Meyer Lemon Honey Almond Cake

A few weeks ago, I was tinkering around with a lemon cake recipe that I made/posted about last year, trying to see if a bit simpler method would yield a more lemony cake.  Happy to report, the new lemon cake was even more full of the sweet/tart goodness of my favorite citrus ~ the Meyer lemon.  More changes that I made to the original recipe were ~ using all egg whites this time around, replacing some of the sugar with honey and pureeing the Meyer lemons fresh (not cooked), peel-and-all.   It made for a bright, robust flavor that I really enjoyed.  This Meyer Lemon Honey Almond Cake is wheat-free and dairy-free.  It's a really enjoyable dessert, tasty teatime treat or snack for us.  If you wanted to add a little something extra, maybe drizzle on a quick glaze or a sprinkling of powdered sugar to dress it up, or eat it plain/naked.  teehee  :)  Enjoy!

Meyer Lemon Honey Almond Cake
adapted from this recipe
Ingredients

• 3 Meyer lemons ~ cut into wedges & seeds removed
• 2 1/4 cups almond meal
• 1 cup egg whites (I used eggs whites from a carton)
• 7 Tbsps sugar
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp baking powder
• pinch of salt

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.   Grease a cake pan and cut a piece of parchment paper to fit into the bottom. (so it will be easier to remove)

In a small food processor, puree Meyer lemons (skin & all) with honey until smooth.  Combine the pureed honey/lemon with the sugar, egg whites, vanilla extract and salt and stir until smooth.  Pour into a mixing bowl and add the almond meal and baking powder, stir until well combined.

Let batter sit 10 minutes, then pour into prepared cake pan and tap/smooth batter.  Bake for approx 40-60 minutes or until toothpick tester comes out clean.  Let cool in pan, run a knife around edges to loosen, then remove to cooling rack.  Or, just keep in the cake pan and serve from there.  Cake will get moister the longer it sits.  Store in a covered container, it will last longer if kept in the fridge. 

Light as a Feather Lemon Cookies ~ recipe from the South Beach Diet Cookbook

I picked up a copy of the South Beach Diet Cookbook at Goodwill the other day.  I was drawn to the lemon cookie recipe since I've got some Meyer Lemons, sitting in my fridge, just begging to be turned into tasty treats.

So, I made the Light as a Feather Lemon Cookies.  They were OK, but, not my favorite lemon cookie that I've ever made.  They just weren't 'lemony' enough for my tastes.  I added some pureed Meyer Lemon peel to the cookie dough, to help boost the lemon flavor.  The cookies were well received, but, I'm still on the lookout for another lemon cookie that really rocks my world.   If anyone has a favorite lemon cookie recipe they'd like to share, I'd love to hear from you!  To view the South Beach Diet lemon cookie recipe, just click ~ HERE. 

Honey & Meyer Lemon Greek Yogurt ~ Good Morning, Sunshine!

I'm thrilled that the markets have started carrying Meyer Lemons again!  For a brief time, their sunny yellow beauty and sweet/tart flavor are mine for the taking, baking and general eating.  I'm adding them in all sorts of dishes.  The simplest way I'm enjoying them is by adding them to my morning Greek yogurt.

I'll squeeze some cut lemon all over my bowl of yogurt, then toss in a handful of oat bran, a few chopped walnuts, a drizzle of honey and then give it all a good stir.  Sometimes I'll even chop the rind of the Meyer lemon and add all that delicious peel/zest/pulp, too.  That way I won't miss a bit of it's glorious flavor.  The whole lemon is good to eat, so chop away.  Their time in the markets is fleeting, but I'm going to enjoy them as long as I can.  If you haven't tried them before, give 'em a go!  I think you'll love them as much as I do.  :)

Preserved Meyer Lemons

I've mentioned before that I'm a huge lemonhead.  I grew up with a HUGE lemon tree in my backyard & have always had a sweet spot in my heart for this most sour of fruits.  Awhile back, I had some Meyer lemons that needed using up & I was looking for something unusual to do with them.  I found this recipe for Preserved Lemons that sounded really good.  The story behind her making them was so inviting, that I decided I just had to make them, too.  Now, I'm on the lookout for recipes that showcase these little golden jewels ~ so, if anyone has a good recipe to share, I'm all ears!  :)

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.  :) 

Lemon French Yogurt Cake with Sugar Crunch Topping

Last spring,  I was reading a book that had recently been published called ~ Bonjour, Happiness! by Jamie Cat Callan.  It's a really fun read about the authors memories of her French grandmother, memorable meals/foods, her time living/traveling in France & how she has applied what she has learned to make her life more happy.  The thing that was really cool about the book was the recipes that were sprinkled here & there, little food gems just begging to be made & enjoyed.  One recipe that really tweaked my fancy was for a lemon yogurt cake with an unusual sugar topping (page 86 on the book preview link).  It reminds me of some simple French Yogurt Cake recipes that I've seen on the Internet, but with a twist.  Since I love lemon cake so much, I just had to try it.

