Meyer Lemon Coffee Cake

Perfection....

The inside is layered with Meyer Lemon slices that actually become almost candied and add an interesting texture to this coffee cake

FOR THE STREUSEL:
Adapted by Martha Stewart

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

• • 3/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon coarse salt
  • 6 ounces ( 3/4 cup) cold unsalted butter

• FOR THE CAKE:

  
  
  • 5 Meyer lemons, cut into paper-thin slices, ends discarded
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt
  • 4 ounces (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pan
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 3 tablespoons finely grated Meyer lemon zest (from 4 to 5 lemons)
  • 2 large eggs
  • • 1 cup sour cream
    • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • FOR THE GLAZE:
• • • • 3 to 4 tablespoons Meyer lemon juice
      • 1 cup confectioners' sugar
  • Procedure:
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-inch angel food cake pan.  

• Make the streusel: Mix together flour, brown sugar, and salt. Using a pastry cutter or your fingers, cut butter into the flour mixture until small to medium clumps form. Cover, and refrigerate until ready to use (up to 3 days).

1. 
   Streusel ingredients
   
   

• Make the cake: Cook lemon slices in a medium saucepan of simmering water for 1 minute. Drain, and repeat. Arrange lemon slices in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

Blanching/Boiling of Meyer Lemons

Meyer Lemons after being blanced/boiled.  During the blanching process of the Meyer Lemons, I did lose some off the pulp and was left with just rind as you can see; however, that is what gave the cake a chewy and interesting texture

• Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Beat butter, granulated sugar, and lemon zest with a mixer on medium speed in a large bowl until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. With the mixer running, add eggs, 1 at a time, then the vanilla. Reduce speed to low. Add the flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with sour cream.

• Spoon 1/2 of the batter evenly into cake pan. Arrange 1/2 of the lemon slices in a single layer over the batter. Spread remaining batter evenly over the top. Cover with the remaining lemon slices in a single layer. Sprinkle the chilled streusel evenly over the batter.

First layer of Meyer Lemons.  Before adding the streusel you add the final layer of the cake batter over the lemons

The streusel topping and final layer

• Bake until cake is golden brown and a tester inserted in the center comes out clean, about 55 minutes. 

• Transfer pan to a wire rack set over a baking sheet and let cool in pan for 15 minutes. Run a knife around the edges of the pan, and remove outer ring. Let cool on rack for 15 minutes. Run a knife around the center tube. Slide 2 wide spatulas between the bottom of the cake and the pan, and lift cake to remove from the center tube. Let cool completely on rack.

• Make the glaze: Just before serving, stir together confectioners' sugar and lemon juice in a medium bowl. Drizzle over cooled cake, letting excess drip down the sides.  Let glaze set before slicing, about 5 minutes.

Sidebar:  Meyer lemons are available from late fall through early spring.  Martha Stewart recommends slicing the lemons to near-transparent thinness in order for the rind to soften and sweeten sufficiently.   Martha recommends using a mandoline, , handheld slicer or a knife.  I used a used a sharpened chef's knife and was able to slice the lemons thin enough to obtain the desired results.

Enjoy!