Citrus cake

This Lemon Frosted Lemon cake is one of my favorite type of cakes. It is a sweet and buttery cake with a moist yet dense texture. As its name implies, it has a tangy lemon flavor that comes from adding lemon zest (outer yellow skin of lemon) to the cake batter. To further enhance the lemon flavor, the cake is frosted with a simple lemon frosting (Glaze). What I like about the frosting is how it dries to a hard and crusty glaze. A lovely cake on its own with a hot cup of tea, or you could serve it with fresh fruit.

8 Tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pan.

1 1/2 cups cake flour (spooned and leveled), plus more for pans

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon salt

Grated lemon zest from 2 lemons.

1 cup sugar

2 large eggs

1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk

Lemon Frosting:

1 cup (115 grams) confectioners' (powdered or icing) sugar, sifted

2 - 4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Garnish

1 1/2 cups orange candied citrus peel, cut into 1/4 inch strips.

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour one 9-inch round cake pan, tapping out excess flour. In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, (its best to sift these ingredients first) and lemon zest.
2. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. With mixer on low, beat in eggs and yolks, one at a time. Alternately beat in flour mixture and buttermilk beginning and ending with flour mixture; mix just until combined.
3. Pour batter into prepared pan; smooth top. Bake until cake pulls away from sides of pan, 30 minutes. Let cool in pans 10 minutes. Run a knife around edges of pans and invert cakes onto a wire rack.
4. While cake is baking, bring remaining 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2 cup water to a boil in a saucepan. Add orange slices and simmer 25 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer orange slices to a waxed-paper-lined plate.
5. Let cool completely. Prepare frosting. Frost cooled cake and top with candied orange slices.

I made this cake recently for a movie night with friends. The next day the four of us literally fought over the last two pieces! Thats how good this is!!

Until next time...XOXO