Marthas Meyer Lemon Anniversary Cake Recipes

MEYER LEMON POUND CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Butter and flour two 9-by-5-by-3-inch (or larger) loaf pans and set aside.
• Sift the flour with the salt and baking powder two times and set aside.
• With an electric mixer, cream the butter until fluffy. Add the sugar gradually, beating until light and fluffy.
• Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, alternating with the milk and vanilla. Stir only until thoroughly blended. Gently fold in the zest.
• Pour batter into the prepared pans, making sure to divide the batter evenly between the two pans. Level tops with an offset spatula. Bake for about 1 1/2 hours, until a cake tester comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan about 10 minutes; then remove to a wire rack to cool thoroughly.
• Make the glaze: In a medium bowl, whisk all glaze ingredients to combine. If necessary, add additional confectioners' sugar to desired consistency.
• Pour glaze on top of cakes and serve.

MEYER-LEMON AND COCONUT LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter two 7-by-2-inch round cake pans. Line bottoms with parchment; butter parchment. Dust with flour, tapping out excess. Bake coconut on a baking sheet until dry but not golden, about 10 minutes; let cool completely.
• Whisk milk into eggs, then whisk in vanilla. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; beat on medium-low speed 30 seconds. Continue beating while gradually adding butter and coconut oil until mixture is crumbly, about 3 minutes. Slowly add half of milk mixture; increase speed to medium and beat until fluffy, about 1 minute. Slowly add remaining milk mixture, scraping down bowl as needed. Beat until incorporated, 30 seconds.
• Divide batter between prepared pans; tap pans on counter to release any air bubbles. Bake until golden brown and tops spring back when lightly touched, 50 to 55 minutes. Let cool in pans on wire racks 5 minutes, then turn out of pans, remove parchment, and let cool completely, top-sides up, on racks. For easy splitting, refrigerate 1 hour.
• Trim tops of cakes flat. Split each cake horizontally into two equal layers. Place a cake layer on a cake plate. Spread 2/3 cup curd evenly over it; top with a second cake layer. Repeat, spreading 2/3 cup curd between each layer. Finish with a cake layer, bottom-side up. Refrigerate cake, wrapped in plastic, at least 1 hour and up to 1 day.
• Spread 1 cup buttercream over top and sides of cake evenly to create a crumb coat. Refrigerate 15 minutes. Spread remaining 3 cups buttercream over top and sides. Coat sides with coconut. Garnish with candied lemon and mint. Cake can be refrigerated, wrapped in plastic, up to 5 days; return to room temperature before serving.

LEMON CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour two 8-by-2-inch cake pans, tapping out excess flour. In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and lemon zest.
• In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and 1 1/2 cups sugar until light and fluffy. With mixer on low, beat in eggs and yolks, one at a time. Beat in 2 tablespoons lemon juice. Alternately beat in flour mixture and buttermilk beginning and ending with flour mixture; mix just until combined.
• Divide batter between pans; smooth tops. Bake until cakes pull away from sides of pans, 32 to 35 minutes. Let cool in pans 10 minutes. Run a knife around edges of pans and invert cakes onto a wire rack.
• While cakes are baking, bring remaining 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2 cup water to a boil in a saucepan. Add lemon slices and simmer 25 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer lemon slices to a waxed-paper-lined plate. Stir remaining 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice into syrup.
• Using a toothpick, poke holes in warm cakes on rack. Brush with lemon syrup. Let cool completely. Prepare frosting, substituting 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice for vanilla extract. Frost cooled cakes and top with candied lemon slices.

MEYER LEMON COFFEE CAKE

Steps:

• Streusel: Mix together flour, brown sugar, and salt. Using a pastry cutter or your fingers, cut butter into the flour mixture until small to medium clumps form. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use, up to 3 days.
• Cake: In a large skillet of simmering water, cook lemon slices 1 minute. Drain and repeat. Arrange lemon slices in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-inch angel-food-cake pan. Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together butter, granulated sugar, and lemon zest on medium speed in a large bowl until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in eggs, one at a time, then vanilla. Reduce speed to low. Beat in flour mixture in three additions, alternating with sour cream, beginning and ending with flour mixture and beating until combined after each addition.
• Spoon half of batter evenly into pan. Arrange half of lemon slices in a single layer over batter. Spread remaining batter evenly over top. Cover with remaining lemon slices in a single layer. Sprinkle chilled streusel evenly over batter.
• Bake until cake is golden brown and a tester inserted in center comes out clean, about 55 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack set over a baking sheet; let cool in pan 15 minutes. Run a knife around edges of pan and remove outer ring. Let cool on rack 15 minutes more. Run a knife around center tube. Slide two wide spatulas between bottom of cake and pan, and lift cake to remove from center tube. Let cool completely on rack.
• Glaze: Just before serving, stir together confectioners' sugar and lemon juice in a medium bowl. Drizzle over cooled cake, letting excess drip down sides. Let glaze set before slicing, about 5 minutes.

RUSTIC MEYER LEMON TART

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Make the crust: Whisk together flour, sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and the lemon zest in a large bowl. Cut in butter with a pastry cutter or your fingers until dough begins to hold together.
• Stir together 1 tablespoon water and vanilla, then mix into dough. Shape dough into a disk, and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Using your fingers, press dough evenly into bottom and up sides of a 9-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom. Freeze for 30 minutes.
• Bake tart shell until golden, about 25 minutes. Let cool completely.
• Meanwhile, make the lemon curd: Whisk together eggs, egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch in a medium saucepan. Whisk in lemon zest and juice. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon, about 7 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in butter, 1 piece at a time.
• Pour filling into cooled tart shell. Bake until filling is browned, slightly puffed, and set, about 30 minutes. Let cool completely.