Mum's Lemon Cake

This recipe is a family favorite in my husband's family, and now in ours. His mother would always have one prepared when we travel to England to visit her. I've tried for years to re-create the exact flavors and textures on this side of the world, but what I have come to understand is the ingredients make half the difference, and the preparation method makes up the other half.

One might think butter and flour are the same the world over, but that's sadly not the case. In the USA a lot of what is available cheaply comes from food-producing factories.  It's processed and packaged for manufacturing and distribution efficiency, not for quality of flavor. That's somewhat true in Europe as well, but I find the quality standards to be a bit lower in America for some reason. So when I suggest particular types of butter it's because I've tested this recipe with the cheaper alternatives and it's just not the same. Also, the types of wheat grains, and how they are milled will affect the flavor and texture of the cake tremendously.  The Sonrisa Farm stone ground whole wheat flour is my favorite because it's locally grown organic wheat, and milled at Falls Mill, an old water-powered stone mill about an hour away. It's the freshest flour you can buy, and has not had any of the natural oils stripped from the grains.  If you can't find the Sonrisa Farm flour, use a good quality fresh all-purpose flour like King Arthur, or whatever brand is available to you.

Mum's version. Hand written for me about 15 years ago.

Ingredients:

8 oz unsalted butter (European-style or cultured butter are best)
12 oz organic cane sugar
4 large farm-fresh eggs
6 oz Sonrisa Farm stone ground whole wheat flour
6 oz unbleached all-purpose flour
1 Tbs baking powder
1 tsp kosher salt
5 oz milk
Grated rind (zest) of two lemons

Juice from 2 lemons
2 Tbs organic cane sugar

Lemon Butter Cream Icing:

8 oz unsalted European-style or cultured butter
1lb Confectioners sugar (make sure it is 10-x pure cane sugar, not larger grain beet sugar)
Grated rind (zest) of one lemon
Juice from one lemon
Pinch of salt

Method:

Preheat oven to 350F.
Prepare the cake pan by generously greasing with butter or shortening and dusting with flour or sugar. You can also use baking spray or parchment cupcake liners if making cupcakes.

You will need either a 3-inch deep, 8-inch diameter springform cake pan
or 9-inch springform cake pan
or a 10-cup bundt pan
or two muffin or cupcake pans for 24 full-sized cupcakes

In a stand mixer, whip 8oz of butter until soft. Add 12 oz of sugar and mix on medium speed until it is fluffy and light (about 5 minutes). Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well between each addition.

In a separate bowl, combine the flours, baking powder and salt. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and combine slowly until smooth. Add the milk and lemon zest and mix until smooth for another 5 minutes, or until the batter has a light and fluffy texture.

If you do not have a stand mixer you can use a hand mixer, but the texture of the cake will change dramatically if you do not mix the cake for the required amount of time. So you may want to do some push-ups and arm curls for a couple of weeks before attempting to mix this cake, and then the icing for an almost non-stop 45 minutes with a hand mixer. Some of you out there are tough enough to prove your worth with this challenge, I'm sure. So I say, don't go without cake if you don't have a stand mixer. Just know what you are getting yourself into.

When the batter is ready, pour into the prepared cake pan(s). The baking time will depend on the size of pan that you use. deeper pans take longer, wider shallow pans cook more quickly.  And of course cupcakes are the quickest.  The average bake time is between 30 minutes for cupcakes, and over an hour for a deep cake tin.  You will know it is done by the smell, the golden brown top, and a bamboo skewer inserted into the center will come out completely clean. But do not attempt to open the oven and check if the cake is not golden brown and looks as if it is just beginning to pull away from the edges of the pan. Some cakes can withstand a lot of bumping around, but this one is likely to fall in the center if it's not completely cooked.

While the cake is baking: dissolve 2 Tbs sugar in the juice of two lemons. Set aside.

Prepare the butter cream frosting by combining the confectioners sugar, butter, lemon juice and zest in a stand mixer and whip for about 10 minutes, or until very light and fluffy. If it's a hot day, place the frosting in the fridge until about 15 minutes before you are ready to ice the cake.

When the cake is finished baking, remove from the oven and pierce holes all over, then drizzle the lemon juice and sugar over the cake so the juice goes into the pierced holes. Let the cake rest and cool completely.

Once the cake is cooled to room temperature, remove from the pan and place on a serving plate. Cover with butter cream frosting, or slice in half and fill the center with a layer of butter cream before icing the outside.