It’s that time again—time to share another delicious recipe from the Secret Recipe Club. If you’re new to this, the Secret Recipe Club is a community of bloggers who are each assigned a different blog each month and then prepare a recipe from that blog to post on the same date. Readers discover new recipes and bloggers get to see who made their dishes.
This month I received the lovely Keep It Sweet blog by Lauren from New York City. Lauren is a twenty-something baker who creates wonderful dishes in a cozy kitchen—I can relate to her tiny-kitchen creativity. Her site is full of tempting recipes, and it was tough to choose just one. I bookmarked a few, including her homemade applesauce and pumpkin raisin bread pudding, but ultimately settled on her lightened-up lemon pound cake.
This version is a lightened-up lemon pound cake that comes together easily with simple ingredients you likely already have. The bright, fresh lemon zest lifts the whole cake and keeps it wonderfully moist. I enjoyed a slice with fat-free vanilla ice cream while catching up on reality TV—comfort food at its best.
I kept the recipe mostly intact and only made a few light substitutions: fat-free cream cheese, light butter, and Splenda Sugar Blend instead of full sugar. That said, this pound cake still delivers the dense, tender crumb and lemony brightness you expect from a classic pound cake—just a little lighter.
One tip from my bake: don’t overfill the loaf pan. My batter rose a bit more than anticipated, and the cake needed extra time in the oven to bake through. Next time I’ll fill the pan a little less to avoid extended baking.
RECIPE
Lemon Pound Cake (Lightened-Up)
Recipe adapted from Keep It Sweet
Yield: 12 servings
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 (8 oz) block fat-free cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) light butter, softened
- 1/2 cup fat-free plain Greek yogurt
- 1 Tbsp fresh lemon zest (about 1 lemon)
- 1/2 cup Splenda Sugar Blend (or 1 cup granulated sugar)
- 4 eggs, brought to room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan or spray with nonstick spray. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and light butter on high speed until the mixture is light and creamy, several minutes. Use a microplane or fine grater to zest one lemon.
- Add the lemon zest and the Greek yogurt to the cream cheese and butter mixture and beat on high for about a minute to combine. Add the sugar blend and beat on high until the batter is smooth and creamy.
- Add the eggs one at a time, beating on high for about a minute or two between each addition. Add the vanilla and beat on high for another minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Reduce the mixer speed to low and gradually add the dry ingredients. Stop before completely combined, then remove the bowl and gently fold the batter with a spatula until no streaks of flour remain.
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan, smoothing the top. Bake for 45–50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. If the top begins to brown too much, loosely tent the cake with foil for the remaining baking time.
- Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10–15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Slice and serve.
Notes
Nutritional information per slice (approximate): Calories: 162 • Fat: 6.7 g • Carbs: 22.2 g • Fiber: 0.6 g • Protein: 3.8 g • WW Points+: 4 pts
Storage and serving tips: Store leftover cake covered at room temperature for 1–2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. To freeze, wrap slices tightly and freeze for up to 2 months; thaw in the refrigerator or at room temperature before serving. For best flavor, bring slices to room temperature and consider serving with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream.
Substitutions and variations: You can replace Splenda Sugar Blend with an equal amount of granulated sugar if preferred. For a brighter glaze, mix powdered sugar with a little lemon juice and drizzle over the cooled loaf. For an extra lemon hit, fold in 1–2 teaspoons of fresh lemon juice into the batter before baking.
Thanks again to Lauren for the inspiration. Be sure to visit her blog Keep It Sweet for more treats and creative recipes. And if you haven’t checked out the Secret Recipe Club, it’s a fun way to discover new blogs and recipes.
Now I’m off to find out who received my blog this month—always a little thrill!