Lemon Cake

Mrs Pancakes was lucky to be able to have a one month holiday visiting a friend who was studying in the US back in December 2006. She remembers a hot cup of latte in Starbucks which was perfect with a delicious slice of lemon cake which she immediately fell in love with.

Since returning to Singapore, Mrs Pancakes has been desperately looking for the same lemon cake in Starbucks. Even when she went to Australia in 2007, she was still trying her luck at the Starbucks in Sydney, but to no avail.

Finally, Mr Pancakes asked her, "Why don't you bake your own lemon cake." And she did.


Lemon Frosted Lemon Cake
Makes one - 9 inch (23 cm) cake.

Choosing lemons: look for ones that are fragrant with brightly colored oily yellow skins. Lemons should be firm, plump, and heavy. Don't buy lemons that have blemishes, soft spots, or are hard and wrinkled.






Lemon Cake Recipe:
1 cup (226 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup (200 grams) granulated white sugar
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Zest of 1 large lemon
2 cups (280 grams) all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup (60 ml) fresh lemon juice

Lemon Frosting:
1 cup (115 grams) confectioners' (powdered or icing) sugar, sifted
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees Celcius) and place rack in the center of the oven. Butter, or spray with a nonstick spray, a 9 inch (23 cm) spring form pan and then line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper. Set aside.

In the bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer) cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy and pale in color (about 3 minutes). Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla extract and lemon zest.

Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt and then add to the batter along with the lemon juice. Mix only until incorporated.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top with an offset spatula. Bake about 40 - 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Place on a wire rack to cool, then gently remove the sides of the pan.

Lemon Frosting: In a bowl, combine the sifted confectioners' sugar with the 2 tablespoons lemon juice. (You want the icing to be thicker than a glaze but still thin enough that it will just run over the sides of the cake. If not the right consistency add more lemon juice or powdered sugar, accordingly.) Pour the frosting over the top of the cake, allowing the icing to drip down the sides. Let the icing set before covering.