Recipes, Photography, Musings

Tag: lemons

Lovely Lemon Cake

This lemon cake is a rich, moist yellow cake infused with the invigorating flavor of lemon, frosted with a luscious, lemony butter frosting.  If you like the flavor of lemon, then this cake is for you!

lemon cakeI love baking with lemons at this time of the year because the smell is so cheerful and uplifting.  If I am feeling worn out from all the holiday running around, a whiff of the scent of lemon wakes me up and pulls me into the present moment.  Grating the lemon peel and squeezing the juice is pleasant work because it smells so good!

lemon cakeThis is the cake my daughter requests every year for her birthday.  The recipe is adapted from one I found in my reliable Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book, tenth ring-bound edition. I have been making it for years, and though it tastes just as good as a single layer cake in a 9 x 13 inch pan, it looks so pretty as a double layer cake like in the photos here.

lemon cakeI am always amazed that such basic ingredients can create such a delicious and beautiful treat.  Flour, sugar, butter, eggs, and in this case lemons–that’s all it takes to make something special.  Baking is an act of creation, generosity, and creativity, and with it you can give something special and memorable to someone.  Cake does not last long, and it is definitely not a necessity, but the making of it and the sharing of it will live on for a long time in memories.  Sometimes we need to let the people we see every day know they are special. Everybody needs an extra hug or some encouraging words from time to time–or a lemon cake!

I hope you all have a great weekend, and take the time to breathe and enjoy this special time of year.  We have fresh snow today, making it look like the trees are all decorated with this lemon frosting! Drive safely and stay warm! I look forward to sharing this cake with Angie and the other bloggers at Fiesta Friday, co-hosted this week by Judi @ cookingwithauntjuju and Sandhya @ Indfused.bowl of lemonslemons squeezedlemon cakeLemon cake

Lovely Lemon Cake

  • Servings: 12
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Ingredients:

for the cake:

  • 3 cups of unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups of sugar
  • 1 tablespoon of baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon of finely shredded or grated lemon peel
  • 1 and 1/2 cups of milk
  • 1/2 cup of unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1 and 1/2 teaspoons of pure vanilla extract
  • 2 eggs

for the frosting:

  • 1/3 cup of unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 4 and 1/2 cups of powdered sugar
  • 1/4 to 1/3 cups of fresh squeezed lemon juice (about 2-3 lemons)
  • 1/2 teaspoon of almond extract (or you can use vanilla extract if you prefer)

Directions:

for the cake:

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.  Grease and flour two 9 x 1 and 1/2 inch round baking pans.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and lemon zest.  Add the milk, butter, and vanilla.  Beat with an electric mixer on low speed (carefully, so you don’t spread flour all over your kitchen!) until combined into a batter.  Then beat on high speed for two minutes.  Add the eggs and beat on high for two more minutes.  Pour the batter into your two prepared baking pans, distributing the batter evenly.  Bake in your 375 degree oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Cool on wire racks for about 10 minutes, then carefully remove the cake from the pans.  Let the cakes cool completely before frosting.

for the frosting:

While the cake is cooling, prepare the frosting.  In a medium or large bowl, beat the butter until soft and fluffy.  Gradually add 2 cups of the powdered sugar, beating carefully to combine.  Slowly beat in the 1/4 cup of lemon juice and the almond extract (or vanilla extract if you prefer).  Gradually and slowly beat in the remaining powdered sugar.  Beat in more lemon juice, a little by little, if needed, until you reach the consistency you want for your frosting.  Once you reach your desired moisture balance, beat the frosting till it is smooth and fluffy.

Place the first layer of cake on a large plate and spread the top evenly with frosting.  Place the second layer on top of the first and then frost the top and sides with frosting, spreading and distributing it as evenly as possible.  Be as fancy or as basic as you want to be with the frosting spreading and design.  Carefully transfer the cake to a cake stand or leave it on the plate.  Slice and serve.  Enjoy!

This recipe is adapted from the Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book, tenth ring-bound edition.

 

Lemon Spinach Soup

 

In the midst of the wonderful excesses of holiday eating, it feels good to take a break and make a soup made with pure, cleansing ingredients like lemon and spinach.  This soup is simple, yet the flavor combination of lemon and spinach is glorious.  And we all need the infusion of vitamins and iron that spinach gives, especially at this time of year.

lemon spinach soup with pot and bowl 3I had some lemons left over from making my daughter’s lemon birthday cake (with lemon frosting!), and was looking for a way to use them.  Because I have been craving something deep green and full of nutrients, I came across this delicious recipe for lemon spinach soup, adapted from the charming cookbook “Hollyhocks & Radishes” by Bonnie Stewart Mickelson.  The broth in this soup is so good, I could sip it all by itself! The addition  of the spinach, carrots, and celery make it even better, and the lemon is just lovely.

food for lemon spinach soupLemons are one of my favorite things to cook and bake with in the colder months, because they are so cheerful and invigorating at a time when we are a little short on sunshine. (I would have done a post with the recipe for my daughter’s lemon cake with lemon frosting, but as I was in the midst of preparing for her birthday party, I was too distracted to take any photos. Maybe I’ll have to make it again!)

lemon spinach soup in bowl 4Anyway, soup is so good for the soul.  It is warming and soothing, infusing the body with physical and spiritual sustenance.  Making soup is very relaxing for me, because I love the way each new ingredient changes the mixture, and it is peaceful to have it simmering on the stove as I work.  This is such a busy time of year, and it is important to take some time to do something healing and relaxing, so you can calm yourself and not end up driving everyone around you crazy (not that I would know anything about that! :)).  I absolutely love holiday baking, and there will be some more of that to come on this blog, but sometimes I crave a good, nutrient-rich meal that offers comfort and a boost of energy.

If you are looking for a refreshing, invigorating way to help balance the excesses of the holidays, I highly recommend this soup. And I hope you all have a wonderful weekend! I am joining Angie at Fiesta Friday this week, co-hosted by Johanne @ French Gardener Dishes and Liz @ Spades, Spatulas & Spoons. It has been awhile since I have had a chance to look at what my fellow bloggers have been up to, so I look forward to catching up! lemon spinach soup in bowl 1

Lemon Spinach Soup

  • Servings: 8
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Ingredients:

  • 8 cups of chicken broth
  • 3 small carrots (or 2 medium-sized), peeled and thinly sliced
  • 1 stalk of celery, finely chopped
  • 3/4 to 1 pound of fresh spinach
  • 3 tablespoons of butter
  • 3 tablespoons of flour
  • 3 egg yolks
  • 3 tablespoons of lemon juice
  • salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

In a large pot, bring 7 of the 8 cups of chicken broth to a boil.  Add the carrots and celery, and simmer for about 3-5 minutes, or until just tender.  While the vegetables are simmering, wash the spinach and tear it into bite-sized pieces.  Add the spinach to the soup and simmer gently until just-tender, about 3-5 minutes, trying not to over-cook it.

While the spinach is simmering, melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat.  Stir in the flour with a whisk and cook for one minute.  Whisk in the reserved cup of chicken broth, and stir until smooth.  Add this to the soup pot when the spinach is ready, and simmer, stirring as the liquid thickens.

In a small bowl, beat the egg yolks and lemon juice together.  Stir the mixture into the soup pot until well combined.

Heat the soup to the point of almost boiling, then turn it off.  (Don’t boil it, or it will curdle).  Season with salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy!