lar·der (lärdr)
n.
1. A place, such as a pantry or cellar, where food is stored.
2. A supply of food.

[from Old French lardier, from lard]

Saturday, June 16, 2012

Gary's Lemon Drizzle Cake

What better place to start than with dessert?!

Over the years, many of my friends and family have asked for the recipe for my lemon drizzle cake. It is a rich, moist cake based upon a traditional pound cake (or 500g) recipe. Its secrets are now revealed! I hope that you try and enjoy this cake and let me know how well it works (or not) for you. I promise to make my recipes available in both metric (weighted) and Imperial measures.

For the Cake:
250g (8oz) soft cream cheese, at room temp
250g (1/2 lbs) unsalted butter, room temp
500g (3 1/2 C.) granulated sugar
6 large eggs, room temp
500g (4 C.) self-raising white flour
1/2 teaspoon (2ml) salt
Zest of 1 unwaxed lemon
1 teaspoon (5ml) vanilla extract
Juice of 1 lemon
150ml (1/2 C.) sour cream

 For the Glaze:
125g (1/2 C.) icing sugar
Juice of 1 lemon


Instructions

Butter and dust with flour a ring or Bundt pan (tin), set aside. Cream together cream cheese, butter and sugar until very light and smooth. Beat in eggs one at a time until well incorporated. Sift together flour and salt into a medium bowl and add lemon zest, stirring or whisking through.

Alternately blend in flour mixture in thirds with lemon juice, vanilla, and sour cream using an electric mixer on high speed or by hand (about 300 stokes each time) until batter is creamy and pourable.

Pour batter into prepared tin and tamp to remove any trapped air pockets. Place tin into a cold oven and bake at 170 degrees Celsius/350 degrees Fahrenheit (160C or 325F if fan assisted) for 60-70 minutes or until an inserted wooden skewer comes out clean from the cake. Do not under-bake.

For the Glaze:
Combine icing sugar and lemon juice in small bowl, whisk until smooth.

Remove cake tin to wire cooling rack. Cool in tin for ten minutes. Turn out cake onto cake dish and immediately brush a layer of glaze over the warm cake. Allow ten minutes more, then using fork or wire whisk drizzle more of the glaze over cake. Wait ten minutes, then drizzle again until the glaze is finished.



Gary's Tips: 
When baking make sure that ALL ingredients are brought to room temperature before combining (yes, eggs and liquid ingredients too). This is the exact opposite for making pastries where ALL ingredients are to be kept chilled. 

REMEMBER - Baking WARM (room temperature), Pastry COLD.




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