lemon effect.

I can't believe it has been ten long days since I last posted! I went off the grid for a while and only now getting back into the routine. The good news is, there is so much to tell! Ben and I went north...first to Lake George, then to Saratoga Lake and one last day in the city. I promise to tell all about it soon, and in the meantime, I meant so share this lemon cake recipe with you last week!

Joanna Goddard had it on her blog and I made two loaves, one for a Professor at Georgetown and one to bring up to the house at Lake George. It was fantastic and I recommend highly!

Cake:
2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
2½ teaspoons baking powder
a pinch of salt
2⅓ cups sugar
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
6 large eggs, at room temperature
2/3 cup heavy cream
Zest of 2 lemons, finely grated
1 stick, plus 7 tbsp unsalted butter (15 tbsp total), melted and cooled

Syrup:
1/3 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
Juice of two lemons

• Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350F. 
• Butter two 9×5-inch loaf pans, dust the insides with flour 
• Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
• Put the sugar and the lemon zest in a large bowl. Working with your fingers, rub them together until the sugar is moist, flecked with zest, and smells wonderfully lemony.
• Add the eggs and whisk them into the sugar, beating until they are thoroughly incorporated. 
• Whisk in the vanilla extract, then whisk in the cream. 
• Use a large rubber spatula to gently stir in the dry ingredients in 3 or 4 additions; the batter will be smooth and thick. 
• Finish by folding in the melted butter in 2 or 3 additions until combined. 
• Pour the batter into the pans, smoothing with a rubber spatula. 
• Bake for 55 to 60 minutes. 
• Once the cake is in the oven, make the syrup: Stir the water and sugar together in a medium saucepan over medium heat until the sugar melts, then bring to a boil. 
• Remove the pan from heat and stir in the lemon juice. 
• Pour the syrup into a heatproof bowl and set it aside to cool.
• When the cakes test done, transfer them to a wire rack to cool for five minutes before removing them from their pans and turning them right side up on the rack. 
• Place the rack over a baking sheet lined with wax paper and, using a thin skewer or cake tester, poke holes all over the cakes. Brush the cakes all over with the syrup, working slowly so that the cakes sop it up.