Here is my adapted version of the recipe from the book.  I know I will be tinkering with the recipe some more, I want to try making it with some Meyer lemons next time & want to amp up/really heighten the sunny lemon flavor.  I just gotta say, the lemon sugar syrup topping that you pour over the finished cake is amazing!!   I was so impressed by it & I'm a hard sell when it comes to using a lot of sugar in a cake, but with this recipe, I will make an exception ~ it's that good.

I think the cake is best served when it has completely cooled & the lemon flavor has had a chance to totally soak in.  I really like it when the sugar topping has turned nice & crunchy/crusty.  I think the cake tastes just as good the second day, too.  The author prefers the cake served slightly warm, topped with whipped cream  (I didn't feel the cake needed the whipped cream, the sugar topping is the star & perfect as is) & then eaten/finished the same day.  Different strokes for different folks.  Either way you enjoy it, it's a wonderful lemon cake.  Bon Appétit!

Lemon French Yogurt Cake with Sugar Crunch Topping

* adapted from the recipe ~ The Mary Kelly Lemon Cake, from the book ~ Bonjour, Happiness!

for the lemon cake batter

• 1 cup flour
• 3/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 4 Tbsp margarine
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1 large egg
• 1/3 cup plain non fat or regular yogurt
• zest from one lemon

for the crunchy sugar topping

• 1/2 cup sugar (or enough to create a syrupy consistency)
• juice of one whole lemon 

Preheat oven to 350*F degrees.  Grease cake pan & set aside. (I liked using the square pan for a change) 

Sift together the dry ingredients.

In a large bowl, cream together margarine, 2 Tbsp lemon juice & sugar until light & fluffy.  Add egg & beat at high speed for 1 minute.  Alternately add yogurt & flour mixture in 3 additions, with mixer at low speed.  When batter is finished, stir in lemon zest.

Pour batter into the greased cake pan & smooth top with a spatula.  Bake in center of oven for 30-35  minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center of cake comes out clean.

While cake is baking, make the crunchy sugar topping ~ combine sugar & lemon juice until it forms a syrupy consistency.  Spread the lemon syrup topping evenly over the cake as it comes out of the oven.  Set cake, in its pan, on a wire rack to cool.  As the cake cools, the topping will harden & form a crunchy sugar crust over the cake. 

Enjoy either completely cooled OR slightly warm.  I suggest you try it both ways & see which is your favorite way to eat it.  That's how I decided I prefer it completely cooled.  :)

Meyer Lemon & Limoncello Bundt Cake with Limoncello Glaze

I think lemon has to be my favorite fruit flavor.  It's always been that way, ever since I was a little kid.  It's only fitting since I grew up in Southern California, that & the fact we had a huge, very old lemon tree in our backyard.  We used to get so many lemons off that tree, we couldn't give them all away.

I've recently fallen in love with another type of lemon, the Meyer lemon.  I so look forward to finding bags of these golden-yellow beauties at the market.  It's a real treat, since you never know when you might find them there.  They have such a wonderful flavor, you can eat the skin & they're not quite as tart as a regular lemon ~ I think it's the elegant version of a lemon.  When I'm lucky enough to find some, I like to turn them into a special treat.  This time the something special was a birthday cake ~ mine to be exact.  My day, my choice of cake.  It turned out really good, just what I wished for.  It was absolutely bursting with the bright, sunny flavor of lemons.  The cake was full of different types of lemon ~ juice, zest, whole almost-pureed lemon (skin & all), lemon liqueur & lemon mixes.   I was happy that I was able to work in my homemade Limoncello (I made a batch last fall, check out that post here).  ~  Layer, upon layer, of that wonderful lemon flavor that I love.  Oh, yeah, my birthday wish came true! :)

Meyer Lemon & Limoncello Bundt Cake with Limoncello Glaze

  ~ cake batter ~
1                 box lemon cake mix*
1                 small box lemon pudding mix*
3                 eggs
2/3 cup       oil
2/3 cup       water
1                  Meyer lemon, seeded & finely chopped
                    (skin & all) in food processor
2 tblsp         fresh Meyer lemon juice 
1/2 cup        limoncello liqueur


*  if you want a bit less of the lemon flavor, use French Vanilla cake
                                                 & pudding mixes

 

