Iced Lemon Cake

I was not joking when I said we had more lemons than I knew what to do with! After the kiddos and I made home-made 7up-like soda I still had a lot of freshly squeezed lemon juice left over. So I turned to my collection of Barefoot Contessa Cookbooks.  I have every single cookbook that Ina Garten has ever published since she has never let me down!

Lemon Cake (from the Barefoot Contessa Parties!)

Ingredients

1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups granulated sugar, divided
4 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
1/3 cup grated lemon zest (6 to 8 large lemons)
3 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
3/4 cup buttermilk, at room temperarture
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For the syrup:

1/2 freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/2 cups granulated sugar

For the glaze:
2 cups confectioners' sugar 
3 1/2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour 2 (8 1/2 by 4 1/4 by 2 1/2-inch) loaf pans. You may also line the bottom with parchment paper, if desired.*

For the cakes...

Cream the butter and 2 cups granulated sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. With the mixer on medium speed, add the eggs, 1 at a time, and the lemon zest.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. In another bowl, combine 1/4 cup lemon juice, the buttermilk, and vanilla. Add the flour and buttermilk mixtures alternately to the batter, beginning and ending with the flour. Divide the batter evenly between the pans, smooth the tops, and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until a cake tester comes out clean.

For the syrup...

Combine 1/2 cup granulated sugar with 1/2 cup lemon juice in a small saucepan and cook over low heat until the sugar dissolves. When the cakes are done, allow to cool for 10 minutes. Remove the cakes from the pans and set them on a rack set over a tray or sheet pan; spoon the lemon syrup over them. Allow the cakes to cool completely.

For the glaze...

Combine the confectioners' sugar and the lemon juice in a bowl, mixing with a wire whisk until smooth. Pour over the tops of the cakes and allow the glaze to drizzle down the sides.

*Learn from my mistake, you need to use parchment paper. If not you will not be able to get your cakes out of their loaf pans without them falling apart. TRUST ME!

I know that everyone is all into pumpkin lattes and all but it has just been too hot here in NoVa. So this fresh lemon cake really hit the spot. I hope you enjoy it as much as we did!