Meyer Lemon and Almond Cake

Meyer Lemon and Almond Cake ~ a simple, wheat-free cake that's made with almond flour & includes whole, pureed Meyer lemons.  It's perfect with tea or coffee & also as a dessert.

I bought a bag of Meyer lemons a while back and surfed around the net looking for interesting recipes to use them in.  I finally found this recipe, from 2008, that was posted by the Los Angeles Times & decided to give it a go.  Their recipe is an adapted version of Claudia Roden's orange-almond cake, from her cookbook ~ The New Book of Middle Eastern Food.  Roden's original recipe calls for two large oranges, but the LA Times version substituted Meyer lemons.

Meyer lemons ~ after simmering for two hours & just before pureeing...skins & all

The cake is flourless ~ it's made completely with almond flour & lots of eggs.  The recipe has an unusual method for incorporating the Meyer lemons into the cake ~ you simmer the lemons in a little bit of water for almost two (!) hours.  The lemons collapse & become very, very soft.  You give them a quick rinse (a hint I read about on one of the comments somewhere), and then puree them in the food processor ~ skins & all.  Into the almond flour batter the Meyer lemon puree goes.  After a turn in the oven, you've got a simple lemon cake, with a subtle lemon flavor & aroma ~ that quietly becomes addicting.  So, if you're ever looking for a cake recipe requiring few ingredients, as well as one that uses Meyer lemons, consider giving this unique Meyer Lemon and Almond Cake a try.  :)