MONDAY MORNING RECIPE POST - LEMON CAKE

No new recipes this week, so I found this one from my old blog. I also at the time forgot to take a photo so put together a watercolor to at least have something on here today. If you would like to see an actual photo you can go here where the original recipe is. This is a cake I got off the food network to make for company. It is a recipe from one of my favorite chefs, Ina Garten, the Barefoot Contessa.  The lemon cake was delicious, but I haven't made it since, and nowadays we are keeping desserts on the downlow, and only for special occasions. I intend to make it for the next birthday and decided to put it on here today for easy access. I am not a decorator but this is a very pretty cake with minimal effort, and a few candles makes it look even more festive.

Lemon Cake

Total time:  1 hour 30 minutes

Preparation time: 30 minuts

Cooking time: 1 hour

Yields 2 8" loaves

1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

2-1/2 cups granulated sugar, divided

4 extra-large eggs, at room temperature

1/3 cup grated lemon zest (6 to 8 large lemons

3 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon kosher salt

3/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice, divided

3/4 cup buttermilk, at room temperature

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For the glaze:

2 cups confectioners sugar, sifted

3-1/2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Grease and flour 2 (8-1/2 inch by 4-1/4 inch by 2-1/2 inch) loaf pans.  You may also line the bottom with parchment paper if desired.

Cream the butter and 2 cups granulated sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.  With the mixer on medium speed, add the eggs one at a time, along with the lemon zest.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl.  In another bowl, combine 1/4 cup lemon juice, the buttermilk and vanilla.  Add the flour and buttermilk and vanilla.  Add the flour and buttermilk mixtures alternately to the batter, beginning and ending with the flour.  

Divide the batter evenly between the pans, smooth the tops and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until a cake tester comes out clean.

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

When the cakes are done, allow to cool for 10 minutes.

Remove the cakes from the pans and place them on a rack set over a tray or a sheet pan.  Spoon the lemon syrup over them.

Allow the cakes to cool completely.

For the glaze, combine the confectioner's sugar and the lemon juice in a bowl, mixing with a wire whisk until smooth.  Pour over the tops of the cakes and allow the glaze to drizzle down the sides.

Thanks for looking, 

enjoy your day and Bon Appétit!

CONTINUING OUR VISIT TO CHATEAU DE CHANTILLY CAFE

You can find their website here. 

I thought I would share more goodies. I also was surprised to read a few negative reviews, which seemed strange. Son and D-in-L have gone there several times now and never had a problem. They have always given it glowing reports, and encouraged us to go as we were looking for something a little different. We felt the same way when we visited on this occasion and that one time last year. It is a place we will look forward to going to again sometime, and more often. Our son and daughter-in-law say they never pay attention to bad reviews, and prefer to make up their own mind. We are the same way and in fact don’t usually do so. Not sure why I did this time, except that I was trying to pinpoint the location and something popped up.

On the right of the above photo is a center storage unit where we found our fried croissant.

It has been a long time since we tried anything like these. We tend to keep away from bakeries for the most part. When we visited last year, Gregg was hoping for a sandwich and didn't realize at first all they sold were cakes and pastries. But after trying the one brought for us on our recent evening get together, he was seriously wanting another. Here are the photos. Not much else to talk about having said a lot yesterday.

and cakes.

I don't know the actual name of this pretty cake but those are slices of mango on the outside.

Black Forest Cake

That’s all for now until the next time we go. 

 

Thanks for looking and enjoy your day!

IT WOULD BE REALLY HARD TO CUT INTO THIS...

 and take a slice.  I would not want to spoil perfection.  They are just too perfectly beautiful!  Another form of great art!  Such talented people out there aren't there? 

I found them at the Gaylord Hotel and Convention Center at National Harbor in Maryland, in the windows of a bakery inside the hotel.  Gregg and I decided to treat ourselves to a mini road trip before the holidays, our gift to each other for Christmas.  Only 24 miles away and we reveled in the fact that it only took us a short time to drive home.  We have dipped our toes into the waters friends.  It's our first getaway in yonks!

Word of the day: Yonks

Noun: informal - British slang

It means a very long time.

I used to use that expression all the time but it's been years.  It just popped into my head right now.  Next I'll be saying this is the first trip away in a donkey's age (also British slang, and another expression that means the same, and another one I have not used in a very long time) until now.

Anyhow, I would love to look at the names of the customers who order these.  Maybe for a company's party just before everyone breaks up for the Holidays, or who knows?  There wasn't a price showing and I wasn't going to ask.  This old kitty-kat was just a little curious.

Well, my friends, the season is fast moving along.  I took loads of photos to share in future posts, no surprise there.  I will start sharing them the day after Monday's recipe.  Happy Sunday!

MONDAY RECIPE POST - RASPBERRY LEMON CAKE

This was such a pretty cake. I knew it would be perfect for when our friends came over for dinner. I would like to thank Sue, host of The View From Great Island for this recipe.  Please take a look when you get the chance.  Her version has a lot of good advice.  There are also many other great recipes to try.

Raspberry Lemon Cake - Serves 10

For the Cake:

9 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup granulated sugar

3 large eggs, separated

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup plain Greek Yogurt

1 heaped cup raspberries

For the Lemon Buttercream Frosting:

2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature

5 cups confectioner's sugar, sifted

Juice of 1-1/2 lemons (about 3 to 4 tablespoons)

1 small drop yellow gel food coloring, optional

Preheat oven to 350 deg. F.  Butter and flour 2 non-stick 9 inch cake pans (you can use 8 inch pans as well, just increase the cooking time).  Sue suggests placing a round of parchment paper on the bottom of each pan to insure a good release. I did this and it worked beautifully.

Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl if necessary.

Beat in the egg yolks one at a time.  In a separate bowl beat the egg whites until soft peaks form.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda.  

Add to the butter mixture alternately with the yogurt and mix until well combined.  

Scrape down the bowl.  Fold in the whipped egg whites, and when no white remains, fold in the berries.

Spread the batter evenly between two 9" cake pans and even out the tops with a cake spatula, or anything you have that will level the top of the batter.

Bake the cakes on the same oven shelf for about 25 to 30 minutes, or until the center springs back when touched and the edges are just starting to turn golden.  Don't overbake.  

Let the cakes cool for 10 minutes before turning out, and cool  completely on the baking rack.

To make the frosting:

Cream the butter, sugar (and drop of food coloring if using), adding enough lemon juice to make a creamy, spreadable frosting.  Beat until smooth and creamy.  Add more sugar for a stiffer frosting, and more lemon juice if you want it less stiff.

Frost the cake when completely cool.  Add a generous amount of frosting to the first layer, then top with the second layer and finish frosting top and sides.

Notes from Sue: She said the drop of yellow coloring gives just a hint of color to the frosting, so it isn't stark white.  I didn't have any and left it out.  I rarely do any baking these days.

You can use any kind of berry for this cake.

This cake was a hit.  Thank you Sue!