Preheat and Prep:
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line a 9×5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper, allowing the paper to extend over the edges for easy removal later.

Mix Dry Ingredients:
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

Cream Butter and Sugar:
In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar until pale and fluffy (about 3 minutes).

Add Eggs and Flavor:
Beat in the eggs one at a time, ensuring each is fully incorporated. Add the vanilla extract, lemon zest, and fresh lemon juice, mixing until well combined.

Alternate Wet and Dry Ingredients:
Add the flour mixture in 3 parts, alternating with the buttermilk. Start and end with the flour mixture. Mix until just combined—be careful not to overmix.

Bake:
Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top. Bake for 50–60 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center. If the top begins to brown too quickly, loosely cover the cake with foil halfway through the baking time.

Make the Syrup:
While the cake is baking, whisk together the fresh lemon juice and powdered sugar in a small bowl to create the syrup.

Soak the Cake:
Once the cake is done, let it sit in the pan for 10 minutes. Use a skewer to poke holes all over the top of the cake, then brush the warm lemon syrup over the top, allowing it to soak in. Let the cake cool completely.

Glaze It Up:
To make the glaze, mix together the powdered sugar, lemon juice, and milk until smooth. Drizzle the glaze over the cooled cake and allow it to set before slicing.