The Best Damn Lemon Cake

DeSouter's Note:

This is a recipe from the great and wonderful Maida Heatter. This loaf cake needs a couple of days to set, but is so well worth the wait. Want to impress someone? Try this recipe. A great holiday or hostess gift.

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

Ingredients:

Yield: 1 loaf

• ½ cup ground almonds
• 1 ½ cups sifted flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• ¼ lb butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• ½ cup milk
• 1 ounce lemon extract
• 2 large lemons, zest of
• 1⁄3; cup sugar , plus
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1⁄3; cup fresh lemon juice

Directions:

1. Adjust rack to bottom 1/3 of oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Butter a loaf pan with a 6 cup capacity and dust with cookie of plain bread crumbs.
3. Sift together flourand baking powder.
4. Melt butter.
5. In a mixing bowl combine butter and sugar.
6. Add eggs one at a time on low speed.
7. Then add sifted dry ingredients and milk alternately.
8. Mix in lemon extract.
9. Fold in almonds and lemon zest.
10. Pour into prepared pan.
11. Bake for 65-75 minutes.
12. Two or three minutes before the cake is done, prepare the glaze.
13. Heat juice and sugar until the sugar is melted, but do not boil.
14. Remove the cake from the oven and cool for three minutes.
15. Then glaze the cake in the pan by brushing the hot liquid over the cake, letting it soak in slowly- this should take about five minutes.
16. Cool and turn cake out onto a rack.
17. Store wrapped in wax paper AND aluminum foil.
18. Best served after a few days.

Reviews

[lynnski / LA]

I'm a great Maida Heater fan, and own 3 of her books including "New Book of Great Desserts". I've made the best Damn Lemon Cake several times with great results. For the best results, I suggest baking the cake in an aluminum loaf pan, as advised in Maida's book. I don't understand why it should make a difference, but it does. I use a high quality Wilton 8 3/4" X 4 14" X 2 3/4 " aluminum loaf pan. I bought it especially for this cake.

[NovaM]

I found this cake came out a little dry, but still tasted OK. I served it sliced and buttered.