Comments on: lemon cake http://smittenkitchen.com/2006/10/lemony-persnick/ Sun, 21 Mar 2010 02:23:18 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Lynn Sulackow http://smittenkitchen.com/2006/10/lemony-persnick/#comment-357683 Lynn Sulackow Wed, 17 Mar 2010 21:57:39 +0000 http://smittenkitchen.com/2006/10/lemony-persnick#comment-357683 The Lemon cake that I always make is "The Best Damn Lemon Cake" from Maida Heatter's New Book of Great Desserts pg. 113. I has ground almonds in it...the secret to getting the lemon glaze to absorb entirely is to make the glaze the last 2 - 3 minutes that the cake bakes...then remove the cakes from the oven and let them sit for 2 - 3 minutes...Then apply the hot glaze with a brush over the Hot cake..do it slowly - it should take about 5 minutes to finish this part. Let the cake stabd until tepid, not completely cool and then invert it onto a cake rack (gently turn the cake over) and cool completely. My late husband loved this cake...and it is still my mother-in-law's favorite which I need to send to her for her birthday. If you apply the glaze this way you will NEVER have any problems with it plus the hot cake absorbs the entire amount of lemon syrup...remember to apply it slowly...the first time I made this I wasn't patient and just poured the syrup on the cake in one motion...result soggy cake...that never absorbed the syrup. I also set wax paper until the cake rack to catch the extra syrup and use wax paper when I wrap it up. I always refrigerate the cake before serving it..as it is best the next day and slices like a dream when cold...this cake also freezes well. That is if no one eats it before it cools, etc. Take your time with the syrup and you will certainly be rewarded. My customers love this cake. The Lemon cake that I always make is “The Best Damn Lemon Cake” from Maida Heatter’s New Book of Great Desserts pg. 113. I has ground almonds in it…the secret to getting the lemon glaze to absorb entirely is to make the glaze the last 2 – 3 minutes that the cake bakes…then remove the cakes from the oven and let them sit for 2 – 3 minutes…Then apply the hot glaze with a brush over the Hot cake..do it slowly – it should take about 5 minutes to finish this part. Let the cake stabd until tepid, not completely cool and then invert it onto a cake rack (gently turn the cake over) and cool completely. My late husband loved this cake…and it is still my mother-in-law’s favorite which I need to send to her for her birthday. If you apply the glaze this way you will NEVER have any problems with it plus the hot cake absorbs the entire amount of lemon syrup…remember to apply it slowly…the first time I made this I wasn’t patient and just poured the syrup on the cake in one motion…result soggy cake…that never absorbed the syrup. I also set wax paper until the cake rack to catch the extra syrup and use wax paper when I wrap it up. I always refrigerate the cake before serving it..as it is best the next day and slices like a dream when cold…this cake also freezes well. That is if no one eats it before it cools, etc. Take your time with the syrup and you will certainly be rewarded. My customers love this cake.

]]> By: tzsnotes http://smittenkitchen.com/2006/10/lemony-persnick/#comment-357613 tzsnotes Wed, 17 Mar 2010 18:30:11 +0000 http://smittenkitchen.com/2006/10/lemony-persnick#comment-357613 As someone else said try putting toothpick holes around the cake top before taking out of pan; put glaze on and stick back into the hot oven for about 10 minutes - it helps the glaze melt into the cake... As someone else said try putting toothpick holes around the cake top before taking out of pan; put glaze on and stick back into the hot oven for about 10 minutes – it helps the glaze melt into the cake…

]]> By: tifara http://smittenkitchen.com/2006/10/lemony-persnick/#comment-356015 tifara Fri, 12 Mar 2010 03:27:04 +0000 http://smittenkitchen.com/2006/10/lemony-persnick#comment-356015 I was craving lemon cake .. don't ask. I used disposable loaf pans and poured the hot syrup over the cakes as soon as they came out. But being disposable I was able to bend out the sides of the pans and let it drip down the cake. Easy as pie! I turned them over a couple of minutes later. its still hot ... but i know its gonna be awesome, your recipes always are!! I was craving lemon cake .. don’t ask. I used disposable loaf pans and poured the hot syrup over the cakes as soon as they came out. But being disposable I was able to bend out the sides of the pans and let it drip down the cake. Easy as pie! I turned them over a couple of minutes later. its still hot … but i know its gonna be awesome, your recipes always are!!

