popplers

Übercake

Our variation on the Globe's so-called Luxury lemon cake: lemon zest, lime zest, far too much butter, and a killer glaze. We made it on Saturday night, and brought half to a house concert on Sunday evening. Judging from the tiny sliver that remained on the plate when the show was over, I'd say it met with approval. It also made the kitchen smell wonderful.

Makes one 10-inch cake.

CAKE:

Nonstick spray (for the pan)
Flour (for the pan)
zest of 2 lemons
zest of 1 1/2 limes
2 teaspoons Fiori di Sicilia
3 1/4 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
2 cups superfine sugar
3/4 cups superfine vanilla sugar
5 eggs
1 cup buttermilk

1. Set the oven at 325 degrees. Grease a plain 10-inch tube pan, line the bottom of the pan with a circle of baking parchment cut to fit it, and grease the paper. Dust the pan with flour, tapping out the excess; set aside.
2. In a small bowl, combine the zest and Fiori di Sicilia.
3. Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt onto a flexible cutting sheet.
4. In an electric mixer, beat the butter at medium speed for 3 minutes or until smooth and creamy. Add the sugar in three additions, beating for 1 minute after each one. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, mixing for 30 seconds after each one. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula to keep the batter even textured.
5. Blend in the lemon/ lime mixture. On low speed, add the flour mixture in 3 additions, alternately with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour.
6. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the surface with a rubber spatula.
7. Bake the cake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake is clean when withdrawn and the cake pulls away slightly from the sides of the pan.

GLAZE:

2/3 cup granulated sugar
juice of 2 lemons and 2 limes (about 1/2 cup total)

1. In a small saucepan, combine the sugar and lemon and lime juice. Set over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, about 7 minutes, or until the sugar dissolves. Bring to a rapid boil, then remove the pan from the heat.
2. When the cake is done, cool it in the pan on a rack for 10 to 12 minutes. Carefully invert onto another cooling rack, peel away the waxed paper, then set right-side up on another rack. Brush the top and sides of the warm cake with glaze.
3. Leave the cake to cool completely.

Posted by rv at May 23, 2006 10:06 PM to food