  ~ limoncello glaze ~ 
double if you like a lot of glaze
1 cup             powder sugar (or more, to get
                       proper consistency)
2 1/2 tblsp    limoncello liqueur
1 tblsp           fresh Meyer lemon juice
1 tblsp           Meyer lemon zest  (about 1/2 lemon) 

~ thin slices of Meyer lemon for garnish, optional
~ powdered sugar for garnish, optional

1)     preheat oven to 350 degrees & grease bundt pan

2)    slice Meyer lemon into one inch slices & remove seeds, then chop in
        food processor until it's been very finely chopped, reserve until batter
        is all mixed

3)    in a large bowl, mix all ingredients (except the chopped lemon) with
        hand mixer for 3 minutes, when done mixing batter, add the chopped
        lemon & stir by hand until fully incorporated into the batter

4)    pour batter into greased bundt pan, hit pan on counter to release any air
        bubbles and then run a spoon in a circle, around the middle of the batter
        (about 1" down into the batter) ~ this will help the cake batter rise
         properly

5)     bake for about 45 min, or until tester comes out clean & cake is golden
        ~ let cake cool in pan until it is ready to release from pan, then let cake
         cool completely before glazing

6)     mix all glaze ingredients together & drizzle over the cooled cake

7)    once glazing is done, arrange lemon slices on top of cake &
        sprinkle with powdered sugar if desired

                                                        Enjoy!

Meyer Lemon Almond Muffins ~ Breakfast, Brunch or Tea Time Treat

Meyer Lemon Almond Muffins

(Updated 4/29/13 ~ Sorry to say, but the original recipe I linked in this post to is now MIA.  In Feb 2012, I found the recipe on FoodBuzz and it is no longer there.  I wasn't savvy enough at the time to know I should always go to the blog source for a recipe link, and that I should not rely on a recipe sharing site (like FoodBuzz) for my link.  So, I am now unable to locate that recipe. :(  

I've honestly searched the web for over an hour, looking for that Meyer Lemon & Almond Muffin recipe ~ but no luck.  I've modified my blog text and *supplied new links to recipes that are similar (as much as I can remember way back then) Now, none of them uses almond flour/almond meal in their recipes, but you can replace about 1/3 of the flour called for with almond flour/meal if you'd like.  Since I can't find the original recipe I used, I guess I'll just have to come up with one of my own! :)  Sorry for the confusion)

Growing up in California means you are surrounded by citrus trees. They are everywhere ~ in backyards, orchards & nurseries. We had a HUGE lemon tree in our backyard.  We used to give away bags & bags & bags of lemons every year.  The scent of really ripe lemons always takes me back to my childhood.  So, when they had Meyer Lemons on sale at the store a few weeks ago, I bought a couple of bags. Winter skies need some sunny, yellow lemons to help them be less dreary.

I surfed the net & found an unusual recipe that uses the entire lemon as part of the batter. First time I have seen that.  You remove the seeds & then add the lemon, peel & all, to the food processor & away you go.   *As I mentioned above, the original recipe I found used almond flour for part of the flour, but unfortunalely, that recipe link is no longer available.  But, here are some other Meyer Lemon Muffin recipes that sound really good...

Low Fat Meyer Lemon Muffins ~ from the blog My Kitchen Adventures

Meyer Lemon Muffins ~ from the blog Gas-tron-o-my

Meyer Lemon Muffins ~ from the LA Times Food Section

It turned out really good & makes an exceptionally pretty muffin, especially with a bit of sliced lemon on top & sprinkled with powdered sugar.   I think I will play around with the recipe a bit & see if I can get it even more lemony.  These would be perfect with breakfast, brunch, tea time or for an after school snack.  These Meyer Lemon Almond Muffins make even a gray, Winter day feel like a sunny day in Springtime.  :)

Perfect for Tea Time

Cooling...

Checking to see if it's done...

Mixing it up...

Meyer Lemon & Fresh Cranberry Muffins

Meyer Lemon & Fresh Cranberry Muffins

It was cold & gray today. Time for tea & muffins. I had some Meyer lemons & cranberries in the fridge ~ perfect!  I surfed the net & found this recipe over at Everybody Likes Sandwiches.

The scent of fresh lemon quickly chased away the morning blahs.  The flavor of the lemon/muffin is subtle & the cranberries give the muffins a unique twist. The recipe made a dozen regular sized muffins, as well as a bakers dozen of mini muffins.  I would drop the temp to 375* next time, 400* was just too hot. The sides of the muffins got a bit too brown by the time they were cooked through & the tops only got to a pale golden color.  You could easily use regular lemons in this recipe.

 The muffins are now almost all gone, can't get more of a thumbs up than that.