Lemon Pudding Cake

If you are lucky, you had a teacher who made you love a subject that may have seemed unlovable. Or maybe you have a follower that bakes your recipes and lets you know how much everyone enjoyed them. And maybe you are also lucky enough to know someone who sends you recipes that you would never have found on your own.

I found the triple threat: someone who fits all three of those definitions. A former math teacher, avid baker, and awesome share-er. So here's to her sharing this simple lemon pudding cake (or as I like to call it: nearly a fancy schmancy lemon souffle).

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Lemon Pudding Cake
from The New York Times

4 large eggs, separated
1 tsp grated lemon zest
1/3 cup lemon juice
1 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 1/2 cups whole milk

Make the pudding cake: Place a large roasting pan (or deep dish) on a rack in the center of the oven. Fill the pan halfway with water. With the pan inside, heat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter or spray an 8-inch square or round baking dish.

In a large bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, lemon zest, lemon juice and butter. In another bowl, stir together the sugar, flour and salt. Whisk half the flour mixture into the egg yolks, then half the milk. Whisk in remaining flour mixture, then remaining milk.

Whip the egg whites until soft peaks form, then gently fold them into the batter.

Pour batter into the buttered dish. Place the dish in the pan of water in the oven. Bake until the cake is set, about 45 minutes.

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Lemon Cake with Lemon Curd and Cherry Frosting

It's amazing what one year can make in baby's life: They start walking. They start talking. They start dancing and they become incredibly selfish tiny humans.  Let's take Sadie's birthday party, for example: At Sadie's first birthday, she offered all of her cake to her doting adult guests.  This year? Sadie and her other toddler friends (including an adorable curly haired girl named, Rozlyn), inhaled the cake before letting any adult get a bite.  

At least they have their priorities straight?

(And thanks to rocket moon photography, we have photographic evidence of it all!)

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Lemon Cake with Lemon Curd Cherry Frosting
adapted from Hummingbird High

Vanilla Cake
4 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups buttermilk, divided into 1/4 cup +1 cup
3 cups cake flour
2 cups sugar
4 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, room temperature

Lemon Curd
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
zest from 1 lemon
4 large egg yolks
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 1" cubes

Buttercream Frosting
4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
10 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
a pinch of salt
2 tbsp whole milk
2 tbsp 100% pure cherry juice

Make the lemon curd:  Whisk together the egg yolks and sugar in a glass bowl. Whisk in the lemon juice, and lemon zest. Place the bowl over a pan of simmering water (a double boiler) and stir with a wooden spoon (or whisk) for 7-10 minutes or until the mixture is thick and no longer falls in a quick stream back into the bowl.

Remove from the heat and strain through a sieve, if needed. Add the butter and stir until combined. Chill until room temperature. This will keep for a few days in the refrigerator

Make the cake: Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare three 8-inch round cake pans by spraying generously with cooking spray and lining the bottoms of each with parchment paper circles. Spray the parchment paper circles with cooking spray as well.

In small bowl, whisk together eggs, egg yolks, vanilla extract and 1/4 cup buttermilk. Set aside.

In the bowl of a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Beat on low speed for 1 minute or until well combined. With the mixer on its lowest setting, add butter and the remaining 1 cup buttermilk. Raise the mixer speed to medium and beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.

After 2 minutes, reduce the mixer to low. Add the egg mixture in 3 additions, adding the next addition only when the previous has been fully incorporated. Once all the egg mixture has been added, scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat on low speed for only 1 more minute (do not over mix).

Divide the batter evenly between the three prepared cake pans and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center of each cake comes out clean and the top of each cake bounces back when gently poked. 

Make the buttercream: In the bowl of a mixer, combine powdered sugar, butter, and a pinch of salt. Beat on medium-low speed until the mixture comes together and the butter is fully incorporated throughout the sugar.

Reduce the mixer to low. Combine milk and juice in a separate, small bowl and add to the butter mixture a little bit at a time. Once all the liquid has been incorporated, turn the mixer up to high speed. Continue beating until the frosting is light and fluffy, at least 5 minutes. 

Assemble the cake: Fill each layer of the cake with a 1/4" thick layer of lemon curd and cover with a nice coat of fluffy cherry buttercream.

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Spicy Lemon Cookies

I am not going to lie to you: it is cold outside, really, really cold. In fact, I think that my friend from LA's perspective on what you need to wear to get through a winter in the midwest finally came to fruition this season: ski goggles and snow pants.

So in an attempt to not dwell on the fact that we have had more than 30 days of temperatures below zero, I decided to bake a cookie with some heat. This cookie resembles shortbread with a hint of lemon and cayenne that hits you a few seconds after you finish the cookie. I love it...and so did all of my coworkers.

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Spicy Lemon Cookies

Make the cookies: Preheat oven to 400º. Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the lemon juice, lemon zest, and egg and beat until combined.

Sift together the flour, cayenne powder, salt, and baking soda. Gradually add the flour mixture to butter mixture until combined. Refrigerate dough. Once it is chilled, roll out to about 1/4" thickness and use a 2" cookie cutter to cut out desired shape (I used a scalloped style). Place on a silpat or parchment paper and bake for 7 minutes or until lightly brown on the bottom.

1 cup butter, room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp grated lemon zest
1 egg
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp cayenne powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda

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I filled some of the cookies with a lemon buttercream