Sure, here’s a basic recipe for a delicious lemon cake:
Ingredients:
For the cake:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup milk
- 3 large eggs
- Zest of 2 lemons
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the lemon glaze:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2-3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- Zest of 1 lemon
Instructions:
- Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans or line them with parchment paper.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt until well combined.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Add the softened butter to the dry mixture and mix on low speed until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla extract.
- Mix Batter: Gradually add the wet mixture to the dry mixture while mixing on low speed. Increase the speed to medium and mix until the batter is smooth and well combined.
- Divide Batter: Divide the batter equally between the prepared cake pans and smooth the tops with a spatula.
- Bake: Place the pans in the preheated oven and bake for about 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean.
- Cool: Once baked, remove the cakes from the oven and let them cool in the pans for about 10 minutes. Then, remove the cakes from the pans and transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Prepare Lemon Glaze: In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, fresh lemon juice, and lemon zest until you have a smooth glaze.
- Glaze the Cakes: Place the cooled cakes on a serving platter. Drizzle the lemon glaze over the cakes, allowing it to drip down the sides.
- Serve: Let the glaze set for a few minutes before slicing and serving your delicious homemade lemon cake!
Enjoy your homemade lemon cake! You can also get creative by adding a layer of lemon curd between the cake layers or decorating the top with additional lemon zest or candied lemon slices.
