Toss the cranberries with 1 tablespoon flour, then gently fold them into the batter. If using frozen cranberries, there's no need to thaw them first.
8. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for 55 to 65 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
9. Let the cake cool in the pan for about 15 minutes, then transfer it to a rack and cool completely.
10. Stir powdered sugar and lemon juice together until thick but pourable. Drizzle over the cooled cake and finish with a little lemon zest.

A little upgrade: make an extra 2 tablespoons of lemon sugar and sprinkle it generously over the batter just before baking for a delicate, slightly crunchy citrus top. Optional twist: orange sugar works wonderfully too — lemon sugar in the cake and orange sugar on top makes a cranberry-citrus holiday version. Baking tips: use fresh, firm cranberries or keep frozen ones frozen until ready to use; don't overmix the batter; let the cake cool completely before glazing. Store covered at room temperature for up to 3 days, or refrigerate for up to 5 days.