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Photograph of Croatian Lemon Cake

Croatian Lemon Cake

With a sweet, soft, buttery base, a luscious, creamy, lemon and almond topping with a light meringue like crust, this dreamy Croatian Lemon Cake is as fabulous with a cup of tea, as it is, with a splash (or jolly good glug!) of fresh cream, for dessert.

Course afternoon tea, Dessert, Morning Coffee
Cuisine Croatian
Keyword Almonds, cake, lemon
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Servings 8

Ingredients

For the base:

  • 65g cold, unsalted butter
  • 240g plain/all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon fine salt
  • 150g caster sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 – 2 tablespoons milk, as required
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the lemon topping:

  • 100g unsalted butter, melted
  • 200g caster sugar
  • 4 eggs
  • 2 medium lemons, juice and zest
  • 100g ground almonds

Instructions

  1. Collect together your equipment (see Recipe Notes below) and ingredients.

  2. Preheat oven to Fan Oven 160°C /180°C/350°F/Gas 4 and place a baking tray in the oven to heat up.

  3. First make the base: start by weighing the butter and then pop it in the freezer to harden before you grate it. Also grease and line your cake tin.

  4. Weigh the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar into a mixing bowl and mix well with a balloon whisk.

  5. Beat the egg with 1 tablespoon milk and the vanilla extract.

  6. Now, take the butter out of the freezer and grate it directly onto the flour mix. Stir to combine – I use a knife.

  7. Add the egg mix and, using a knife, stir it into the flour and butter mix.

  8. Use your hands to simply bring the dough together, rather than knead it. Do not over mix. If necessary, add extra milk; it should be quite a sticky dough.

  9. Flour your fingers and push the dough into the cake tin and up the sides. Flatten the base as much as possible, and try to ensure that the dough is a consistent thickness all over the tin.

  10. Place the base in the fridge whilst you prepare the lemon topping.

  11. Now make the lemon and almond topping: melt the butter, and set aside to cool, whilst you prepare the rest of the topping.

  12. Zest and juice the lemons. Set aside.

  13. Beat the eggs and sugar for 5 minutes, with an electric whisk, until light and frothy.

  14. Fold in the zest and juice from the lemons, the ground almonds and the melted butter.

  15. Pour into the base. Place on a hot baking tray in the centre of a pre-heated oven and bake for 30 – 40 minutes. The top should look like light meringue but the centre of the cake should still be a big jiggly when you take it out of the oven. Leave to cool in the tin for 30 minutes, before removing it.

  16. What this cakes lacks in looks, it more than delivers in flavour and textures – best to decorate it a little though! I sieved over some icing sugar and added some lemon slices, blueberries (or raspberries or red currants) and some mint leaves.

  17. Serve: either as is, with a cup of tea/coffee, or with some fresh cream for dessert. Serve at room temperature, but store covered in the fridge, if not eating straight away, or if you have any leftovers.

Recipe Notes

Equipment:

  • kitchen scales and measuring spoons
  • mixing bowl x 2
  • 1 small mixing bowl or jug
  • grater for the butter
  • deep sided 26cm/10in round cake/flan tin, greased and lined
  • baking tray
  • fine grater and reamer for the lemons
  • electric whisk and balloon whisk

Where is this recipe from?

I first tried this cake when it was made for us by the Croatian chef, Jasenka Zitko, at Lyngen Lodge, last April. It was my absolute favourite cake of the week and Jasenka very kindly gave me the recipe. Apparently, the recipe was given to her by her best friend’s grandmother. Although she is not sure if it is Croatian in origin, it is one she has grown up with and regularly makes for clients and guests, now that she is a professional chef.