This recipe is from Ina Garten and makes 2 loaf cakes. You can certainly halve the recipe if you want to make only one.

Cake

2 sticks (8 oz) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 1⁄2 c sugar, divided
4 eggs, at room temperature
1⁄3 c lemon zest (3-4 large lemons)
3 c all-purpose flour
1⁄2 t baking powder
1⁄2 t baking soda
1 t kosher salt
3⁄4 c lemon juice (freshly squeezed please), divided
3⁄4 c buttermilk, at room temperature
1 t vanilla

Glaze

2 c confectioner’s sugar
3-4 T lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease, flour, and line the bottom of 2 loaf pans with parchment paper.

Cream the butter and 2 cups sugar in the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, for 5 minutes, until light and fluffy. With mixer on medium, add eggs one at a time, and the lemon zest.

Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. In a measuring cup, combine the buttermilk with 1⁄4 cup lemon juice and vanilla. Add the flour and buttermilk mixtures alternately to the batter, beginning and ending with the flour. Divide batter evenly between the pans, smooth the tops, and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until a cake tester comes out clean. Combine the remaining 1⁄2 cup sugar and with 1⁄2 cup lemon juice in a small saucepan and cook over low heat until sugar has dissolved.

When cakes are done, let them cool 10 minutes, then invert them onto a rack set over a piece of parchment. Poke some holes in the cake with a skewer then spoon lemon syrup over the cakes. Cool cakes completely.

For the glaze, combine confectioner’s sugar and lemon juice in a bowl. Whisk until smooth. Pour over the tops of the cakes, allowing it to drizzle down the sides.

Lemon Cake