Vanilla Bean Lemon Cake
1 3/4 sticks unsalted butter, slightly softened (1 stick = 1/2 cup)
2 C. sugar
1 vanilla bean, split
Grated zest of 4 lemons
4 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
3 C. all-purpose flour
1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda
1 t. kosher salt
1/4 C. fresh lemon juice
3/4 C. buttermilk, at room temperature
1 t. pure vanilla extract
Lemon Icing
2 1/2 C. powdered sugar
1 T. unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 T. fresh lemon juice
2 T. hot milk
pinch of salt
Preheat the oven to 350�F. Spray a 10 x 5 1/4-inch loaf pan with
baker's spray. Line the pan with a long piece of parchment and spray
that, too. It's OK if the parchment hangs over the sides of the pan.
Combine the butter and all but 1 tablespoon of the sugar in the bowl
of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat until
light and fluffy. The mixture will lighten in color until almost
white.
Sprinkle the 1 tablespoon of sugar onto the split and opened vanilla
pod; scrape out the seeds using a small knife. Add half of the
vanilla seed/sugar to the butter mixture; reserve the remainder.
Stir in the lemon zest. Beat in the eggs, 1 at a time. Sift the
flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt onto a piece of wax
paper.
Combine the lemon juice, buttermilk and vanilla extract in a small
bowl. Add the dry ingredients alternately with the liquid
ingredients to the butter mixture, beginning and ending with the dry
ingredients. Remove the bowl from the mixer and use a spatula to
give a couple of last folds from the bottom of the bowl. Pour the
batter into the prepared loaf pan and tap lightly on the countertop.
Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, until the cake pulls away from the sides
of the pan and a tester comes out clean when inserted into the
center of the cake. Transfer the pan to a rack and let cool for 10
minutes, then turn the cake out onto a rack set over a tray.
For the lemon icing:
Put the powdered sugar and butter in a small bowl. Pour the lemon
juice and hot milk over them and whisk until smoothly blended. Whisk
in the pinch of salt and the reserved vanilla/sugar. Spoon the icing
over the cake and spread it over the sides.
Note: I like to cut thick slices of the cake and surround with
strawberries and raspberries that have been tossed with vanilla
syrup. If you are serving the cake with fruit, you can delete the
icing and serve the slices au natural.
Serves 8 to 10.
Source of Recipe - Barefoot Contessa |