For a first lady known for her deep appreciation of French cuisine and impeccable fashion sense, Jackie Kennedy was also surprisingly down-to-earth. She enjoyed simple pleasures like a grilled cheese sandwich and famously ate toast with honey every morning. Her love for simplicity carried into her entertaining style as well.
While she hosted elegant state dinners with style, she also loved organizing small dinners and lively dance parties for close friends. According to Marta Sgubin, the Kennedy family’s nanny and chef for over 25 years, Jackie cared deeply about her guests. She customized menus to their tastes, even taking notes so she could always serve something they would enjoy. Among her favorite recipes to serve? A simple, elegant lemon pound cake.
The Cake That Won Over Presidents
In Marta Sgubin’s 1998 cookbook Cooking for Madam: Recipes and Reminiscences from the Home of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, she shared not just recipes but personal stories of the Kennedy household. One recipe stands out: a lemon pound cake that was adored by the Kennedys and later impressed the Clintons, who reportedly sent kind notes after tasting it.
What makes this cake special is its balance of rich flavor and light citrus. While the recipe uses the classic pound cake base of butter, eggs, sugar, and flour, it swaps regular milk for evaporated milk. This small change adds creaminess and keeps the crumb moist while lemon zest and juice bring brightness.
Ingredients
- 2 sticks butter, softened
- 1 1/3 cups sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup evaporated milk
- 1 lemon, zested and juiced
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease an 8×4-inch loaf pan.
- Beat butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time.
- In a separate bowl, combine flour and salt. Add one-third of the dry mix to the butter-sugar mixture.
- Add half the evaporated milk, then another portion of dry mix, the rest of the milk, and finally the remaining dry mix.
- Stir in lemon zest and juice, then pour batter into the loaf pan.
- Bake for 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. The cake should pull slightly from the pan’s edges.
- Cool briefly in the pan before turning onto a rack. Flip the cake right side up and let cool completely.
A Simple Yet Elegant Dessert
From gooey lemon bars to airy meringue pies, lemon desserts always strike the perfect balance of sweet and tart. This pound cake is no exception. Dense yet delicate, citrusy yet not overpowering, it’s proof that sometimes the simplest recipes make the biggest impression.
Take inspiration from Jackie Kennedy’s timeless hosting style and serve this cake the next time you have guests, it might just become your signature dessert too.
