I crave lemons and I'm really excited that our new lemon tree has some blossoms on it. I can't wait to pick a lemon from my own tree and then . . . just smile.
While searching for my Easter Brunch menu, I had lemons on my mind. I found this easy lemon cake recipe on skirt, but for some reason it's not to be found.
I made this Lemon Cake (off Martha's site) for Easter. I increased the lemon and if I might say so myself, it was fantastic!
Ingredients
Serves 8
1 cup sour cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, sifted, plus more for dusting
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pan
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
3 large eggs plus 3 large egg whites
Confectioners' sugar, for dusting
Borage or other edible flowers, for garnish
Directions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Butter a 9-inch round cake pan. Line bottom with parchment cut to fit, and butter parchment. Dust with flour, and tap out excess.
Combine sour cream, vanilla, zest, and juice. In a separate bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Beat butter and sugar with a mixer on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy. Add eggs and whites, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in sour cream mixture. Reduce speed to low, and beat in flour mixture until just combined. Transfer to pan, and smooth top.
Bake until a toothpick comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Let cool in pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes, then turn out cake onto rack to cool completely. (Cake can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature overnight.) Before serving, dust with confectioners' sugar, and arrange flowers on top.
But, I found this recipe for Lemon Cream Cake that looks yummy.
Ingredients
5 large eggs
1 3/4 cups sugar
pinch salt
2 cups all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
2/3 cup heavy cream
6 tablespoons melted butter
finely grated zest of 3 lemons
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Directions
Heat oven to 375°. Butter and flour a 9x5x3-inch loaf pan.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the eggs, sugar, and salt; beat until thick and a light lemon color.
In another bowl, sift together the flour and baking powder.
Gently stir the flour mixture into the egg and sugar mixture a little at a time; blend well. Blend in the cream and melted butter and then stir in the lemon zest and lemon juice.
Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until golden brown around the edges. Remove to a rack to cool for about 5 minutes, then turn the cake out onto the rack to cool completely.
Serve this lemon dessert sauce on ice cream, gingerbread, or pound cake.
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 cup granulated sugar
dash salt
1 cup boiling water
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
juice 1 lemon, 2 to 3 tablespoons
Preparation:
Combine cornstarch, sugar, and salt in a small saucepan; stir to blend well. Slowly stir in the boiling water. Place over medium-low heat and cook, stirring constantly, until mixture begins to boil. Let the mixture simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add the lemon zest and juice. Makes about 1 cup of lemon dessert sauce.
And this one - is my next one I'm going to try (it's from Contessa's site):
1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature
2 1/2 cups granulated sugar,
divided 4 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
1/3 cup grated lemon zest lightly packed (6 to 8 large lemons - Use only fresh lemon juice and zest)
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
3/4 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
For the glaze:
2 cups confectioners' sugar
3 1/2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Grease and flour 2 (8 1/2 by 4 1/4 by 2 1/2-inch) loaf pans.
Cream the butter and 2 cups granulated sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, the key to great cakes is beating the butter and sugar until the mixture's until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. With the mixer on medium speed add the eggs, (break the eggs into a dish before adding to the batter to avoid a bad egg or shells in the batter) 1 at a time, and the lemon zest. Sift together the flour, to make sure there are no lumps, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. Separately, combine 1/4 cup lemon juice, the buttermilk, and vanilla. Add the flour and buttermilk mixtures alternately, beginning and ending with the flour.
Divide evenly between the pans, smooth the tops, and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until a cake tester comes out clean.
Cook 1/2 cup granulated sugar with 1/2 cup lemon juice in a small saucepan and cook over low heat until the sugar dissolves. When the cakes are done, cool for 10 minutes, invert them onto a rack set over a tray and spoon the lemon syrup over the cakes. Allow the cakes to cool completely.
For the glaze, combine the confectioners' sugar and the lemon juice in a bowl, mixing with a wire whisk until smooth. Pour over the tops of the cakes and allow the glaze to drizzle down the sides. To freeze these cakes, prepare them except the glaze. Wrap them well in plastic wrap and freeze. When you're ready to use, defrost and glaze.
And for fun here are New Uses for Lemon
“Lemon juice is the strongest food acid in our kitchens, strong enough to make life unbearable for most bacteria,” says Robert Wolke, professor emeritus of chemistry at the University of Pittsburgh
Use Lemons to:
1. Sanitize a chopping block. Run a slice of lemon over the surface to disinfect.
2. Eliminate the browning that occurs when food sits out too long. Sprinkle apple or pear slices with lemon juice before serving, or squeeze a bit into guacamole and give it a stir.
3. Remove tough food stains from plastic and light-colored wooden cutting boards. Slice a lemon in half, squeeze the juice onto the soiled surface, rub, and let sit for 20 minutes. Rinse with water.
4. Fade tea stains on cloth. Dilute lemon juice with an equal amount of water. Use an eyedropper or a Q-tip to make sure the juice targets the stain. Thoroughly flush with cool water.
5. Decorate on the cheap. Fill a glass bowl with lemons for a sunny centerpiece. Or display a row of them along a windowsill.
6. Relieve a sore throat. Cut a lemon in half. Skewer one half over a medium flame on a gas stove or an electric burner set on high and roast until the peel turns golden brown. Let cool slightly, then mix the juice with 1 teaspoon of honey. Swallow the mixture.
7. Whiten fingernails. Rub a wedge on the surface of your nails.
8. Shine the interior of copper cookware. Sprinkle a lemon wedge with salt, then scrub.
9. Brighten laundry whites. Add 1/2 cup lemon juice to the wash cycle of a normal-size load.
10. Remove soft cheese or other sticky foods from a grater. Rub both sides of the grater with the pulp side of a cut lemon.
11. Read the rest here . . .
