When life throws you lemons... make Amalfi Lemon Cake!

i 💖 lemons... the fruit, the ade, the scent, everything!  So when in Amalfi last year, all the restaurants and bakeries have lemon desserts because of Amalfi growing such large and beautiful lemons.  Our favorite (yes... we went there every day while in Positano) was Collina.  Espresso and a cannoli... the best! 

This cake is DELICIOUS!  moist, simple, not overly sweet, and takes no time to make.  I hope you enjoy it as much as i.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 cup medium ground cornmeal
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1-1/2 cups whole blanched almonds (or you can buy raw and peeled)
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 large lemon
• 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup cold whole milk
• 2 large eggs at room temperature

• powdered sugar (reserved for the topping)

1. Preheat the over to 325 degrees and spray a 9 inch springform pan with baking spray.  I also put a piece of parchment paper and lined the bottom of the pan.
2. In a medium bowl, mix together the cornmeal, flour, baking powder and salt, and set aside.
3. Place the almonds in the bowl of a food processor with a steel blade and pulse the almonds with the sugar, until the almonds are finely ground.
4. Cut the ends off of the lemon, and then cut the rest of it into chunks (including the remaining peel), discarding any seeds.
5. Add the lemon to the almond mixture and process until blended.
6. Add the olive oil, milk, and eggs, and process for 1 minute.
7. Add the cornmeal mixture and pulse until mixed, but DO NOT over mix.
8. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, and bake for about 50 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean.
9. Cool completely and then remove the cake from the pan and cool to room temperature on a wire rack.
10. When completely cool, dust the top of the cake with powdered sugar.

You can always dry lemons, which is how i topped the cake, or use pieces of rind for decoration.

 

It may look simple... but it's delicious!

Bon appetito!

Pumpkin Bread, 3 ways!

Once upon a time, about 150 years ago, (apparently before we had to dial phone numbers preceded by the area code), my girlfriend Beth gave me a cookbook from her City of Hope chapter.  I decided to try the pumpkin bread recipe, primarily because it made 3 loaves (if it's good, why make 1 loaf when you can just as easily make 2, i mean 3 loaves?).  I've made this pumpkin bread just about every year since and it's always a hit!  And because it makes so much, i usually make one loaf with nuts and golden raisins (for mom), one loaf with chocolate (for everyone other than Debbie) and one plain loaf (for Jessica who doesn't eat nuts, raisins or chocolate).

The ancient book of pumpkin bread.

Ingredients --

• 4 cups sugar (i use 1/2 dark brown and 1/2 white)
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 6 large eggs
• 1 (29 oz.) can pumpkin
• 1 cup water
• 6 cups sifted flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 Tablespoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1-2 cups of chopped nuts, raisins, dates, chocolate or a combination of your choice

In a very large bowl,
Cream the sugar and butter until light with an electric mixer.
Add eggs and beat thoroughly.
Stir in pumpkin, vanilla and water and blend.
Sift dry ingredients together and fold them into the liquid ingredients, mixing just until dry ingredients are thoroughly moistened.
Add nuts and fruit and chocolate.
Pour into 3 well-buttered loaf pans and let set for 15 minutes.
Bake in a pre-heated 350°F. oven for 1 hour.
Let cool before removing from loaf pan.

Enjoy!

Pumpkin Bread, 3 ways!

Optional:  Add a dolop of fresh schlag!

Time for Orange Thyme Tea Cake

I find that summer is ideal for fruity desserts, and i love incorporating herbs in dessert, so this cake sounded perfect for me!  Other than Jessica, who doesn't enjoy a citrus graced dessert on a warm summer day?

I found this recipe from Lynn Smythe, the herbs & spices feature writer at Suite101.com.  With over 90 varieties of herbs and veggies in her organic garden, she sure knows her herbs.  You'll notice i added a bit more of the orange zest and juice, which i figure just enhances the orange taste.  You can stay true to Lynn's recipe or vary it as i did.  In fact, i think this would be delicious with lime or grapefruit (but be sure those devouring the grapefruit variety don't take lipitor since it can cause muscle pain).  I also understand that there are different varieties of thyme, such as orange thyme or lemon thyme.  None of my markets had those interesting varieties, so i used plain ol' fresh thyme.

Now that i've baked this cake, i must say it's extremely moist.  I'm anxious to hear what my taste-testers think.

Lots of fresh orange zest and chopped thyme

Ingredients -

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup butter - room temperature
• 2 eggs - room temperature
• 2 teaspoons orange zest from one orange
• 2 tablespoons orange juice from one-half of an orange
• 2 teaspoons fresh orange thyme leaves

Directions for the Orange Thyme Tea Cake -
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
In another bowl, cream the sugar and butter together until well blended.
Add the eggs, orange zest, orange juice and thyme to the butter/sugar mixture and mix well.
Add the liquid mixture to the flour mixture and stir until well blended.
Pour the batter into a greased and floured nine inch square baking dish.
Place the baking dish in the oven and bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.
Remove the pan from the oven and poke a bunch of holes in the top of the cake with a fork.
Immediately pour the glaze over the hot cake and let the glaze thoroughly soak through the cake.
When cooled to room temperature, cut the cake into approximately 16 pieces turn the cake out of the pan, sprinkle with confectioner's sugar, and enjoy!

Ingredients for the Orange Glaze -

• 1/3 cup orange juice
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar

Directions for the Orange Glaze -
Place the orange juice and granulated sugar into a small bowl.
Use a large spoon to mix the ingredients together until all the sugar has been thoroughly dissolved.