Friday, 21 January 2011

Lemon Cake from Scratch

The light yellow texture, soft moist sponge and a unique tangy taste. Yes I am talking about lemon cake. This cake is commonly made during Easter and other special occasions. Lemon cake recipes are a bit different from other pound cake recipes, and making lemon cake from scratch can be tedious, if you do not have a simple recipe for lemon cake from scratch at hand. The following are two cake recipes from scratch, one for the classic lemon cake and the other for a sponge lemon cake, both being equally tasty.

Lemon Cake with Lemon Filling

Ingredients

For Cake
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 cup milk
  • ½ cup butter
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 ¼ cups white sugar
  • 2 tsp baking powder
For Filling
  • 6 tbs butter
  • 1 tbs grated lemon zest
  • 4 egg yolks, beaten
  • ½ cup fresh lemon juice
  • ¾ cup white sugar
  • 1 tbs cornstarch
For Frosting
  • 2 tbs milk
  • 4 cups confectioners' sugar
  • ½ cup butter, softened
  • 1 tsp grated lemon zest
  • 2 tbs fresh lemon juice
Process

This is a traditional lemon cake recipe. Let us start with the basic cake recipe by preheating the oven to 350 degrees F. Now anoint and flour two 8 inch round cake pans. Take a large bowl, mix baking powder, flour and salt in it, set aside. Take another large bowl, cream sugar and butter in it for about 5 minutes until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add in vanilla along with the flour mixture, also add in milk alternately, stir until well incorporated. Pour this batter into the prepared pans and bake for about 30 minutes in the preheated oven. Let the cake cool in the pans before moving to wire racks. After 10 minutes, invert the cake onto wire racks.

For filling, mix lemon zest, cornstarch and lemon juice in a saucepan. Add in sugar and butter, bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat. Boil for about 1 minute, stirring constantly. Take a small bowl, whisk egg yolks in it until smooth, add in little hot lemon mixture, mix. Now add the egg mixture to the saucepan, beat the mixture rapidly and then reduce the heat to low. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until thick. Pour this mixture into a medium boil, cover it with a plastic wrap. Let it cool at room temperature then refrigerate for about 3 hours.

For frosting, beat confectioner's sugar, lemon juice, butter and lemon zest until smooth. Add in milk, increase the speed and continue beating until light and fluffy. Now slowly split each layer of the cake, horizontally, to make 4 layers. Place 1 layer on a serving plate, cut side up. Spread half the lemon filling on the entire layer. Top this layer with another layer, spread half of the frosting on it. Now add third layer and spread the remaining lemon filling. Place the last layer, frost the top and sides of the cake with the remaining frosting and refrigerate until serving time.

Sponge Lemon Cake from Scratch

Ingredients
  • 150g cake flour
  • 3 eggs
  • 200g caster sugar
  • 6 tbs (90ml) hot milk
  • 1 tbs lemon juice
  • ½ tsp lemon extract
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1 tsp baking powder
Process

This is a simple lemon cake from scratch recipe. To make this moist lemon cake from scratch, preheat the oven to 355 degrees F. Take a medium sized bowl, sift flour, baking powder and salt in it. Take a large bowl, beat eggs until fluffy, gradually beat in sugar along with lemon juice and flavoring. Now add the sifted flour slowly, beat only to blend. Add in hot milk 1 tbs at a time. Beat until blended. Pour this mixture into ungreased 23 cm cake tin. Bake for about 45-55 minutes in the preheated oven, until brown and firm to touch. Invert the cake and let cool in the tin itself. After the cake is cooled, loosen the sides and turn out on wire rack to cool completely. Serve cool.

Hopefully, these homemade cake recipes have helped you to figure out how to make lemon cake from scratch . As you must have realized, making a lemon cake from scratch is very easy. So the next time there is a party at your place, prepare this delicious cake, and see the praises come your way.

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