Lemon-Drenched Lemon Cake.
For this cake, simple loaf pans just don’t measure up. After one slice of the perfect, absolutely perfect cake, it became clear that when I next bake this cake (tomorrow morning), I’ll need to devise some sort of pillow shaped cake pan.
This cake is going to be my new pillow. Forget goose feathers, cotton fluff, memory foam… I want, I need, I’m not sure how I’m going to live without a Lemon-Drenched Lemon Cake Pillow.
For serious.
Lemon Drenched Lemon Cakes
adapted from Dorie Greenspan
Think of this cake as a classy version of the store bought, chemical filled version of Sara Lee pound cake. The density is only matched by the soft, moist and lemony crumb. Sara Lee? Yea, I had my suspicions too, but this cake is without a doubt, the best pound-type cake I’ve ever encountered. Love. Love. Love.
I doubled the ingredients for the syrup and spread them between the two cakes. I liked lots of syrup.
For the Cakes:
2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
pinch of salt
2 1/3 cups sugar
1/2 plump, moist vanilla bean, split lengthwise, seeds scraped out and reserved, or 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
6 large eggs, preferably at room temperature
2/3 cups heavy cream
zest of two lemons, finely grated
1 stick, plus 7 Tablespoons (15 Tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
For the syrup:
1/3 cup water
1/4 cup sugar
juice of two lemons
Making the cakes:
Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter two 8 1/2-4 1/2-inch loaf pans, dust the insides with flour and tap out the excess. Even if the pans are nonstick, it’s a good idea to butter and flour them. Place the pans on an insulated baking sheet or on two regular sheets stacked one on top of the other.
Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt.
Put the sugar and the lemon zest in a large bowl, working with your fingers, rub them together until the sugar is moist and thoroughly imbued with the fragrance of lemon. Add the vanilla bean seeds and work them into the sugar. If you are using vanilla extract, add it later, after you have added the eggs.
Add the eggs and whisk them into the sugar, beating until they are thoroughly incorporated. Whisk in the extract (if using), then whisk in the cream. Continuing with the whisk, or switching to a large rubber spatula, gently stir in the dry ingredients in 3 or 4 additions; the batter will be smooth and thick. Finish by folding in the melted butter in 2 or 3 additions. Pour the batter into the pans, smoothing with a rubber spatula.
Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean. As soon as the cake goes into the oven, make the syrup. After about 30 minutes in the oven, check the cakes for color- if they are browning too quickly, cover them lightly with foil tents.
Making the syrup:
Stir the water and sugar together in a medium saucepan over medium heat until the sugar melts, then bring to a boil Remove the pan from heat and stir in the lemon juice. Pour the syrup into a heatproof bowl and let cool.
When the cakes test done, transfer them to a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes before unmolding them and turning them right side up on the rack. Place the rack over a baking sheet lined with wax paper and, using a thin skewer, cake tester or thin-bladed sharp knife, poke holes all over the cakes. Brush the cakes all over with the syrup, working slowly so that the cakes sop it up. Leave the cakes on the rack to cool to room temperature.
Mui Mui
Hi,
I’ve made this cake last night, using the original vanilla recipe shown in the book. But the cake texture turns out chewy. Any idea why? It is definitely not like yours. The cake batter was watery. “Whisk eggs into sugar till well incorporated” means to whisk till ribbon stage? or stop once both are blended. Appreciate your tips.
Thanks.
Mui Mui
Cdntheorygirl
This was a hit! Thank you! I took the this to a tea party this afternoon and the little girl who was there ate 4 large slices all by herself (her mom wasn’t watching :-).
For anyone who had concerns about the loaf getting soggy be sure to go slowly and carefully when you add the lemon drizzle. . .it sets up and drys a bit with time and although it appeared a bit soggy at first by the time I served it it was excellent.
Sonu
I baked this cake last it and it turned out awesome!!!!! Since I batter was good enough for 2 loaf pans, one version I tried with the syrup, the other I drizzled lemon icing on it. Perfecto!!!!! Thanks a ton for sharing the recipe!!!!!
Elizabeth
Amazing! I had a couple of Meyer lemons left over from a recipe off of Tartlette’s blog and was happy to find this lemony goodness loaf that will be eaten with my family’s coffee for mornings to come! Your recipes are so easy to follow, with common ingredients that don’t have you combing the specialty shops for yuzu or lavender sugar, I love it! I wanted to splurge and use the vanilla bean but at five bucks a pod, I save those for when no substitution is necessary. Thanks again Joy, you bring so much joy to my baking woes and keep my family’s bellies full.
Amy
mmmm…we love lemon in this house! Making these tomorrow!
Jenny
I made this for little train cars for my son’s birthday and it turned out great. I did miss read the recipe and only put 1 stick of butter. Even though I did only put one stick it turned out great. Even my mother in law loved it. She had 6 pieces.
Whitney
I just made this and it completely collapsed in the middle 25 minutes into the baking. What did I do wrong!?!?!
Geraldine
Hello, I made this cake in a bundt pan and it was so pretty. syrup didn’t taste very nice to me so I just sprinkled with powdered sugar.
emma
hi there. I baked this cake over the weekend, used Cederberg Lemons, we picked on the way back to Cape town.
and..
it was amazing, soft and lovely with hot custard (as it is winter here) ..infact there was almost a riot when it came to the left over batter in the bowl.
thanks for the inspiration :)
Katie
I made these a few days ago and they are delicious!!! I love lemon and these hit the spot. After eating the first loaf I decided to make more lemon syrup and drench the second again. Then I served with vanilla bean ice cream and served to my guests. Everyone loved it. Thanks for a wonderful recipe.
P.S. the batter is phenomenal ;)
Kathie
Wow, I needed to find this website in the middle of WINTER to fill those long dreary days.
Love looking and reading all the neat recipes on here. Thanks for the website. Hope to come back often.
YUMMO!!
Thanks from Michigan
Paul
Oh wow. This looks soooo good.
I was actually searching for a recipe with fava beans. Not quite sure how I ended up on this site, but Im glad I did :D