MEYER LEMON COFFEE CAKE

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Meyer Lemon Coffee Cake image

Layers of thinly sliced Meyer lemons lend a mellow complexity to this otherwise classic dessert. Thought to be a cross of a lemon and a mandarin, the fruit has an orange cast, a thin rind, and a heavily perfumed flesh that's valued by chefs.

Provided by Martha Stewart

Categories     Food & Cooking     Breakfast & Brunch Recipes

Number Of Ingredients 16

1 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
3/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) cold unsalted butter
5 Meyer lemons, cut into paper-thin slices, ends discarded; plus 3 tablespoons finely grated zest (from 4 to 5 lemons)
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pan
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup sour cream
1 cup confectioners' sugar
3 to 4 tablespoons Meyer lemon juice

Steps:

  • Streusel: Mix together flour, brown sugar, and salt. Using a pastry cutter or your fingers, cut butter into the flour mixture until small to medium clumps form. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use, up to 3 days.
  • Cake: In a large skillet of simmering water, cook lemon slices 1 minute. Drain and repeat. Arrange lemon slices in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-inch angel-food-cake pan. Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together butter, granulated sugar, and lemon zest on medium speed in a large bowl until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in eggs, one at a time, then vanilla. Reduce speed to low. Beat in flour mixture in three additions, alternating with sour cream, beginning and ending with flour mixture and beating until combined after each addition.
  • Spoon half of batter evenly into pan. Arrange half of lemon slices in a single layer over batter. Spread remaining batter evenly over top. Cover with remaining lemon slices in a single layer. Sprinkle chilled streusel evenly over batter.
  • Bake until cake is golden brown and a tester inserted in center comes out clean, about 55 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack set over a baking sheet; let cool in pan 15 minutes. Run a knife around edges of pan and remove outer ring. Let cool on rack 15 minutes more. Run a knife around center tube. Slide two wide spatulas between bottom of cake and pan, and lift cake to remove from center tube. Let cool completely on rack.
  • Glaze: Just before serving, stir together confectioners' sugar and lemon juice in a medium bowl. Drizzle over cooled cake, letting excess drip down sides. Let glaze set before slicing, about 5 minutes.

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