Celebration Cake

So it’s done! On Tuesday, I submitted the manuscript for my second book. Quite crazy, if you ask me. To celebrate, I baked a cake. 🙂

Specifically, this Juicy Sour Lemon Cake from Photisserie. I translated it and used my scale to bake it up. It’s lemony and moist and beautiful and wonderful. I highly recommend it.

So now I am done with the book, and somehow I’m still too busy. How does that happen? I had hoped that when the book was done, I could lounge about and do lots of nothing for a few weeks. But I’ve lined up a few gigs that are keeping me busy (which is good), and they’re a lot of fun.

Still, I would like to make time for some sewing, and writing (the non-paid kind), and hanging out at coffee shops reading Oishinbo, and swimming, and snow cones, and laying on a blanket in the grass, and baking bread and writing letters and spending time with awesome people. I think my brain is still on autopilot – still stressing and worrying and thinking about a deadline that no longer exists – so I need to calm it down and think of beaches and old musty books and treasures and Splash Mountain. Doesn’t that sound lovely?

**Edited to add:**
Here’s the kind-of recipe that I translated from Kathreinerle’s blog. She’s planning to translate all of her recipes soon, and I can’t wait! I’m not sure if the wording is correct below, but it worked out okay for me. 🙂

Juicy Sour Lemon Cake

2 lemons
3 eggs
250 grams sugar, divided
100 grams creme fraiche
200 grams flour
5 grams baking powder
75 grams melted butter
50 grams water

Preheat the oven to 350F. Butter and flour an 8-inch springform pan.

Zest the lemons. Squeeze the juice from both lemons and set aside.

With an electric mixer, beat the eggs and 200 grams of the sugar on high until thick and creamy. Add the creme fraiche, lemon zest, flour and baking powder and beat until mixed through. Add the melted butter and beat until mixed. Pour batter into the springform pan and bake in the center of the oven for 35 – 45 minutes (the recipes calls for 50 – 60 minutes, but mine was done much faster), or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool slightly in the pan.

Heat the remaining 50 grams of sugar with the water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and stir until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice.

Poke a few holes in the top of the cake with a toothpick. Drizzle the cake with the lemon syrup (do this slowly; you may not use the entire amount of syrup).

For the candied lemon glaze:
3 whole lemons, sliced into 1/4-inch rings
300mL water
200 grams sugar

Bring the water to boil in a large pot. Add the lemon slices and simmer for about 5 minutes. Remove the lemon slices with a slotted spoon and lay on a dishcloth to dry a bit.

Add the sugar to the simmering water and stir until dissolved. Reduce heat to a low simmer, and return the lemon slices to the pot. Simmer until the liquid is reduced and syrupy. Use tongs to remove each lemon slice and let dry on parchment paper. Use the slices to decorate the cake, and drizzle the syrup over all.

6 responses to “Celebration Cake”

  1. designinbloom

    Yay! Congrats! Find some time soon to slow down and relax. 🙂

    1. Thank you so much!

  2. WOOHOO! Take a few days off and do what you love. You deserve it! Hugs and cheek kisses!

  3. so exciting! congratulations 🙂
    would you mind posting your translation of the recipe? it looks delicious. summertime = lemon time.

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