A cake to bring a smile to the most sour of sourpusses!
Here is another recipe from Fiona Cairn’s book, Bake & Decorate. I was inspired to make it after I saw it on the Baking Addict’s blog, The More Than Occasional Baker. Bake this cake and your house will be flooded with the most amazing aroma. It is a smell so yummy that husbands will come out of hiding from playing video games… but only long enough to gobble a slice. This is a great cake, but it is no act of god. What I really love is the gentle little crunch of sugar you get when you bite into it. This makes the perfect little cake for taking on a summer picnic or packing into a lunch box because its easily cut into a snack-sized bar form, if you bake it in a 8×8 square tin like I did.
I think a great lemon cake is something that every good baker should have in his or her repertoire. My all time favourite guinea pig, Mr P, rates this cake a 9/10 and says he wants me to bake this again. As for me, the biggest sourpuss I know, I also really enjoyed this cake, especially when washed down with a cup of tea. Nevertheless, I’m going to keep looking for a 10. I thought the flavour and the crunch were absolute perfection, but my ulitimate lemon cake would have softer, fluffier texture. Hmmm… I’m wondering if I used oil instead of butter if that would do the trick. What do you think? Do you have a favourite lemon cake recipe that you recommend I try?
Lemon Crunch Cake
- 175g unsalted butter, softened, plus more for the tin
- 175g self-raising flour
- a pinch of salt
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- 175g golden caster sugar
- the finely grated zest and juice of one lemon
- juice of 1 large lemon
- 100g white granulated sugar
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 180C.
Sift the flour and the salt together into a bowl, and set it aside.
Next, melt the butter in a small pan and allow it to cool slightly.
Now, using whisk the eggs and sugar together until light and fluffy, then add the melted butter. Once incorporated, you can then fold in the flour, lemon zest, and finally the lemon juice.
Pour into an 18cm (8 inch) tin, and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
While the cake is baking, assemble the crunchy topping by combining the juice of one lemon with some granulated sugar.
When the cake is through cooking, but still hot from the oven, prick the surface with a skewer or a cocktail stick, and then pour the topping as evenly as possible on to your cake. Let the cake cool completely while still inside the tin.
Sadly, I didn’t used to have a lemon cake recipe – now knowing this got a great rating form your hubby – I will definitely add it! Such a simple and classy looking dessert.
I love lemon crunch cake – Mary Berry makes a wonderful version as does Hugh FW but unfortunately his topping is toothachingly sweet. Your cake slices look really delicious.
Just a quickie second comment: my daughter has been in London for a few days and went to see the Grace Kelly show at V & A. She loved it (remember I mentioned she was named after Tracy Lord in Grace’s last movie) but said it was much too small. She wanted more.
LOL@ the sourpuss. I LOVE IT! That said, I have been looking for a lemon cake with a little ’sumptin’ sumptin’ and I think a ‘crunch’ can be labeled as a ’sumptin’ sumptin’! It looks and sound so delicious, HH! Thank you so much for posting this! *hugs*
oof this looks so simple and delicious- and perfect for breakfast!
the blog is looking lovely as well, i feel like i haven’t been to visit in ages. it’s nice to be back.
A very sylish, elegant & classic tasty lemon cake, my dear!!!!
MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM,…lovely dessert!
This is so great!! I know I can’t resist a good lemony cake!!
Nothing like the tangy zest of lemon in a fluffy cake. This is on the to-bake list.
Lemon and crunchy and sugar are all intensely delicious sounding words. I like fluffy cakes myself but hubby prefers them with a bit more bite, so I think this is going to knock his socks off (if I play my cards right) *wink, wink*. Thanks for the recipe HH.
My favorite lemon cake is from Ina Garten: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/lemon-cake-recipe/index.html
So good! The crunchy aspect of your recipe sounds appealing though, thanks!