Lemon, vanilla poppyseed and lemon cupcakes with lemon icing. I got too excited at how well the cake turned out that I forgot to take a picture of them with icing. I will make them again soon!
Cake:
350 degrees for about 20 minutes (I would check them at 18 minutes), makes 12 cupcakes
-175 g (6 oz) unsalted butter, softened (1.5 sticks)
-175 g (6 oz) caster sugar (3/4 cup)
-3 large eggs (I try to only use organic eggs)
-1 tsp vanilla (I usually add a little more vanilla that what the recipe calls for...can't get enough vanilla!)
-175 (6 oz) self-rising flour (3/4 cup all-purpose flour, a little less than 1 tsp baking power, a little less than 1/4 tsp salt)
-25 g (1 oz) poppy seeds
Icing:
-250 g (9 oz) confectioners' sugar (a little less than 1 1/4 cup)
-1.5 tbsp lemon juice (Organic lemons)
-1 tsp finely grated lemon rind (This is why I like buying organic lemons)
The recipe was pretty good and straight-forward, but all the measurements were in the metric system. Converting wasn't too bad and was a good math exercise for me. (Pathetic, I know.) One thing I am very excited about registering for is a food scale so all of my baking can be 100% precise (along with a juicer--I am currently juicing the lemons by hand and picking out all of the seeds that I may miss after cutting the lemons in half).
I also made a lemon glazed and iced lemon loaf. Loaf has such a negative reputation, but it turned out quite well--I was pleased! It used half cake flour and half regular flour, so the texture ended up being more like a really moist and not-so-dense pound cake. The presentation doesn't look all that great, but it tasted great and very lemony, which is what I was going for.
Cake:
350 degrees for 20 minutes and then 30-35 minutes at 325 degrees
-1.5 cups cake fluor
-1.5 cups all-purpose flour
-2 tsp baking powder
-1/4 tsp baking sode
-1 tsp salt (Bad me--I always eyeball it and put in a pinch or two)
-2 1/4 cups sugar (I always use the Whole Foods 365 vegan fair-trade sugar)
-8 large eggs, at room temperature (If you are rushing or bad at timing, put the eggs in room temperature water)
-1/4 cup fresh grated lemon zest (about 4 lemons)
-1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
-2 cups (4 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
-1/2 cup sour cream (I always use full-fat products...none of this skim/non-fat nonsense), at room temperature
-2 tsp vanilla extract (my favorite is Nielson-Massey. It is expensive, but very worth it!)
Lemon syrup:
In small saucepan over medium heat, heat lemon juice and sugar until sugar is completely dissolved. Cook for about 3 more minutes, remove from heat and set aside.
-1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
-1/3 cup sugar
Lemon glaze (it is apparently optional...but not in my book!):
Whisk together (I did this by hand...wasn't worth dirtying my big stand mixer bowl) the sugar and lemon juice. The mixture should ultimately be thick but pourable. Add more lemon juice if too stiff and sugar if too wet and runny.
-2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted (I usually go light on the sugar)
-4-6 tbsp fresh lemon juice
Putting it all together:
Poke holes in the top and sides of cake once out of oven. Brush lemon simple syrup over the whole cake and let dry. Repeat. Drizzle icing over entire cake (remember to put the cake on parchment paper on a baking sheet...you will otherwise have a big ol' sugary mess to clean up on your counter). Eat the remaining lemon icing with your fingers. ENJOY!
I cut this recipe in half since it will make two loaves. Another thing I am looking forward to registering for: another loaf pan! I have a feeling that writing this blog will help me selfishly realize all the kitchen things I want to register for :)
On deck for today (or maybe later this week if I get lazy): lemon sandwich cream cookies, a fan favorite :)
xo,
C
my mouth is watering. i can't wait for the gf option!
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