Glazed Lemon Cakes

These are delicious little lemon cakes with a nice, lemony glaze that is just the right sweetness for a sweet tooth!  And that is exactly what I have...a sweet tooth.  I have really been into lemon lately, and I was craving lemon very much this weekend.  I decided to give this recipe a try, and they turned out perfectly!  The cakes are very moist and just sweet enough, but when you bite into that glaze and get the fresh lemon flavor, it jumps out at you and just blends so well with the cake.  I will definitely be making these again!  If you love lemon like I do, give these a try and you will be in love!

Glazed Lemon Cakes

adapted from Martha Stewart's Great Food Fast

6 servings

1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for muffin tin

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for muffin tin

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk or plain low-fat yogurt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon, plus 2 tablespoons juice for the glaze

1 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Butter and flour a 6-cup jumbo muffin tin.  In a medium bowl, whisk the flour with the baking powder and salt.  In a small bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, vanilla, and lemon zest and juice.  Set aside.

2. With an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light.  Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.  With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture in three batches, alternating with two additions of the buttermilk mixture.

3. Divide evenly among the muffin cups.  Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cake comes out clean, 20-25 minutes.  Cool for 10 minutes in tin, then cool completely on a wire rack.

4. Set the rack over parchment paper.  In a small bowl, stir confectioners' sugar with the remaining 2 tablespoons lemon juice until smooth.  (I had to add some milk).  Pour over the cakes, spreading to the edges with a small knife.  Let set for 30 minutes before serving.

Buttering Muffin Tins

A pastry brush is great for coating muffin tins and other small baking pans with butter because it can reach into tight spots.