Ligurian Lemon Cake Recipes

LIGURIAN LEMON CAKE

Steps:

• Butter a 10-inch round cake or springform pan, dust with flour, and tap out any excess.
• In a large bowl, sift flour and baking powder; set aside.
• Place sugar and lemon zest in the bowl of an electric mixer; rub the ingredients together between your fingers until the sugar is moist, grainy, and has absorbed as much of the zest as possible. Return bowl to mixer.
• Using the whisk attachment, beat in eggs on medium high until the mixture is pale and thick, about 3 minutes.
• With the mixer on lowest speed, beat in milk. Add reserved flour mixture; beat until incorporated. Add lemon juice, melted butter, and olive oil; beat until blended.
• Pour about one third of the batter into the prepared pan; there should be just enough batter to form a thin, even layer. Arrange the raspberries on top of the batter. Pour the remaining batter over the raspberries, and use a rubber spatula to gently spread batter so that it runs down between the berries and just covers them (you'll have a very thin top layer of batter).
• Bake cake until it's golden and pulling away from the sides of the pan, and a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean, about 35 minutes.
• Let cool for about 15 minutes before removing the cake ring.

LEMON SNACK CAKE WITH RASPBERRY-CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

Steps:

• For the Cake: Preheat oven to 350°F. Brush a 9-inch round cake pan with butter. Line bottom with parchment; brush with butter. Dust with flour, tapping out excess.
• In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In another, stir together milk and lemon juice. In the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter with lemon zest, granulated sugar, and vanilla on medium speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Beat in eggs, one at a time.
• Reduce speed to low; beat in flour mixture in three additions, alternating with milk mixture, just until no dry flour remains (do not overmix). Transfer batter to prepared pan; smooth top. Bake until cake is golden and springs back when gently pressed, about 40 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack; let cool 20 minutes. Turn cake out onto rack, remove parchment, and let cool completely.
• For the Frosting: In a bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Beat in confectioners' sugar and freeze-dried berries until smooth.
• Spread frosting over top of cake. Decorate with fresh berries. Cake is best served on the same day, but can be refrigerated in an airtight container up to 2 days.