Cake

I have talked about Pinterest a few times of late. You won't be surprised to find out that I am obsessed with pinning food as I am sewing related things. I have decided that I shouldn't only look at pictures of pretty food, but try making some of these tempting things too.

So on the weekend, when there was a birthday in the house, I tried a new cake recipe. I did so because the birthday person is not a sweet, lob on the icing sort of cake person. Obviously not my birthday then! I remembered that I had pinned a recipe for Lemon Pound Cake. The photo was ever so tempting.

Photo and recipe found on Dozen Flours blog here.

This cake is not for a first time baker (a) because it is huge, and (b) because it has a couple of extra steps in it that are not in your basic cake recipes. It is not difficult, but it does take longer than a normal cake to knock together.

It uses four lemons. Yes, four! And not just the zest, but the pulp and juice too. I spent a happy little time teaching myself to cut between the membranes of the lemon sections to get all the pulp out. And longer still getting all the lemon seeds from that.

The recipe calls for a 16 cup size ring tin. What?! That is huge. I made two cakes instead. I do not have a ring tin that big. Doubt I ever will. Besides, who on earth knows the cup volume of their baking tins? (If you all do then please lie!)

That all said, the batter was divine. Surprised I had enough to put in two tins I was eating so much. The cake was popped in the oven and took well over an hour to cook. The top started browning a little too much, but it is not as dark as the photos imply. I opted out of putting on the lemon icing glaze, though that would have disguised the darker bits I am sure.

We ate the cake with fresh strawberries and extra thick whipped cream. It was gorgeous. Rich and lemony, a moist, dense crumb without being heavy. The chopped up lemon pulp gives you pockets of lemon that hit you with an extra zing.

Would I make this recipe again? Yes, most certainly, though I would look at halving it. That would make a good every day size cake. As it is I do have the second one in the freezer for us to look forward to in the not to distant future.

Susan