Summer Solstice Lemon Cake

It’s always a good time of year for lemon! I adapted the base recipe to make an even more lemony cake with more nutritious flour and sugar. Lemon, with its uplifting and brightening essential oils naturally found in the zest, feels right to celebrate the peak of the summer solstice light. This is a large cake, because trust me, you will want a big lemon cake, but in case you do want a smaller cake, cut these amounts by half. This cake would be lovely with fresh berries, cherries, or stonefruit.

Makes one 10x14 pan

Pound Cake:

2 T butter for greasing the pan (or use olive oil)

2-3 T flour for flouring the pan

1 lb organic salted butter (4 sticks), softened

2 1/2 C +2 T organic white spelt flour

6 T organic corn starch

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

2 1/2 C organic coconut sugar (or organic sucanat)

4 T lemon zest (about 4 lemons)

2 T lemon juice

8 eggs

1 T vanilla extract

Lemon Glaze:

1 C organic coconut sugar (or organic sucanat)

1 C lemon juice (approximately 6-8 lemons)

Preheat oven to 350F. Adjust oven racks to the middle of the oven.
Line pan across at least two sides with parchment paper. Put a little bit of oil/butter on the bottom of the parchment so it sticks and doesn’t move around. Grease and flour the pan.
In a small saucepan, melt the butter on medium low heat, then set aside to cool slightly.
In a large bowl, whisk together the spelt flour, baking powder, and salt. Make a well in the center and set aside.
In a food processor, process sugar and zest to combine well.
Add the lemon juice, eggs, and vanilla.
Remove half of the sugar egg mixture and add it to the flour. Don’t stir it yet.
With the processor running, slowly pour the melted butter through the funnel on the lid until combined.
Add the butter sugar egg mixture to the liquids in the center of the flour. Mix with a large whisk just until combined.
Place batter in prepared pan and bake for 15 minutes.
Reduce oven temp to 325F and continue to bake for another 30-35 minutes, rotating half way through, until a toothpick in the center comes out clean.
Remove from oven and let cool. When the cake is totally cool, make the glaze.
Bring the sugar and lemon juice to a boil in a medium saucepan, stirring to help dissolve the sugar.
Reduce heat to low and simmer for a few minutes until glaze thickens slightly.
Poke the top of the cake every inch or so with a toothpick to create space for the glaze to soak in.
Pour the glaze over the cake. This cake benefits from sitting about 8 hours or overnight to let the glaze soak and the flavors meld, but don’t worry, cutting a slice or two right away won’t compromise the glaze soaking in.
Cut squares of cake and garnish with edible flowers or fresh berries.