Lemon cake typically has a light, airy, and moist texture, with a fluffy or velvety crumb. The level of moisture and softness depends on the specific recipe and ingredients used, but generally, lemon cakes are known for being refreshing and not overly dense.
Adding condensed milk to cakes makes them sweeter and richer, with a milky undertone. In the case of lemon cake, it further enhances the pastel yellow colour too.
Lemon cake recipe
Ingredients
- One tin of condensed milk (397ml)
- Three large eggs
- 135g self-raising flour
- Two tbsp lemon juice
- Two tbsp lemon zest
For the icing:
Method
First, pour the condensed milk and eggs into a large bowl, then whisk to combine into a thick mixture. Set aside for later.
Zest one lemon over a small plate or dish. Then, slice the zested lemon in half and squeeze the juice into a ramekin.
Add the lemon juice to the custardy milk and egg mixture, followed by the lemon zest.
Pour in the flour a little at a time, whisking it into the liquid mixture in intervals. The mixture should be pale yellow and slightly thick but still pourable.
Prepare a standard-sized loaf tin by greasing it with butter or oil. Line with greaseproof paper on the base and sides.
Carefully transfer the mixture into the prepared loaf tin and bake in a preheated oven set to 160C for 40 to 45 minutes. Shelina suggests testing the cake for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the middle.
Cook the cake until a skewer comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the tin for 15 minutes, then transfer it to a plate or dish and remove the baking paper.
To make the icing, add one tablespoon of icing sugar to a bowl and stir in lemon juice (bottled or freshly squeezed) until the consistency is thick and runny enough to drizzle over the cake with a spoon.
Allow the icing to set for a few minutes before slicing the loaf cake into thick wedges.
