Meyer Lemon Coffee Cake
A springtime brunch, a weekend afternoon – or anytime you need a lift to your day – that’s the perfect occasion for this flavorful coffee cake. Lit up with the fragrant tangy taste of Meyer lemons, it’s moist and topped with a classic streussel that melts in your mouth. After the weekend, take the leftovers to work for a break time treat.
Ingredients
Streussel:
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon grated Meyer lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon Meyer lemon juice
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter cold
Cake:
- 5 Meyer lemons to slice
- 3 tablespoons finely grated Meyer lemon zest
- 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup prepared lemon curd
Glaze:
- 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
- 4 tablespoons fresh Meyer lemon juice
Instructions
Streussel:
- Combine flour, brown sugar, salt, and lemon zest in a bowl and stir together to blend.
- Add the Meyer lemon juice, and cut the butter into the mixture with a pastry cutter, two knives, or your fingers until the ingredients are thoroughly blended, and the mixture is crumbly in texture.
- Cover, refrigerate, and set aside until ready to use. You can make this part up to 3 days ahead of the rest.
Cake:
- Cut the ends of 5 Meyer lemons and slice them as thinly as you can, discarding any seeds.
- Poach the lemon slices for about 1 minute in a skillet of water. Drain and arrange on a baking sheet to dry out slightly.
- Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, and prepare a 9-inch angel food baking pan.
- In a large bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together.
- In a separate bowl, beat the butter, Meyer lemon zest, and sugar together until the texture is light and fluffy.
- Continue to beat as you add the eggs one at a time. Now add the vanilla extract.
- Add one third of the flour mixture to the egg mixture, beating until thoroughly incorporated. Now add one third of the sour cream, and blend well.
- Repeat three times, alternating the sour cream and dry ingredients, until the batter is smooth and well blended.
- Spoon half the batter into the pan.
- Arrange the lemon slices around the pan in a single layer over the batter. You should use about half.
- Now spoon the lemon curd over the slices in a thin layer.
- Spoon the remaining cake batter over the top.
- Top the cake with the remaining Meyer lemon slices.
- To finish, sprinkle the cake with the streussel.
- Bake in the oven about 55 minutes, or until the cake is a golden brown color, and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
- Allow the cake to cool on the rack for about 15 minutes before removing the center tube.
Glaze:
- Combine the icing sugar and Meyer lemon juice in a small bowl.
- Beat until the glaze is smooth.
- Drizzle over the cake once it has cooled thoroughly, allowing any excess to drizzle over the side.
Notes
*Note: You will need about 10 Meyer lemons in total - 5 to slice, and then another 4 or 5 for their zest and juice (the latter in the glaze).
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
