Lemon cakes
We loved these when we were kids!
But our recipe for lemon cakes is jazzed up for the “grown-up” taste.
The browned butter – also called nut butter – brings light roasted flavors that harmonize perfectly with the freshness of the lemons.
TIP: If you get them, be sure to use Amalfi lemons. They are wonderfully aromatic, not too sour and sweet at the same time.
Somehow rounded in flavor and not so spiky.
Time needed
a little over 1 hr.
(incl. waiting time)
Baking time
20-25 Min.
Servings
for 2 persons
As a takeaway, lemon cake in the form of muffins is perfect.
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Ingredients
- 175 g butter
- 130 g suger
- 3 pinches salt
- Vanilla sugar
- 3 eggs
- 175 g flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 2 organic lemons (Amalfi)
- some butter and breadcrumbs to “grease” the baking tin
Special kitchen utensil
- Muffin tin
(but a baking tray will also do)
For the casting / decoration
- 125 g powdered sugar
Lemon juice (about half a lemon) - ½ tsp turmeric powder
- and/or lemon zest
to much Amalfi-Lemons?
Then still cook our Linguini al Limone.
Preparation
Preliminary remark:
I like to make little cakes in a muffin tin (that way it’s easier to bring them to parties), but there’s nothing wrong at all with spreading the batter on a baking paper-lined sheet and cutting it into pieces later!
Gently brown butter in a skillet, transfer to pastry bowl and let cool.
If you want to do something else first anyway, it works at room temperature. The impatient among us put them in the refrigerator. After approx. 30 min. the butter is firm enough to whip again. You can tell because it is no longer transparent, but has become milky again.
Thinly grate the zest of the first lemon (only the yellow, not the white, that tastes bitter) and squeeze.
Beat butter with sugar, salt and vanilla sugar until creamy.
Stir in eggs, lemon zest and juice of the first lemon.
Mix baking powder with flour and stir in briefly. Do not stir too long, the dough should remain nice and airy.
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Preheat oven to 180°C.
Butter muffin tin and line with breadcrumbs. This way you don’t need paper cups and the cakes are a little crispier later.
Carefully fill the bulges with spoon. Do not go all the way to the top, they still open.
You have decided to make a sheet cake?
Then spread the dough on a baking sheet lined with baking paper. The amount takes up about half of the baking tray.
20-25 Min. Bake.
Meanwhile, grate the zest from the second lemon and squeeze.
Set aside lemon zest for decoration.
Pour the juice of half a lemon over the lemon cakes after baking.
Allow to cool.
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Decorate or the most important thing: the icing
Mix powdered sugar with the remaining lemon juice.
Always do not use all of the juice immediately: Gradually pour and mix until you reach the desired consistency.
The powdered sugar does not need to be sifted in advance, it dissolves completely.
Coat cupcakes and allow to dry slightly.
Now you can mix the rest of the frosting with some turmeric. Don’t worry, turmeric tastes like almost nothing (it’s just terribly healthy), there’s no sudden curry flavor coming through.
Using a small spoon, swirl over the cakes to create sticks or dots.
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Finally, sprinkle the lemon cakes with the lemon zest.
Let dry and enjoy!
Variation: lemon cake as a sheet cake.
