Perfect Recipe

Lemon Cake

Ingredients:

2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 1/2 cups sugar
4 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
1/3 cup grated lemon zest (6 to 8 large lemons)
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
3/4 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Syrup:
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

Glaze:
3 1/2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted.

Directions:

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two 8 1/2-by-4 1/4-by-2 1/2-inch loaf pans or one bundt pan, and line the bottoms with parchment paper (no parchment paper if you’re using a bundt pan).

Cake:
Cream butter and 2 cups sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment for about 5 minutes, or until light and fluffy. Mixing at medium speed, add eggs, one at a time, and lemon zest. Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl. In another bowl, combine 1/4 cup lemon juice, buttermilk and vanilla. Add flour and buttermilk mixtures alternately to butter and sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour. Divide batter evenly between loaf pans or one bundt pan, smooth tops, and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until a cake tester comes out clean. When cakes are done, carefully Invert them onto a rack set over a tray, and spoon lemon syrup over cakes. Let cakes cool completely.

Syrup:
Combine 1/2 cup sugar with 1/2 cup lemon juice in a small saucepan, and cook over low heat until sugar dissolves.

Glaze:
Combine confectioners’ sugar and remaining 3 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice in a bowl, mixing with a whisk until smooth. Pour over top of cakes, and allow glaze to drizzle down the sides.

Lemon Muffins with Streusel
(8 muffins)

Ingredients:

For the Muffins:

1 cups all purpose flour
2/3 cups sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 eggs
1/3 cup plain yogurt
1/3 cup butter, melted
1/2 tablespoons grated lemon peel
1/2 tablespoon lemon juice

For the Streusel:

1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoons cold butter

For the Glaze:

1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 tablespoons lemon juice

Directions:

Muffins:
In a large bowl, sift and combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg, yogurt, butter, lemon peel and lemon juice. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Mix, just until moistened. Grease or paper line muffin cups and fill the batter 3/4 full.

Streusel:
In a small bowl, combine flour, sugar and butter. Using your hands or a pastry blender, mix until it resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle the streusel over the batter.

Bake muffins at 350 degrees for about 22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the muffin comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes and remove onto a wire rack.

Glaze:
Mix together the confectioners’ sugar and lemon juice and drizzle over muffins.