East 62nd Steet Lemon Cake
This is the recipe that is perhaps most closely associated with Maida Heatter. Published in the New York Times in 1970 it put her on the path to becoming the author of seven baking books, with many recipes considered classics of the home baker’s repertoire.
East 62nd Street Lemon Cake is, for many, the highlight of that repertoire. It’s a simple creaming method cake with few ingredients. While still warm out of the oven, a lemon juice and sugar glaze is brushed over the cake providing additional moistness and a boost of citrus flavor.
Make this once and I am sure it will become a recipe you reach for several times a year. It works well, served with berries for an informal dinner part, or just to have around the house during a weekend at home.
I have baked East 62nd Street Lemon Cake in many different Bundt pans, including the new designs from Nordic Ware and it comes out beautifully. Like most pound-type cakes this should be allowed to sit for a while, even overnight, before slicing.
East 62nd Steet Lemon Cake
| Yield: 1 9 ½â€ cake | # of Servings: 10 | Method: Creaming |
Ingredients
Cake:
3 cups less 2 tbl (13.1 oz / 371 g) all-purpose flour, sifted
2 tsp (0.3 oz / 8 g) baking powder
½ tsp (.1 oz / 3 g) salt
1 cup (8 oz / 227 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups (14 oz / 397 g) sugar
4 eggs, beaten, room temperature
1 cup (8 fl oz) milk, room temperature
2 tbl grated lemon rind (from 2 to 3 lemons)
Glaze:
â…“ cup fresh lemon juice
¾ cup (5.25 oz / 149 g) sugar
Special tools and equipment needed:
- One 10 to 12- cup bundt pan
- Hand held or free-standing mixer with paddle attachment
- Pastry brush
Pre-recipe preparations:
- Carefully butter and flour the Bundt pan, or place a can of release spray with flour, such as Baker’s Joy or Pam for Baking near your prep area. You will apply it just prior to filling the pan. Do not use regular cooking spray.
- Have all ingredients, including the milk at room temperature.
- Preheat oven to 350 °F.
Directions
Cake:
- Sift dry ingredients, set aside.
- Cream butter and sugar until very light and fluffy.
- Beat the eggs in a 1-cup measuring cup or small bowl.
- Slowly add the eggs, in 4 stages, beating well in-between each egg addition.
- Scrape the bottom of the bowl, beat until smooth.
- Add the dry ingredients in three stages, alternately with the milk in two stages, beginning and ending with the dry. After the last third of flour is added, add the lemon rind and mix. Use a plastic spatula to scrape up from the bottom to ensure a well-blended batter.
- If using release spray, spray the pan well, using a small pastry brush to spread out any clumps of spray.
- Fill the pan and bake for 48 to 55 minutes, just until the cake feels firm and a paring knife or cake tester comes out with just a few crumbs. Do not overbake.
- Remove from oven and let sit for 5 minutes. Place a cooling rack over the cake and flip to invert and release the cake onto the rack. Leave right-side up.
Glaze:
- After putting the cake in the oven, mix together the lemon juice and sugar in small saucepan or 1-cup Pyrex measuring cup.
- Heat in 15-second intervals, just until the mixture is warm and the sugar has dissolved. Do not overheat and cook the lemon juice. Set aside, stirring occasionally.
- Once the cake has cooled for 5 minutes, brush the glaze all over the cake, including the sides. Once the entire cake has been brushed, let the glaze soak in and brush again, continuing until all the glaze has been used.
- Let cool to room temperature.
- Optional – dust with confectioners’ sugar just prior to serving.
- Cover with a cake dome or wrap well with plastic wrap.
- Store at room temperature.
Baking tips:
- As with all creaming method cakes, all ingredients, including the milk, being at room temperature are critical for success with this cake.
- Baking time will vary depending on size, shape, and material of the Bundt pan.
- In Maida Heater’s original recipe, the glaze is produced by stirring fresh lemon juice and sugar together, just prior to stirring on the glaze. The sugar wouldn’t dissolve and provided a bit of crunchiness to surface of the cake. When King Arthur Baking Company published the recipe (renamed Lemon Bliss Cake) they suggested warming the lemon juice and sugar slightly, which I have followed as it creates more pleasant mouthfeel.
- I used the Bundt Squared Pan from Nordic Ware and the Pirouette Bundt Pan, also made by Nordic Ware and sold at Williams Sonoma, in these pictures.
