lemon cake.

if you're going to do one thing this weekend, i say, make a lemon cake. there's no more sure-fire way to get your apartment feeling springy and fresh. bonus points: using a lemon reamer is extraordinarily satisfying. so little effort, so much achievement.

a word or two about the cake: it's a funny thing, my relationship with this lemony loaf. i usually go about making sweeping statements about how much i don't like citrusy desserts. for the most part, this is true. give me the choice between chocolate mousse and key lime pie and that poor pie is going to go uneaten. lemon meringue or a chocolate hazelnut confection? the nutella imposter will win. every time.

so how does this lemon pound cake win my affection? for me, it's a question of timing and density. a lemony pound cake is something best enjoyed in the late afternoon with a warm cup of tea. the buttery cake is too rich after a heavy meal but the weight of it is just right for the hour when the sun shifts in the sky and you've got what feels like eons to go before dinner. there's enough butter and sugar in this stout little cake to fuel an army and if you're someone like me, whose level of crankiness is directly proportionate to the amount of food in her belly, afternoon snacks are a wonderful thing. 

i used this recipe from deb, but omitted the glaze. too much sweet, not enough sour for this crank. instead, i sprinkled a bit of powdered sugar and added a little garni of fresh thyme shoots from my teeny tiny apartment herb garden. i also opted to make two cakes in loaf pans, rather than break out the bundt, pretty as it is. 

if you're generous, making two loaves means you have one to share. pause. sometimes i'm not very generous. james made off with half of one loaf this morning and i'm still whimpering. but never fear, i tore through the waxed paper and i've been munching on the second loaf since 7 am. turns out this cake suits just as well when the sun is coming up.