Lemon Pound Cakes w Candied Lemon Slices
Source of Recipe
Martha Stewart�s �Everyday Food� magazine May 2007
Recipe Introduction
I had to laugh as I made this recipe. Miss Martha is a tad out of touch with us regular folks. This recipe is from her �Everyday Food� magazine - Supposedly less complicated and time consuming. A lot of �workday� meals and some shortcuts. This recipe calls for 3 separate preparations � cakes from scratch, making a glaze and making candied lemon slices and lemon syrup. Admittedly, none of these steps are difficult. But it does get a little fiddly at times. This is certainly not a difficult cake to make, but calling it "Everyday" is a bit much. The cakes were very, very tasty � lots of real lemon flavor. But the texture was a bit tough. Next time that I make these, I�m going to try a method that I read of in �Fine Cooking� � substituting some milk for some of the eggs � supposed to make it more tender.
To be safe, buy 6 lemons � you need the zest of 2 lemons for the cakes, 2 sliced lemons for the candied lemons, 2-4 tablespoons of juice for the glaze and 1/2 cup lemon juice for the candied lemon syrup.
List of Ingredients
16 T. unsalted butter, room temperature
3 C. APflour
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 T. finely grated lemon zest, plus 4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 1/2 cups granulated sugar
6 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup sour cream
Candied Lemon Slices and Lemon Syrup (see below)
2 cups confectioners' sugar
Recipe
Heat the oven to 350F. Spray two 8.5x4.5-inch loaf pans with cooking spray and line with parchment paper (let the strips hang over the ends of the pans). Whisk together the flour, salt, baking soda, and lemon zest and set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating just until the egg disappears. Mix in the vanilla. On low speed add the flour and sour cream alternately. Begin and end with the flour � adding it in 3 batches and the sour cream in two.
Place the batter in the pans, smoothing the tops. Bake 55-65 minutes or until the cakes reach 210F degrees. You can tent them with foil if they begin to brown too quickly.
While baking the cakes, make the Candied Lemon Slices and Lemon Syrup.
Take the cakes out of the oven � leave in pans. Using a long skewer, poke holes in the cakes. Set aside 1/4 cup of the Lemon Syrup and brush/pour the remainder over the a rack set into a baking sheet. Brush all over with the reserved 1/4 cup Lemon Syrup.
Make a glaze with the confectioners� sugar and 2-4 tablespoons of lemon juice. You want it thick, but still pourable.
Pour the glaze over the cakes and let drip down the sides. Let sit for about 30 minutes. Garnish with the Lemon Slices.
CANDIED LEMON SLICES AND LEMON SYRUP
1 cup sugar
2 lemons, sliced 1/8 inch thick or thinner, seeds removed
1/3 to 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
Mix sugar and water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring. Add the lemon slices, lower heat and simmer very gently. Swirl the pan occasionally and cook until the lemon slices are very tender � about 20-30 minutes. Remove carefully to a sheet of parchment paper and cool. Add the lemon juice to the sugar syrup and stir. Set aside.
MAKES 2 LOAVES
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