]]> By: Sarah http://smittenkitchen.com/2006/10/lemony-persnick/#comment-352780 Sarah Mon, 01 Mar 2010 03:26:04 +0000 http://smittenkitchen.com/2006/10/lemony-persnick#comment-352780 Honestly, if I had read through the whole recipe before starting I might not have made this. But I'm glad I did! I used a bundt pan and dealt with the syrup issue by pouring half of the hot syrup onto the cake immediately out of the oven while still in the pan. I let it soak in (with the help of a brush) for 10 minutes. Then I dumped the cake upside down onto the plate, poked some holes with a toothpick and brushed the rest of the syrup onto the top of cake and around the sides. It all soaked in no problem! This is a very lemony cake and soooo good, especially with the glaze in addition to the syrup. The consistency is perfect. Lighter than as a true pound cake but more dense than a regular layer-type cake. Yum! Honestly, if I had read through the whole recipe before starting I might not have made this. But I’m glad I did! I used a bundt pan and dealt with the syrup issue by pouring half of the hot syrup onto the cake immediately out of the oven while still in the pan. I let it soak in (with the help of a brush) for 10 minutes. Then I dumped the cake upside down onto the plate, poked some holes with a toothpick and brushed the rest of the syrup onto the top of cake and around the sides. It all soaked in no problem!

This is a very lemony cake and soooo good, especially with the glaze in addition to the syrup. The consistency is perfect. Lighter than as a true pound cake but more dense than a regular layer-type cake. Yum!

]]> By: Debra http://smittenkitchen.com/2006/10/lemony-persnick/#comment-352344 Debra Sat, 27 Feb 2010 15:46:53 +0000 http://smittenkitchen.com/2006/10/lemony-persnick#comment-352344 This cake was a big hit our get together last night. I handled the lemon syrup absorption the way another poster recommended. I took the cake out of the bundt pan, poured lemon syrup into the bundt pan and returned cake to pan and let it sit in the syrup for awhile for it to absorb. I did this while the cake was still hot, right out of the oven. When returning the cake to the pan it cracked a little -- but not so you'd hardly notice. I also froze this cake (glazed) about a month before serving it. I think the glaze would have looked a better had I put it on the cake after thawing. Bright lemony flavor and so moist. Perfect lemon cake in my opinion. Thanks for another great recipe. This cake was a big hit our get together last night. I handled the lemon syrup absorption the way another poster recommended. I took the cake out of the bundt pan, poured lemon syrup into the bundt pan and returned cake to pan and let it sit in the syrup for awhile for it to absorb. I did this while the cake was still hot, right out of the oven. When returning the cake to the pan it cracked a little — but not so you’d hardly notice. I also froze this cake (glazed) about a month before serving it. I think the glaze would have looked a better had I put it on the cake after thawing. Bright lemony flavor and so moist. Perfect lemon cake in my opinion. Thanks for another great recipe.

]]> By: lauren http://smittenkitchen.com/2006/10/lemony-persnick/#comment-351276 lauren Tue, 23 Feb 2010 02:52:10 +0000 http://smittenkitchen.com/2006/10/lemony-persnick#comment-351276 Okay so I realize this recipe/posting is years old but I was wondering if you solved your icing dilemma? A trick I learned when working at a bakery was to take your reserved lemon juice and slowy, over a couple hours, work in some regular sugar to make a simple lemon syrup. Making sure not to stir for at least 30 minutes before you apply to your cake to let the undissolved sugar sink to the bottom. Then dab on the cake with a pastry brush taking care not to hit the sugar at the bottom of your bowl, and coat the cake two or three times. Perhaps you already use this trick/syrup and want a nice white frosting-glaze on the cake, but the syrup certainly makes a nice moist cake. Which, after reading this recipe, I will be making this weekend.. Thank you! Okay so I realize this recipe/posting is years old but I was wondering if you solved your icing dilemma? A trick I learned when working at a bakery was to take your reserved lemon juice and slowy, over a couple hours, work in some regular sugar to make a simple lemon syrup. Making sure not to stir for at least 30 minutes before you apply to your cake to let the undissolved sugar sink to the bottom. Then dab on the cake with a pastry brush taking care not to hit the sugar at the bottom of your bowl, and coat the cake two or three times. Perhaps you already use this trick/syrup and want a nice white frosting-glaze on the cake, but the syrup certainly makes a nice moist cake. Which, after reading this recipe, I will be making this weekend.. Thank you!

