(by Maya Moravec)
(Note: You’ll need 4 or 5 large lemons for the cake, syrup, and glaze.)
For cake:
3 c. all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled off with knife
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
1 c. sour cream
1/4 c. finely grated lemon zest, packed
2 T. fresh lemon juice
3 large eggs, at room temperature
3 egg yolks, at room temperature
2 sticks (1 c.) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 1/4 c. granulated sugar
1 t. vanilla or bourbon vanilla extract
1 t. almond extract
pinch of mace
additional butter and flour for pan
dollop of love
For syrup:
1/4 c. water
1/4 c. granulated sugar
1 1/2 T. fresh lemon juice
For glaze:
1 /2 c. confectioners’ sugar
2 T. finely grated lemon zest
1 T. fresh lemon juice
Preheat oven to 325 F. and set oven rack in middle position.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
In a separate medium bowl, whisk together sour cream, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Set aside.
In a small bowl, whisk together eggs and egg yolks until just blended.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar at medium speed for 5 minutes until light, almost white, and fluffy, stopping mixer once or twice to scrape contents down side of bowl.
Beat in eggs a tablespoon or two at a time, beating well after each addition. (It’s very important not to rush this step. Each egg should be thoroughly mixed into the butter mixture.)
Blend in vanilla extract, almond extract, and mace until just mixed.
With mixer on low speed, beat in 1/4 of flour mixture, then 1/3 of sour cream mixture.
Beat in another 1/4 of flour mixture, then another 1/3 of sour cream mixture.
Repeat with another 1/4 of flour mixture and remaining sour cream mixture.
Finally beat in remaining flour mixture.
Scrape down side of bowl once or twice while mixing.
(For a fluffy cake, it’s important not to overmix during this step, mixing only until ingredients are just blended together.
Thoroughly grease a 10-inch Bundt pan with butter, making sure entire surface, including crevices, is coated.
Thoroughly dust pan with flour.
Spoon batter into pan and smooth with spatula.
Bake for 60 – 75 minutes or unitl cake is golden and a toothpick or skewer comes out clean.
Set on a cooling rack.
Carefully run a table knife around the edges of the pan and around the center tube to loosen.
Cool for 10 minutes.
While cake is cooling, make syrup:
Combine water and sugar in a small saucepan, and bring to a boil.
Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice.
Invert cake into a rack.
Slip a large piece of parchment paper, aluminum foil, or paper towel underneath rack for easy clean-up.
Gradually brush the hot syrup over the cake, letting it soak in.
Allow cake to cool completely, about 1 hour.
When cake is cool, carefully transfer to a serving platter and make glaze.
In a medium bowl, whisk together confectioners’ sugar, lemon zest, and lemon juice.
Add more confectioners’ sugar or lemon juice as necessary to make a thick but pourable glaze. (It should be the consistency of honey.)
Spoon glaze over top of cake, letting it drip down the sides.
Add a dollop of love and serve.
(Read A Sweet Thing From A Time of Pain, the story that accompanies this recipe.)
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