Moroccan Lemon Cake Recipes

MOROCCAN PRESERVED LEMONS

Steps:

• Scrub lemons thoroughly under cold running water. Cut each lemon into quarters, but do not cut all the way through the top, so that the lemon still holds together.
• Rub lemons generously with salt inside and out and along all the cuts. Place them in a large sterilized jar with a tight-fitting lid. Add lukewarm water to cover; the lemons should be fully immersed. Screw on the lid and let cure for 1 month in a dark, dry, and cool place.

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.

LEMON-OLIVE OIL CAKE

Steps:

• Cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brush a 9-inch springform pan with oil and line bottom with a parchment round; brush parchment.
• Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and lemon zest to thoroughly combine. In the bowl of a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat egg whites over medium-low until foamy. Increase speed to medium-high; slowly add 1/3 cup granulated sugar, beating just until whites hold soft peaks, 3 to 4 minutes. In another large bowl, beat egg yolks with remaining 3/4 cup granulated sugar on medium-high speed until thick, pale, and tripled in volume, 2 to 3 minutes. Slowly beat in oil, then lemon juice to combine (mixture may appear curdled). Stir in flour mixture just to combine. Gently stir one-third of egg-white mixture into yolk mixture to lighten. Then gently fold in remaining egg-white mixture until no streaks of white remain (do not overmix). Transfer batter to prepared pan; gently smooth top with a spatula.
• Bake until cake is golden brown on top and springs back when lightly pressed, 45 to 55 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack; let cool 15 minutes. Run a knife between sides of cake and pan to loosen. Remove sides of pan; let cool completely.
• Berries and Cream: Meanwhile, stir together berries, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, and lemon juice in a bowl. Let stand at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours. In another bowl, whisk cream until thick and silky but not holding peaks. Add mascarpone and remaining 2 tablespoons granulated sugar. Whisk just until soft peaks form.
• Dust top of cake generously with confectioners' sugar. Serve with macerated berries and whipped mascarpone cream. Cake can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 2 days.

MOROCCAN LEMON CAKE

Steps:

• 1. Position oven rack in the middle of the oven, and preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease and flour a small bundt or tube pan; set aside.
• 2. In a large bowl with an electric mixer or by hand, beat together the eggs and sugar until thick. Gradually beat in the oil until smooth. Stir in the flour, baking powder and salt, and then the milk. Beat just until smooth, and then mix in the lemon juice, zest, and vanilla.
• 3. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for about 40 minutes, or until the cake tests done.
• 4. Allow the cake to cool in the pan on a rack for 7 to 10 minutes. Loosen the cake from the sides of the pan with a butter knife or spatula, then turn out the cake onto the rack to finish cooling.
• 5. The cake may be served plain, dusted with powdered sugar or drizzled with a glaze. (To prepare the glaze, mix the confectioners' sugar and lemon juice until smooth. Drizzle the glaze over the top of the cake, allowing the glaze to run down the sides.)

MESKOUTA (MOROCCAN ORANGE CAKE)

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 8½-by-4½-inch loaf pan with olive oil, and line it with a sheet of parchment paper so that you have extra on the sides. (You'll use this to lift the loaf out of the pan.)
• In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt until well combined. In another large bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar and eggs until well combined. Add the yogurt, olive oil, orange zest, orange juice and vanilla extract to the sugar and egg mixture, and whisk until well incorporated.
• Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and gently mix using a spatula until you no longer see flecks of flour, making sure not to overmix. (The batter will be slightly lumpy.) Transfer the batter to the prepared pan, and use a spatula to spread into an even layer.
• Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with some small, moist crumbs. (If the cake needs another minute or two, but is becoming too brown, tent with foil.) Allow to cool completely on a wire rack before using the parchment overhang to remove from the pan.
• Make the optional whipped cream: Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whisk the cream and the confectioners' sugar for about 2 to 3 minutes on medium-high until medium peaks begin to form. You want a spreading consistency. Cover and keep in the fridge until ready to serve the cake.
• To serve, cut the cake in slices, top with whipped cream, if using, and garnish with chocolate shavings, if using. Alternatively, you can also top the whole cake with whipped cream, then slice it. Without the whipped cream, the cake keeps for up to 5 days in an airtight container on the counter.

MOROCCAN COCONUT LEMON CAKE

Steps:

• 1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease and flour 1 9x13-inch baking dish or two 9-inch cake pans; set aside.
• 2. Beat together the eggs and sugar until thick. Gradually beat in the oil, then beat in the vanilla, lemon juice, and zest. Stir in the flour, coconut, baking powder and salt. Then stir in the milk. Beat until smooth.
• 3. Pour the batter into your prepared pan(s). Bake in the middle of your preheated oven until the cake tests done - approximately 25 to 30 minutes for two round cake pans, 35 to 40 minutes for 9x13-inch pan. (You could also use a tube or bundt pan which will require about 40 minutes baking time.)
• 4. Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 5 to 10 minutes. Carefully run a butter knife along the edges to loosen the cake from the sides of the pan. Then turn out the cake onto a rack to cool completely.
• 5. Mix the sifted powdered sugar and vanilla with enough cream or milk to a spreadable consistency. Spread the icing in a thin layer over the top of the cooled cake. Lightly dust the icing with toasted coconut. Allow the icing to set before serving.

MOROCCAN LEMON CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 180° C. Grease and flour the cake tins. Zest and juice the lemons.
• Beat together the eggs and sugar until the mixture thickens. Beat in the oil, a little at a time.
• Stir in the flour, coconut, baking powder and salt, and then add the milk. Beat until the mixture is smooth and add the lemon juice, vanilla and zest .
• Pour the mixture into the cake tins. Bake for 25 - 30 minutes or until the cake is cooked.
• Ice and cover with the toasted coconut.