Incredible Lemon Cake

Ducky's Note:

If you like lemon, you're going to love this cake! Saw this recipe being made by the Barefoot Contessa on FoodTV and just had to have it. Not being overly experienced, I was a bit intimidated by the recipe. However, it is not very hard, looks great and the taste is incredible! Cook time does not include time for the cakes to cool.

• Total Time: 1 hrs 30 mins
• Prep Time: 30 mins
• Cook Time: 1 hrs

Ingredients:

Serves: 10-12

Yield: 2.0 loaves ...

• 1/2 lb unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 1/2 cups granulated sugar, divided
• 4 large eggs, room temperature
• 1/3 cup lemon, zest of, grated
• 3 cups flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3/4 cup fresh lemon juice, divided
• 3/4 cup buttermilk, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Glaze

• 2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
• 3 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. 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.
3. Cream, using paddle attachment, butter and 2 C granulated sugar in bowl of electric mixer until light and fluffy, approximately 5 minutes.
4. With mixer on medium speed, add eggs, 1 at a time, and the lemon zest.
5. Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a bowl.
6. In another bowl, combine 1/4 C lemon juice, buttermilk and vanilla.
7. Alternately add flour and buttermilk mixtures to batter, beginning and ending with flour mixture.
8. Divide batter evenly between pans, smoothing the tops.
9. Bake 45 minutes- 1 hour, until tester comes out clean.
10. When cakes are done, cool 10 minutes.
11. Meanwhile, combine 1/2 C granulated sugar and 1/2 C lemon juice in small saucepan, cooking over low heat until sugar dissolves.
12. 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).
13. Spoon lemon syrup over cakes.
14. Allow cakes to cool completely.
15. Glaze: Combine confectioners' sugar and lemon juice in a bowl, mixing with whisk until smooth.
16. Pour over the tops of the cakes and allow to drizzle down the sides.
17. Garnish with 2 lemon slices and some greens (e. g., Italian parsley or mint leaves), as desired.

Reviews

[Olive*]

A delicious lemon cake! Moist and lemony. I made mine into a layer cake, omitted the syrup and the glaze, and made a butter cream lemon frosting. Delish!

[Scaithach]

The first time I made this cake, I didn't read the instructions properly (missed that "divided") and put the whole 3/4 c lemon juice in the batter, then (when I realized the mistake) added 1/4 c milk instead of the other way around. I don't make it any other way now. I love the glaze, but don't bother with the syrup (with all that juice, it's very lemony by itself). Having said that, this has become my go-to cake for just about any occasion, and I get requests for it all the time. I've always meant to say thanks for the recipe!

[*Miss Rachel.]

This cake was very good. I made it for a cake decorating class I am taking. My only complaint is that I had to make another cake because only half the cake came out of the pan, and I use parchment paper on the bottom. This is definitely the best textured cake I have ever tasted. It is light and fluffy, but it sits heavy so you don't need a lot to fill you up. It is extremely lemony ever for my taste and I love lemon desserts. I brought the sugar up about 1/3 cup and reduced the lemon juice to about 1/2 a cup. This is still a fabulous cake that I will make again soon!