Coffee shops serve slices of cake, such as lemon cake. Why not make some fresh lemon cake at home? You can top each slice off with a mix of summer berries and freshly whipped cream.

Lemon, creme fraiche and fresh berries go so well together, right?

They really do!

With summer coming up, why not visit your local farms and farmers markets and support local while getting delicious quality fruits. This easy lemon pound cake recipe is refreshing, super moist and flavorful.

Served at a summer brunch, taken to work for a snack, served at a special meal with vanilla bean ice cream, this cake will be a crowd-pleaser.

Lemon Poundcake with Lemon Curd & Berries

Poundcake

¾ cup all-purpose flour

1 cup cake or pastry flour

½ cup creme fraiche or sour cream

1½ sticks (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened

1¼ cups sugar

3 large eggs, at room temperature

½ teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon baking soda

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

The zest of one lemon

¼ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Chef’s note: We will go gently with the baking temperature, so that the cake does not get tough on the outside. Butter, flour and bottom-line with parchment paper an 8-by-4-inch loaf pan.

Sift all of your dry ingredients together into a large bowl. Set aside.

In your stand-up mixer bowl, cream together your butter, sugar and lemon zest. Add one egg at a time into the creamed butter mixture, mixing and scraping the bowl just until combined. Add your pure vanilla extract now.

In a separate small bowl, combine your creme fraiche and lemon juice. Alternately add your creme fraiche mixture and your all-purpose flour into your stand-up mixer bowl, not overmixing. Just combine all. Gently scrape the bowl a time or two, to make sure all is incorporated.

Fold the cake batter into the loaf pan, spreading it out evenly. Take a butter knife and lightly score a center line into the surface of the cake batter not too deep into the batter. Bake for 50-55 minutes, until a tester comes out clean.

For this kind of cake, you want it baked all the way through. If you notice that the cake is getting too brown too quickly, simply lay a small piece of aluminum foil over it and bake your cake the rest of the way.

Allow the cake to cool in the loaf pan for 10 minutes before removing. Cover, when cooled, until serving.

Lemon curd

2/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 cup of sugar

3 egg yolks

2 large eggs

6 tablespoons unsalted butter; softened

The zest of one lemon

In your stand-up mixer bowl, beat your sugar, lemon zest and butter until creamy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Now add one egg at a time, beating after each egg addition.

With the mixer running on low, add your freshly squeezed lemon juice. The mixture will look curdled, but that is fine. At this point, it will look curdled.

Pour the mixture into a saucepan, and place it over medium heat. Cook until the mixture is lightly thickened. It should read about 170-175 degrees Fahrenheit on a cooking thermometer if you have one.

Strain the curd mixture over a fine mesh sieve into a heat-safe bowl. Cover the curd, right onto the curd surface, with heat-safe plastic wrap. Set out until room temperature and then store in the refrigerator. You can make your curd up to a week ahead of time. The fresh lemon juice will keep it fresh.

Garnish your cakes, tartlets or even add the lemon curd into buttercreams for decorating your cakes or cupcakes.