The Romans believed that eating lemons was a cure for all poisons.
Portuguese sailors believed so much in the power of lemons to cure scurvy that they planted their seeds on distant shores to make sure they’d always have enough for long sea voyages.
Wise women throughout the ages believed in lemons as a cure for coughs, colds, sore throats, rheumatism, asthma and pretty much every illness their community was exposed to.
The ladies of the court of Louis XIV believed rubbing lemon juice on their lips to redden them would make them more attractive.
Pork Belly simply believes lemon is a great ingredient for cakes, and faced with his latest masterpiece – a lemon cheesecake cake – I have to agree.
You see (whisper it low) I am slightly going off chocolate these days.
Shock, horror – is it my advancing years? Am I sickening for something? Or are my taste buds maturing, and I am suddenly going to become all grown-up and sophisticated?
Nah, it’s just that I love the zesty, zingy tang of citrus, so this cake is perfect.
Lemon cheesecake cake
Ingredients
- For the cake:
- 8 oz/226g butter
- 12 oz/342g caster sugar
- 12 oz/342g self-raising flour
- 4 large eggs
- 5 fl oz/150ml milk
- Zest and juice of 2 lemons
- For the frosting:
- 12 oz/350g icing sugar
- 1 1/2 oz/50g butter
- 5 oz/150g soft cheese
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- A little lemon curd for the filling.
Instructions
- For the cake:
- Preheat the oven to 180 deg C/gas mark 4.
- Grease and line the bottom of two 8inch/20cm tins.
- Zest and squeeze the lemons and add the lemon juice to the milk, keeping the zest to one side.
- Cream together the butter and sugar
- Add the eggs one at a time, with 1 tablespoon of the flour with the last egg, and beat well.
- Fold in the flour and the lemon zest along with the milk and beat until well combined.
- Divide the mixture evenly between the two tins and bake for 25 – 30 minutes.
- Remove and allow to cool on a wire tray.
- Before completely cold, spread a little lemon curd on each.
- For the frosting:
- Cream the butter, cheese and icing sugar together.
- Add the lemon juice and beat until smooth.
- Sandwich the two cakes together with a little of the frosting.
- Spread the rest of the frosting smoothly on the top and sides, and decorate with a little grated lemon rind.
Other recipes you may like:
• Lemon curd
• Irish whiskey coffee cake
• Nellore Chapala Pulusu