]]> By: Lissa http://smittenkitchen.com/2006/10/lemony-persnick/#comment-348194 Lissa Wed, 10 Feb 2010 00:20:57 +0000 http://smittenkitchen.com/2006/10/lemony-persnick#comment-348194 I haven't read through everyone's posts, so it's possible someone has already suggested this. But when I make my lemon cakes (not this recipe, but my own concoction), I spoon the hot syrup over the hot cake while it's still in the pan... just pour it over. Let it cool about 10 mins, then unmold. Any longer cooling time and the syrup will cause the cake to stick to the pan. I believe this is actually how some of those famous lemon cake bakers do theirs, too - pouring hot syrup over hot cake. Both have to be piping hot in order for it to absorb into the cake. It looks lovely, however, and I'm actually going to try this recipe out. I haven't made mine in quite some time and never really wrote it down completely, so I'm hoping this one will turn out even better than I remember mine being! I haven’t read through everyone’s posts, so it’s possible someone has already suggested this. But when I make my lemon cakes (not this recipe, but my own concoction), I spoon the hot syrup over the hot cake while it’s still in the pan… just pour it over. Let it cool about 10 mins, then unmold. Any longer cooling time and the syrup will cause the cake to stick to the pan. I believe this is actually how some of those famous lemon cake bakers do theirs, too – pouring hot syrup over hot cake. Both have to be piping hot in order for it to absorb into the cake.

It looks lovely, however, and I’m actually going to try this recipe out. I haven’t made mine in quite some time and never really wrote it down completely, so I’m hoping this one will turn out even better than I remember mine being!

]]> By: Angela http://smittenkitchen.com/2006/10/lemony-persnick/#comment-346860 Angela Thu, 04 Feb 2010 02:03:27 +0000 http://smittenkitchen.com/2006/10/lemony-persnick#comment-346860 I poke the cake with a toothpick as soon as it comes out of the oven and pour the syrup on before turning the cake out of the bundt pan. I poke the cake with a toothpick as soon as it comes out of the oven and pour the syrup on before turning the cake out of the bundt pan.

]]> By: deb http://smittenkitchen.com/2006/10/lemony-persnick/#comment-344403 deb Sun, 24 Jan 2010 16:10:48 +0000 http://smittenkitchen.com/2006/10/lemony-persnick#comment-344403 Sara -- This is not a glaze that hardens. For cookies, you probably want a glaze based on a Royal Icing. Martha Stewart has many recipes/approaches to it on her site (such as linked from those snowflakes, which I made in December and were the spicy-best!). Sara — This is not a glaze that hardens. For cookies, you probably want a glaze based on a Royal Icing. Martha Stewart has many recipes/approaches to it on her site (such as linked from those snowflakes, which I made in December and were the spicy-best!).

]]> By: Sara http://smittenkitchen.com/2006/10/lemony-persnick/#comment-344394 Sara Sun, 24 Jan 2010 14:17:14 +0000 http://smittenkitchen.com/2006/10/lemony-persnick#comment-344394 Hey Deb, I was planning on making gingerbread cookies today (have some molasses I need to get rid of), using <a href="http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/gingerbread-snowflakes" rel="nofollow">Martha Stewart's recipe</a>, but I wanted to add a citrus-y zing to them, kind of like lebkuchen. Do you think that this glaze would work well on cookies? Would I need to make adjustments in amounts, etc.? Thanks! Hey Deb,

I was planning on making gingerbread cookies today (have some molasses I need to get rid of), using Martha Stewart’s recipe, but I wanted to add a citrus-y zing to them, kind of like lebkuchen. Do you think that this glaze would work well on cookies? Would I need to make adjustments in amounts, etc.? Thanks!

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