The Perfect Lemon Cake

Ingredients

• 2 – 3 lemons, best if organic
• 250 g butter, at room temperature + extra for greasing the baking pan
• 250 g sugar
• a pinch of salt
• 4 eggs, best if organic
• 200 g plain, all-purpose flour + extra for dusting the baking pan
• 50 g potato starch or corn starch
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 150 g confectioners’ sugar

Method

1. Grease a 9-inch (25cm) loaf pan with butter and sprinkle generously with flour.

2. Rinse lemons with hot water and pat dry. Finely grate about 3 teaspoons of lemon zest. Halve the lemons, squeeze out and measure 140ml of lemon juice.

3. Preheat the oven to 355°F / 180°C. Adjust the oven rack to a middle position.

4. In a mixing bowl combine butter, sugar, lemon zest and salt and whisk with a mixer for about 10 minutes until fluffy. Gradually add the eggs, mixing well between each addition. In a second bowl sift and combine flour, starch, and baking powder. Gradually add flour mixture to the butter mixture alternating with 100 ml of lemon juice. Stir all ingredients only briefly.

5. Fill the batter into the baking pan and smoothen the surface. Bake for about 50 – 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. If the surface starts getting too dark, cover it with a sheet of baking parchment.

6. Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Then remove from the pan and allow to cool completely on a wire rack.

7. Mix confectioners’ sugar and the remaining 40ml of lemon juice to a smooth, creamy glaze and spread it all over the top of the cake.