The Best Damn Lemon Cake Food

LEMON CAKE

Steps:

• 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. You may also line the bottom with parchment paper, if desired.
• Cream the butter and 2 cups granulated sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. With the mixer on medium speed, add the eggs, 1 at a time, and the lemon zest.
• Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. In another bowl, combine 1/4 cup lemon juice, the buttermilk, and vanilla. Add the flour and buttermilk mixtures alternately to the batter, beginning and ending with the flour. Divide the batter evenly between the pans, smooth the tops, and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until a cake tester comes out clean.
• Combine 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, allow to cool for 10 minutes. Remove the cakes from the pans and set them on a rack set over a tray or sheet pan; spoon the lemon syrup over them. 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.

MAIDA HEATTER'S BEST DARN LEMON CAKE EVER

Steps:

• Spray an 8-1/2"x5" loaf pan with baking spray.
• Grind almonds very fine and set aside.
• Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt and set aside.
• In a small heavy saucepan, melt butter. Transfer to a large bowl. With electric mixer, add sugar and beat a bit to mix.
• On low speed, beat in eggs one at a time, beating only to mix well.
• Add dry ingredients in three additions, alternating with milk in two additions, scraping bowl with a spatula and beating until mixed after each addition.
• Mix in lemon extract.
• Remove from mixer. Stir in grated rind, then stir in ground almonds.
• Turn mixture into pan. (It will be thin.) Bake at 350 for 65-75 minutes. (During baking, cake will form a large crack or two on top, and crack(s) will remain light in color.).
• A few minutes before cake is finished, prepare glaze: stir sugar and lemon juice in a small saucepan over moderate heat, only until sugar is just dissolved. (Don't boil!).
• When cake is removed from the oven, let it stand for 2-3 minutes. Then, using brush, brush the hot glaze gradually over the hot cake. Glaze should not be applied quickly; it should take about 5 minutes to apply all the glaze.
• Let cake stand until not quite completely cool. Then gently invert onto a rack and turn right side up. When cool, wrap in plastic wrap or foil and let stand 12-24 hours before serving.

INCREDIBLE LEMON CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Grease and flour 2 (8 1/2 x 4 1/4 x 2 1/2-inch) loaf pans, lining the bottom with parchment paper, if desired.
• Cream, using paddle attachment, butter and 2 C granulated sugar in bowl of electric mixer until light and fluffy, approximately 5 minutes.
• With mixer on medium speed, add eggs, 1 at a time, and the lemon zest.
• Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a bowl.
• In another bowl, combine 1/4 C lemon juice, buttermilk and vanilla.
• Alternately add flour and buttermilk mixtures to batter, beginning and ending with flour mixture.
• Divide batter evenly between pans, smoothing the tops.
• Bake 45 minutes- 1 hour, until tester comes out clean.
• When cakes are done, cool 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, combine 1/2 C granulated sugar and 1/2 C lemon juice in small saucepan, cooking over low heat until sugar dissolves.
• Remove cakes from pans and set on wire rack over jelly pan (best to set upside down on rack so that syrup is spooned onto the bottom of the cake as it will absorb better than spooning over the top).
• Spoon lemon syrup over cakes.
• Allow cakes to cool completely.
• Glaze: Combine confectioners' sugar and lemon juice in a bowl, mixing with whisk until smooth.
• Pour over the tops of the cakes and allow to drizzle down the sides.
• Garnish with 2 lemon slices and some greens (e. g., Italian parsley or mint leaves), as desired.