Step 1

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a bundt cake pan.

Step 2

Beat white sugar and 1 1/2 cups butter together in a bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, thoroughly beating each egg into the butter mixture before adding the next.

Step 3

Combine flour, salt, and baking soda together in a bowl. Add 1/3 of the flour mixture to the butter mixture; mix well. Pour in 1/2 the buttermilk and beat until combined. Repeat adding the remaining flour mixture and buttermilk, beating well after each addition, and ending with the flour mixture. Stir lemon juice and zest into batter. Batter should be very smooth and have a silky texture- almost as if it was whipped. Pour batter into prepared cake pan.

Step 4

Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees F and bake for 70-75 minutes. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing to a cake platter or plate.

Step 5

Whisk powdered sugar, lemon juice, 2 tablespoons soft butter, lemon and lemon zest together in a bowl until glaze is smooth. Once cake has fully cooled, pour the glaze over the cake, letting some drizzle down the sides and into the center. Top with additional lemon zest, if desired.