This is an excellent airy lemon cake ideal for citrus and almond lovers. It has a very soft texture, perfect for one layer cake or a multi- layered cake. This is the recipe I used for the ombré cake post that I shared last week. What I like about this lemon cake is that it is very versatile when it comes to serving. You could frost it or cover it with a light lemon glaze. The almonds
and Candied Lemon Peel
make this cake not only perfect for summer, but also for fall and winter when it is customary to prepared desserts with nuts and dried fruits. I used lemon flavored Italian meringue, but you can use any flavored frosting.Note: The citrus fruit you see in the photos are lemons from Dominican Republic. Lemons here do not turn yellow when ripe, and we prepare all the recipes that call for lemon with this variety.
Lemon Almond Cake
Ingredients:
¾ cup butter
1 cup sugar
Rind of one lemon
2 Tablespoons of candied lemon peel (optional)
¼ cup lemon juice
3 eggs
2 cups flour all purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup milk (if needed add about ¼ cup more)
½ cup finely chopped almonds
Lemon glaze (optional):
2 cup powdered sugar
2-4 Tablespoons of lemon juice
Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 350˚F (175˚C). Grease and line three 7" pans (17.5 cm) or one 9" deep pan. Using a stand mixer, with the paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 5-7 minutes.
2. Add lemon rind and chopped candied lemon peel. Add the lemon juice, stir for about 2 minutes and then add the eggs one by one beating well after each addition. At this point, it might look like it is curdling, but that is OK.
3. Sift flour, salt and baking powder together and add to butter mixture alternating with milk, and stir slowly until just combined.
4. Gently fold in the chopped almonds, pour batter evenly among pans and bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted. Leave cake to cool completely before frosting. You would like NO frosting on your cake? Then follow the next step.
5. Lemon glaze: If you are going to use a lemon glaze, combine the powdered sugar with the lemon juice a tablespoon at a time until you get the desired consistency. Prick the cake with a skewer and pour half of the glaze over the cake while it is still warm. Pour the other half of glaze when it has cooled completely. Serve alone or with vanilla ice-cream.
Are you a citrus cake lover? What are your favorite lemon dessert recipes?
Have a marvelous week :)
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