St Louis lemon cake
St Louis lemon cake recipe in the cake category
Recipe ingredients:
- Nonstick cooking spray
- 1 1/2 cups butter, softened
- 1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- Grated zest of 2 large lemons (reserve the juice for the lemon syrup)
- 5 eggs, divided (5 yolks and 5 whites)
- 1 1/2 cups sour cream or plain yogurt
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 3/4 cups flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- Pinch of salt
- Lemon syrup:
- Juice of 2 large lemons, from above
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- Pinch of salt
Recipe method:
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
- Place the oven rack in the middle of the oven or just below.
- Spray a large tube pan, 9 or 10 inches, with nonstick spray. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter until light and fluffy.
- Slowly add 1 1/2 cups of the sugar and beat until it dissolves and the mixture is very light and airy.
- Stir in the lemon zest.
- In a separate bowl, thoroughly whisk the egg yolks with the sour cream or yogurt and the vanilla extract.
- Add the egg yolk mixture to the butter mixture and beat until light and fluffy.
- In a mixing bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and baking soda three times.
- Reduce the mixer speed to low and carefully add the flour mixture to the batter within one minute. Do not overmix.
- Beat the egg whites with the salt until frothy.
- Gradually beat in the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar and continue beating until the mixture is stiff but not dry.
- Carefully fold the beaten egg whites into the batter just until blended.
- Spoon the mixture into the prepared pan and smooth the surface.
- Bake 1 hour or until the cake is golden and a wooden pick inserted near the center comes out clean.
- While the cake is baking, prepare the lemon syrup.
- In a small saucepan, combine the lemon juice, water, sugar and salt.
- Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until it is slightly thickened, about 8 to 10 minutes.
- Remove the cake from the oven and cool on a wire rack 10 minutes.
- Loosen the sides of the cake with a knife and invert the cake onto a plate with a rim.
- Reheat the syrup and spoon it all over the surface of the hot cake.
- Serve the cake warm or at room temperature.
Tags: St Louis, lemon, recipe, cake, recipes, cooking