Lemon Cake With Fruit Recipes

LEMON CAKE WITH FRUIT

Steps:

• Place a rack in middle of oven and preheat to 350°F. Butter and flour a 13x9" baking pan. Whisk baking powder, salt, and 2 cups flour in a medium bowl. Finely grate lemon zest into another medium bowl. Slice lemon in half; set aside. Add 1 2/3 cups granulated sugar to zest and work with your fingers until mixture is fragrant and looks like wet sand, about 1 minute.
• Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat 1 cup butter in a large bowl until smooth, about 20 seconds. Add sugar mixture, increase speed to medium-high, and beat until very light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Reduce speed to medium and add eggs one at a time, beating well between additions; mix in egg yolk. Reduce speed to low and gradually add dry ingredients. Beat just until incorporated, then add brandy and beat just until smooth. Fold batter a few times with a rubber spatula; scrape into prepared pan and smooth top. Scatter fruit over (do not press down). Squeeze a reserved lemon half over fruit (save other half for another use) and sprinkle with remaining 3 Tbsp. granulated sugar.
• Bake cake until sides are golden brown and top is golden, 55-65 minutes. Let cool; cut into squares. Serve dusted with powdered sugar.
• Do Ahead
• Cake can be baked 2 days ahead. Store tightly wrapped at room temperature.

LEMON CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour 2 (8 1/2 by 4 1/4 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, 1 at a time, and 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 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 set them on a rack set over a tray or sheet pan; spoon the lemon syrup over them. Allow the cakes to cool completely.
• For the glaze, combine the confectioners' 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.

FLUTED LEMON CAKE WITH FRESH FRUIT

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°. Grease and flour a 10-in. fluted tube pan. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in lemon zest and extract., In another bowl, whisk flour, baking powder and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with yogurt, beating well after each addition., Transfer to prepared pan. Bake 60-70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely. If desired, dust with confectioners' sugar. Serve with fresh fruit and whipped cream.

LEMON POPPYSEED CAKE WITH FRUIT COMPOTE

Steps:

• Have ready fruit compote.
• Preheat oven to 350°F. and grease and flour an 8- by 2-inch cake pan, knocking out excess flour.
• In a bowl whisk together flour, sugar, cornstarch, poppyseeds, baking powder, and salt and with fingers blend in butter until incorporated. In a large measuring cup lightly beat together milk, zest, vanilla, and egg.
• Stir milk mixture into flour mixture until just blended and pour batter into pan. Bake cake 35 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean. Remove cake from pan and cool on a rack.
• Serve wedges of cake topped with fruit compote.
• In a small saucepan bring water with sugar, lemon juice, and thyme to a boil, stirring occasionally, and boil until sugar is dissolved. Cool syrup to room temperature and stir in vanilla. In bowl combine fruit and syrup and chill until cold. (Compote may be made 4 hours ahead and chilled, covered.) Makes about 4 cups.