This local coffee shop and also Starbucks often have this awesome lemon cake. I always wanted to find the recipe to make at home, but I just did not take the time. So when I saw on the Smells Like Home Cooking Blog, that she had made a lemon cake that look so similar to the ones I’ve seen at the coffee shops, I knew I had to try it. This cake was very good, don’t get me wrong, but it was my first baking fail, well not a total fail. This recipe was suppose to make two cakes, well I only ended up with one cake! The second one just wasn’t done being cooked and I turned it over to re-vert on a plate before it was cool and it went ker-plunk. But the one that did turn out was great! It wasn’t exactly like the coffee houses, but pretty similar. The recipe I’m sharing with you makes 2 cakes!
Ingredients:
2 sticks of unsalted butter, at room temperature
2-1/2 cups of granulated sugar, divided
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1/3 cup of grated lemon zest (6 large lemons)
3 cups of flour
1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
1 teaspoon of kosher salt
3/4 cup of freshly squeezed lemon juice, divided
3/4 cup of buttermilk, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Glaze ingredients:
2 cups of confectioners’ sugar, sifted
3 1/2 of tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
Directions:
1) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour 2 loaf pans.
2) 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.
3)Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl.
4) In another bowl, combine 1/4 cup lemon juice, the buttermilk, and vanilla.
5) Add the flour and buttermilk mixtures alternately to the batter, beginning and ending with the flour.
6) 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.
7) 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.
8- 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.
Enjoy!
Adapted from Ina Garten.
