DESSERT Lemon Cake

Ingredients

For the cake:

• 1 ½ cups (190g) all-purpose flour

• 1½ tsp baking powder

• ½ tsp salt

• ½ cup (115g) unsalted butter, softened

• 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar

• 2 large eggs, room temperature

• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

• 1 T lemon zest (about 2 lemons)

• 2 T fresh lemon juice

• ½ cup (120ml) buttermilk

For the syrup:

• ¼ cup fresh lemon juice

• 3 T powdered sugar

For the glaze:

• 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted

• 1½ T fresh lemon juice

• 1 T milk (any kind)

Directions

1. Preheat and Prep

• Preheat oven to 350°F

• Grease and line a 9x5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper for easy removal.

2. Mix Dry Ingredients

• In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

3. Cream Butter and Sugar

• In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. About 3 minutes.

4. Add Eggs and Flavor

• Beat in the eggs, one at a time

• Add vanilla, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Mix well.

5. Alternate Wet and Dry

• Add flour mixture in three parts, alternating with buttermilk.

• Start and end with the flower. Mix just until combined. Do not over mix!

6. Bake

• Pour the batter into the pan and smooth the top.

• Bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

• If the top browns too fast, loosely cover with foil halfway through.

7. Make Syrup

• While the cake bakes, whisk lemon juice and powdered sugar in a small bowl.

8. Soak the Cake

• After baking, let the cake sit for 10 minutes in the pan.

• Poke holes with a skewer and brush the warm syrup all over.

• Let cool completely.

9. Glaze It Up

• Mix powdered sugar, lemon juice, and milk until smooth.

• Drizzle over the cool cake and let set.

TIPS:

• Room temperature ingredients ensure smooth batter

• Don’t over mix. This can make the cake dense.

• Fresh lemons only! Bottled juice just doesn’t cut it here.