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Cake & Cheesecake | April 2, 2009

Fresh Lemon Cake with Lemon Sour Cream Icing

Fresh Lemon Cake with Lemon Sour Cream Icing


before

 
Fresh Lemon Cake with Lemon Sour Cream Icing

after

Doesn’t lemon just scream SPRING? Uhhhh, still waiting for that in our neighborhood. In the past week, I think we have accumulated about a foot of new snow. Most of it has melted, again. I just keep reminding myself, it’s spring in Utah, and we have (about) 6 more weeks of snow, off and on. If I tell myself we have snow till MAY, I won’t be frustrated when we are sitting at baseball games in our ski jackets, 6 layers of clothing underneath (that’s what I counted yesterday after the game) UGGS, 4 blankets and gloves. And yes, we won, 9-1. So it wasn’t all bad.

I tried out this lemon cake a couple of nights ago, and loved it. The original recipe includes just the cake and the lemon syrup. It tasted good, but not very pleasing to the eye. So I added a sour cream lemon icing. This cake is really moist and has a delish tang. It would make a great addition to your Easter brunch buffet. You’re having one, right?

Fresh Lemon Cake with Lemon Sour Cream Icing

Ingredients

Cake:

  • 3 cups sifted flour
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 4 egg whites
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup butter softened
  • 1 1/4 cups sugar
  • 4 egg yolks
  • 2 lemons total for cake, syrup and icing
  • finely grated zest of one lemon
  • 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
  • 1 cup milk

Lemon Syrup:

  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons hot water

Lemon Frosting:

  • 2-3 Cups powdered sugar
  • 2 tablespoons sour cream
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • milk

Instructions

For the cake:

  1. Combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and 3/4 teaspoons salt in bowl and set aside. Beat the egg whites with 1/8 teaspoon salt in a bowl or mixer until soft peaks form. Set aside. Cream the butter and sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Add the egg yolks to the butter mixture one at a time, beating well. Add the lemon zest. Combine the lemon juice and milk in a small bowl. Add the flour mixture to the creamed butter, alternating with the lemon juice mixture. Fold in the egg whites. Spread the batter evenly in a greased 9 inch springform pan. Bake at 350 degrees for about 50 minutes or until top is golden and cake springs back when touched in center. Remove from oven and run a knife around the edges of the springform pan if cake is sticking to pan.

For Syrup:

  1. Combine all syrup ingredients until sugar dissolves, spoon over cake while still warm. Let cool and remove from pan. The syrup will crystallize as the cake cools.

For icing:

  1. Place the sour cream in a mixing bowl with 2 cups of the powdered sugar. Mix and add salt and lemon juice. Add more powdered sugar until icing is desired consistency. Frost cake when completely cooled.

Recipe Notes

-This recipe would work in 2 large loaf pans, or one 9x 13 pan.

-I made a few modifications, because I really like a strong lemon flavor. The original recipe only calls for 1 tablespoon of zest, and no lemon icing. I think I may cut about 1/4 cup of the sugar in the cake next time as well

11 thoughts on “Fresh Lemon Cake with Lemon Sour Cream Icing

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  1. Do you think they could be cupcakes? Or would that break a rule? The sour cream frosting was a good addition.

    I know roll recipes and bread recipes don’t mix, but what about the other?

    And girl, those chicken legs almost put me over the edge. Not good for a pregnant stomach…and I’ve seen mighty crazy food in bama…like pickled pigs feet.

  2. This looks so delicious. I’m noticing that lots of my food blogging friends are dusting off their lemon recipes. Lemons really do scream spring! I’m going to have to try this one.

  3. I TOTALLY agree with Crazy Lady. . .last night I had the weirdest dreams about those chicken feet—gah!! I’m so happy to see this happy lemon cake. . . . .
    Loving you, not the sight of those chicken feet 🙂

  4. ok, Crazy lady aka Bama fan – I think you could use this recipe to make cupcakes. It is a really moist crumb, so maybe add a couple more tablespoons of flour. And try baking for about 20 minutes. let me know if you try and how it works. Bentley fam – What food blogs do you read?? And finally my dear Barb – I should have brought some of those chicken feet to you.

  5. I nearly drooled on my keyboard.

    You know how you made that chocolate cake and took some to a bunch of your friends, but not me ’cause I don’t like chocolate? Mm hmm. Just saying. I like lemon.