A little sweet, a little savory, this preserved lemon tea cake is bright and bursting with lemon flavor. Perfect with a cup of tea or coffee.
Preserved Lemon Tea Cake
I’m back with another refreshing and delicious lemon recipe. Soon I will have to rename the blog to “lemons and other stuff.” I just can’t get enough of these tart little fruits. This week I made a Preserved Lemon Tea Cake that I had saved in my files some time ago. Honestly, I have no idea why I didn’t make this sooner because I always have a jar of preserved lemons in the fridge. But it will now be on a permanent rotation because everyone that ate it loved it, dare I say even more than Ina’s Lemon Pound Cake.
Why You will love this Lemon Tea Cake
- The lemony flavor is intense, it is sweet, savory, a little briny and delicious.
- Made with simple ingredients including fresh and preserved lemons.
- It is most and tender.
- A great dessert to make ahead and have on hand for guests.
If your a fan of loaf cakes you will love my Triple Chocolate Loaf Cake, Carrot Loaf Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting, Lemon Ricotta Loaf Cake or Chai-Zucchini Loaf Cake with Cinnamon Glaze.
What You need to Make Preserved Lemon Tea Cake
Preserved lemons are a must for this cake. If you do not have a homemade jar at home you can find them in your local Middle Eastern grocery stores.
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil or neutral vegetable oil
- 1 preserved lemon (about 55 g)
- 11/2 cups (188 g) all purpose flour
- 2 tsp. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. ground turmeric
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup plus 2 Tbsp. (225 g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup sour cream or Greek Yogurt
- 1 Tbsp. finely grated lemon zest from fresh lemons
- 3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
- For Lemon Syrup
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup lemon juice
- For Lemon Glaze
- 3/4 cup (83 g) powdered sugar
- 1 Tbsp. whole milk
- Flaky sea salt
How to Make Preserved Lemon Tea Cake
- Place a rack in middle of oven; preheat to 350 F. Line an 8 x 4-inch loaf pan, with parchment paper, leave a generous overhang on the long sides so that you can life out the loaf easily.Spray with cooking spray or brush with oil. Cut preserved lemons into quarters; remove any seeds and throw away. Place the lemons into a small food processor and process to form a paste (you can also do this with a mortar and pestle or use your Nutri-bullet).
- Whisk the flour, baking powder, and turmeric in a medium bowl to combine.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitter with a paddle attachment, beat the wet ingredients, eggs, granulated sugar, and 1/2 cup of olive oil in medium, speed until smooth and mixture is incorporated, about 1 minute.
- Add sour cream or plain yogurt and mix to combine.
- Then add preserved lemon paste, fresh lemon zest, and lemon juice and mix to combine.
- On low speed, add dry ingredients, and mix until just combined, about 15 seconds. The batter can also be mixed together in a large bowl using a whisk.
- Pour the cake batter into the prepared loaf pan, smooth the top.
- Bake the lemon cake until top is golden brown and a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean, about 50–60 minutes.
- Transfer cake to a wire rack and let cake cool 15 minutes. Run a knife around sides of pan to loosen and, using parchment paper overhang, lift cake out of pan and onto rack. Remove the parchment paper and set on wire wrack over a baking sheet.
Lemon Syrup
- Lemon Syrup: In a small saucepan cook 1/3 cup lemon juice and remaining 1/3 cup sugar until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is clear. Set aside.
- While the cake is still warm, pour the lemon-sugar mixture slowly over the cake and let it soak in.
Lemon Glaze
- While the cake is cooling make the glaze, whisk powdered sugar and milk in a medium bowl until smooth and spreadable.
- Place the cake on a platter or large plate. Spoon glaze or pour the glaze over the top of the cake, use a spatula or the back of the spoon to help cover the entire cake. You want the cake to have a fairly thick coating of glaze. Sprinkle sea salt over the top, garnish with a little lemon peel, then let sit for 30 minutes for the glaze to set.
How to Store Lemon Loaf Cake
Wrap room temperature lemon loaf cake in plastic wrap or store in an airtight container for up to 3 days. For longer storage wrap in plastic, then in aluminum foil and place in the freezer for up to 3 months.
That’s All for Now
A good loaf cake is something everyone should have in their recipe book, and this preserved lemon tea cake is one of the best. Your friends and family will love the lemon flavor from both fresh and preserved lemons. Enjoy a slice or two with a cup of tea or coffee.
Have a great day friends, thank you for spending part of your day with me.
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Preserved Lemon Tea Cake
- Total Time: 0 hours
- Yield: 1 load 1x
Ingredients
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for parchment
1 preserved lemon (about 55 g)
11/2 cups (188 g) all purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. ground turmeric
3 large eggs
1 cup plus 2 Tbsp. (225 g) granulated sugar
1/2 cup sour cream or Greek Yogurt
1 Tbsp. finely grated lemon zest from fresh lemons
3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
For Lemon Syrup
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup lemon juice
For Lemon Glaze
3/4 cup (83 g) powdered sugar
1 Tbsp. whole milk
Flaky sea salt
Instructions
Place a rack in middle of oven; preheat to 350 F. Line an 8 x 4-inch loaf pan, with parchment paper, leave a generous overhang on the long sides so that you can life out the loaf easily.Spray with cooking spray or brush with oil. Cut preserved lemons into quarters; remove any seeds and throw away. Place the lemons into a small food processor and process to form a paste (you can also do this with a mortar and pestle or use your Nutri-bullet).
Whisk the flour, baking powder, and turmeric in a medium bowl to combine.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitter with a paddle attachment, beat the wet ingredients, eggs, granulated sugar, and 1/2 cup of olive oil in medium, speed until smooth and mixture is incorporated, about 1 minute.
Add sour cream or plain yogurt and mix to combine.
Then add preserved lemon paste, fresh lemon zest, and lemon juice and mix to combine.
On low speed, add dry ingredients, and mix until just combined, about 15 seconds. The batter can also be mixed together in a large bowl using a whisk.
Pour the cake batter into the prepared loaf pan, smooth the top.
Bake the lemon cake until top is golden brown and a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean, about 50–60 minutes.
Transfer cake to a wire rack and let cake cool 15 minutes. Run a knife around sides of pan to loosen and, using parchment paper overhang, lift cake out of pan and onto rack. Remove the parchment paper and set on wire wrack over a baking sheet.
Lemon Syrup
- Lemon Syrup: In a a small saucepan cook 1/3 cup lemon juice and remaining 1/3 cup sugar until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is clear. Set aside.
- While the cake is still warm, pour the lemon-sugar mixture slowly over the cake and let it soak in.
Lemon Glaze
- While the cake is cooling make the glaze, whisk powdered sugar and milk in a medium bowl until smooth and spreadable.
- Place the cake on a platter or large plate. Spoon glaze or pour the glaze over the top of the cake, use a spatula or the back of the spoon to help cover the entire cake. You want the cake to have a fairly thick coating of glaze. Sprinkle sea salt over the top, garnish with a little lemon peel, then let sit for 30 minutes for the glaze to set.
Notes
Recipe Adapted from Bon Appetit
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 50-60 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baked
On My Radar~Lemons
