Make Ahead

Lemon Tea Cake Loaf

by:
August 15, 2011
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Lemon Tea Cake Loaf
  • Serves 4-6
Author Notes

Adapted from Martha Stewart's Sour Cream Cake, this is one of my favorites. It's just the right balance of sweet and lemony tart. You can make it in a bundt or a loaf pan. Just make sure you don't skip the step where you beat the egg whites separately - they're what makes the cake light and fluffy!

I often eat one loaf immediately (no, not by myself, although it's tempting) and freeze one for later. It tastes just as good as the fresh version.

Serve with fresh or frozen berries heated up and a dollop of whipped cream.
—clcatto

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • For the cake
  • 1/4 pound unsalted butter (1 stick), room temperature
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 4 eggs, separated
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 2 tablespoons grated lemon zest (from 2 lemons)
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 3/4 cups sifted all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • For the glaze
  • Juice of 2 large lemons
  • 1/3 cup sugar
Directions
  1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease a bundt pan or two loaf pans.
  2. Cream the butter and sugar until light.
  3. Add egg yolks, sour cream, lemon zest and vanilla and beat until fluffy.
  4. Sift together flour, baking powder and baking soda and add to the sour cream mixture. Mix until incorporated.
  5. In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until they form stiff peaks. Gently fold into the cake batter.
  6. Pour into the prepared pans.
  7. Bake at 325 degrees for 55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
  8. When the cake is nearly done, start making the glaze. In a small saucepan, heat lemon juice and sugar, stirring over low heat until sugar has melted completely. The glaze should taste fairly sour, to counteract the sweetness of the cake.
  9. After the cake has cooled, poke holes in the bottom with a toothpick or bamboo skewer. Coat the bottom of the cake with half the glaze. Turn the cake over and and repeat, using the rest of the glaze.
  10. Serve immediately with warmed berries and a dollop of whipped cream or freeze and use within two weeks.
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