Obviously there can be no Game of Thrones-inspired dinner party without Sansa’s beloved lemon cakes. But don’t worry, I’m not going to expend another 750 words on Game of Thrones again.
Instead, let’s talk about how, for the second time in a few weeks, I’m obsessed with a lemon dessert. In the past, I haven’t been a huge fan, since sour things make my mouth pucker and my teeth hurt, but as it turns out, adding sugar dulls that tart bite. (Who knew?) And as I discovered long ago, Meyer lemons are sweeter than their traditional supermarket counterpoints, so they provide all of that fresh, bright lemon flavor without the tooth-numbing acid punch.
Meyer lemons shine in these tea cakes, providing just enough of a kick to lighten up an otherwise dense poundcake-like cake. Adding cream cheese to the cake batter provides a nice richness to the cakes, but I’ll be honest — it’s a good thing they’re small, since the cake would be very heavy in large slices. The original recipe called for a glaze, but I used the leftover cream cheese to make a quick lemony frosting.
The cake is a one-bowl affair, the frosting requires one step and the result is delicious. So what I’m really saying is: here is your perfect Mother’s Day / bridal shower / spring brunch / summer potluck dessert, a make-ahead crowd-pleaser that you’ll gladly make over and over and over again.
Meyer Lemon Tea Cakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
Lemon tea cakes adapted from Taste of Home; Cream cheese frosting adapted from Real Simple
Makes 1 dozen
For the tea cakes:
– 4 ounces (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
– 3 ounces cream cheese, softened
– 3/4 cup sugar
– 2 large eggs
– zest of one Meyer lemon
– 1-1/2 tablespoons fresh Meyer lemon juice
– 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
– 1 cup all-purpose flour
1) Preheat the oven to 325F. Butter a 12-cup muffin tin well.
2) In a large bowl, beat the butter, cream cheese and sugar until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the lemon juice, extracts and lemon peel. Fold in the flour with a spatula until just combined.
3) Fill the muffin cups two-thirds full. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes, then transfer the cakes to a wire rack to cool completely.
For the cream cheese frosting:
– 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
– 3/4 cup powdered sugar
– 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
– zest of one Meyer lemon
– 1/2 tablespoon fresh Meyer lemon juice
1) In a large bowl, use electric mixers to beat all of the ingredients together until light and fluffy. Spread the frosting over the cooled tea cakes. Serve at room temperature.
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