Lemon Syrup Cake

Lemon Syrup Cake

1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons lemon zest
2 large eggs
1 1/4 cups self-rising flour
2 cups creme fraiche, store-bought or home-made (recipe follows)
1/2 cup lemon curd, store-bought or home-made (recipe follows)
2 cups fresh strawberries, sliced
fresh mint sprigs

For syrup: Combine 1/2 cup sugar and lemon juice in small bowl. Whisk until sugar disolves.

Note: Heat the sugar and lemon juice in the microwave slightly...will help to get the sugar dissolved.

For cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 8x8-inch metal baking pan. Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until smooth. Add sugar and lemon zest and beat until fluffy. Beat in 1 egg, then half of flour; repeat. Transfer batter to prepared pan.

Bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 28-29 minutes. Place pan on rack to cool. Using a slender wooden skewer, poke holes all over top of cake. Spoon syrup over cake in several additions, allowing syrup to be absorbed each time. Cool cake completely. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and let stand at room temperature.)

Whisk creme fraiche and lemon curd in small bowl to blend. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use. Cut cake into 8 triangles or 9 squares. Top with lemon creme fraiche; spoon berries along-side. Garnish with fresh mint, if desired.

Serves 8 or 9


Creme Fraiche:

1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons buttermilk

Combine the cream and buttermilk in a small bowl. Cover with a clean cloth and place in a warm draft-free place and let sit until thickened, but still a pourable consistency, 12 to 24 hours. Stir and refrigerate until ready to use (up to 1 week). If thin, you may put it into a cheescloth lined strainer over a bowl to drain and thicken overnight in the refrigerator.

Note: for the above recipe you will need to at least double the creme fraiche recipe.


Lemon Curd:

1 cup plus 2 tbsps. sugar
3/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup unsalted butter
2 1/2 tablespoons grated lemon peel
3 large eggs

Combine first 4 ingredients in large microwave-safe bowl. Place bowl in microwave and cook on high until butter melts, whisking every minute, about 3 minutes.

Remove from microwave; cool 5 minutes.

Beat eggs in small bowl to blend. Whisk half of butter mixture into eggs.

Return mixture to same large bowl. Place in microwave and cook on high until curd is slightly thickened but not boiling, whisking every minute, about 4 minutes (curd will continue to thicken when chilled).

Transfer curd to medium bowl. Press plastic wrap onto surface. Chill until firm, at least 1 day and up to a week.

Makes about 2 1/4 cups