Lemon Cake with Lemon Frosting

This cake is a wonderful treat to serve in the afternoon with a nice cup of tea.

Or in the morning.

Or in the evening.

Or as a midnight snack.

Simply – whenever – so good it is.

I would describe it as, hm..,  lemony – which comes from adding lemon zest and lemon juice to the cake.

And then it’s very, hm…, lemony – because there is this delicious and refreshing lemon frosting on the top.

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To prepare this lovely lemony Lemon Cake with Lemon Frosting you need:

1 cup (226 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup (200 grams) granulated white sugar

4 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

zest of 1 large lemon

1 1/2 cups (210 grams) all-purpose flour

1/2 cup (60 grams) cornstarch (or corn flour)

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup (60 ml) lemon juice

For the Lemon Frosting you need:

1 cup (115 grams) confectioner’s sugar

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

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1. Preheat an oven to 350 F (175 C).

2. We are going to kick it off with the butter and the sugar this time.

3. Place these heavenly ingredients into your magical mixing machine.

4. And give them a good mix – …

… (and you surely already know what’s that going to be followed by)  –   “UNTIL LIGHT ‘N FLUFFY”.

Right!

5. Add the eggs – one at a time, please (beating about one minute after each addition).

Then add the vanilla extract and the lemon zest.

6. In a separate bowl mix together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder and salt.

7. Add the flour mixture into the batter – one tablespoon at a time – and mix.

8. Finally, add the lemon juice.

Mix only until incorporated.

(Wow, have you ever seen a more beautiful batter? I felt like eating it right then – when making it.)

9. Butter or spray your spring form pan (9 inch/23 cm) with a nonstick spray and cover it with flour lightly.

Pour the batter into the pan and smooth it out nicely.

10. Bake for about 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Let cool and remove from the pan.

Magic Trick: If you want the top of your cake flat turn it upside down after baking.

Ta – daa!

11. Now onto the frosting.

In a small bowl mix together the confectioner’s sugar and the lemon juice until smooth.

(If you feel especially artsy today and feel the urge to create an ornament on the top of your cake – like I did – you can set aside one third of the frosting in another bowl and mix it with one teaspoon of instant coffee.)

Then pour the white frosting over the top of the cake and even it out.

12. Fill a pastry bag (or a small plastic bag with one corner cut out) with the coffee frosting.

Pipe three circles over the top of the cake.

Using a wood stick draw a line from the edge of the cake towards the center.

Yummitty Yum.

Enjoy Dear Friends!

(There are many more lovely posts for you to see here.)

St. Martin’s Cake

st-martins-cake

This is a delicious cake to welcome the winter season with!

The texture of the dough works perfectly with the freshness of the jam filling and the richness of the buttery chocolate frosting.

You will be amazed by its wonderful taste!

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To make the cake you need:

2/3 cup (150 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature

6 tablespoons (85 grams) granulated white sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

4 egg yolks

4 egg whites

5 ounces (150 grams) semi-sweet chocolate

1 cup (130 grams) all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 tablespoons cocoa

For the filling you need:

1 1/2 cups (375 grams) jam (raspberry or strawberry or forest fruit)

For the frosting you need:

6 ounces (180 grams) semi-sweet chocolate

6 tablespoons (84 grams) unsweetened butter

1 cup (115 grams) confectioner’s (or powdered) sugar, sifted

7 teaspoons milk

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1. Preheat an oven to 350 F (175 C).

2. Grease and flour your 9 inch (23 cm) spring form pan.

st-martins-cake-flour-baking-powder-cocoa

3. Now we mix our dry ingredients – the flour, cocoa and baking powder.

Set the bowl aside.

st-martins-cake-whipping-sugar-and-butter

4. In the bowl of your electric mixer whisk the butter and sugar until fluffy (about 3 minutes).

5. Add the egg yolks and vanilla extract.

st-martins-cake-melting-chocolate

6. Place a small bowl over a pan with simmering water and melt the chocolate.

st-martins-cake-adding-melt-chocolate-to-batter

7. Add the melted chocolate to the batter and beat shortly.

8. Add the flour mixture and beat again.

st-martins-cake-whipped-egg-whites

9. Whip the egg whites and add them to the batter.

st-martins-cake-folding-batter-with-whipped-egg-whites

10. Add the whipped egg whites and fold until smooth.

st-martins-cake-filled-spring-form-pan

11. Fill the spring form pan with the batter and spread it evenly.

Place in the oven and bake for about 35 minutes.

st-martins-cake-cut-in-two-halves

12. When baked, remove from the oven and let cool.

When the cake’s cooled, remove it from the pan and cut into two halves.

st-martins-cake-spreading-jam

13. Spread one half of the jam over the bottom layer of the cake.

Place the second layer on top of the first and cover the whole cake with the rest of the jam.

st-martins-cake-melting-butter-and-chocolate-for-frosting

14. Now we are going to prepare the chocolate frosting.

Melt the butter and chocolate over simmering water.

st-martins-cake-adding-sugar-to-melted-butter-and-chocolate-for-frosting

15. When nicely melted, add the sifted sugar and the milk and whisk together.

16. Spread the frosting over the whole cake.

You can also sprinkle a little cocoa over the top.

Refrigerate for at least 6 hours.

Enjoy!

Halloween Cobweb Sugar Cookies

halloween-cobweb-sugar-cookie

Would you like to prepare an easy yet charming treat for this year’s Halloween?

Then these cute cobweb sugar cookies are a great choice for you.

Sugar cookies are sweet and tender cookies with a delicious taste.

I decided to use royal icing for these. It dries to a wonderfully smooth and hard matte finish.

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For the sugar cookies you need:

3 1/2 cups (460 grams) all purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup (227 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 1/2 cups (300 grams) granulated white sugar

2 larger eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

For the royal icing you need:

2 large egg whites

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

3 cups (330 grams) confectioner’s (powdered or icing) sugar, sifted

cocoa powder

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1. Preheat an oven to 350 F (176 C).

2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

halloween-cobweb-sugar-cookie-electric-mixer-butter-sugar

3. Place the butter and sugar in the bowl of your electric mixer.

halloween-cobweb-sugar-cookie-butter-sugar-mixed

4. Beat until light and fluffy (about 3 to 4 minutes).

halloween-cobweb-sugar-cookie-egg

5. Add the eggs and vanilla extract…

halloween-cobweb-sugar-cookie-mixed-with-egg

6. … and beat until combined.

halloween-cobweb-sugar-cookie-adding-flour

7. Add the flour and salt and beat until you have smooth dough.

halloween-cobweb-sugar-cookie-dough-ball

8. Place the dough on a floured surface and form a ball.

Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for about one hour or until firm enough to roll.

halloween-cobweb-sugar-cookies-royal-icing

9. While you are waiting for the dough to chill, you can prepare the royal icing.

Beat the egg whites with lemon juice.

Add the sifted powdered sugar and beat until combined and smooth (soft peaks should form).

And while we need two colors for the cobweb design (brown and white) we need to divide the mixture now.

So divide the mixture into 2 parts – 3/4 (add the cocoa powder little by little into this part until you achieve the wished color) and 1/4 (remains white).

Keep the brown and the white mixture in airtight containers as royal icing hardens when exposed to air.

halloween-cobweb-sugar-cookie-cutting-out

10. Remove the chilled dough from the fridge.

On a lightly floured surface roll out to the thickness of 1/4 inch (0,6 cm).

Keep turning the dough as you roll, making sure it does not stick to the counter.

Using a lightly floured round cookie cutter cut out the shapes and transfer them to the prepared baking sheet.

Bake for about 10 minutes.

11. Remove from the oven and let cool.

halloween-cobweb-sugar-cookie-decorating-brown-layer

12. And let’s decorate.

Fill your pastry bag with the brown icing and draw a border on your cookie.

Then draw a few lines within the border.

halloween-cobweb-sugar-cookie-flatting-icing-with-spoon

13. Using a teaspoon spread the icing…

halloween-cobweb-sugar-cookie-white-circles

14. Now, draw circles with the white icing.

halloween-cobweb-sugar-cookie-creating-cobweb

15. And the final magic!

Using a toothpick, draw a line from the center to the edge of the cookie.

And here we go, we’ve achieved the wonderful cobweb design!

Lovely!

Let the icing harden overnight (for at least 12 hours) and …

… enjoy!

The recipe for the sugar cookies and royal icing has been adapted (and adjusted) from joyofbaking.com.

Makes about 40 cookies.

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