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Flourless Lemon Cake

A beautiful moist crumbly cake that is packed with lemon flavour without being intense. Although it looks dense, it's quite light to eat. You won't have a problem eating more than one slice.
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Prep Time25 minutes
Cook Time40 minutes
Total Time1 hour 5 minutes
Course: Dessert
Servings: 8 slices

Equipment

  • 20cm round spring form cake tin
  • Mixing Bowls
  • Measuring Spoons
  • Kitchen Scales
  • Rubber Spatula
  • Beaters
  • Whisk

Ingredients

  • 250 g almond meal
  • 5 g baking powder
  • 2 g salt
  • 4 eggs (approx 62 g sized egg with shell)
  • 120 g unsalted butter (softened)
  • 120 g castor sugar
  • 5 g vanilla bean paste
  • 15 g lemon zest
  • 20 ml lemon juice (ml or grams)

Lemon Icing

  • 150 g icing sugar
  • 40 ml lemon juice (ml or grams)

Instructions

  • List of ingredients...
  • Preheat oven to 160C fan-forced. Position the oven rack in the middle of the oven.
  • Grease and line a 20cm round spring form cake tin with baking paper.
  • In a small bowl, sift and whisk together the almond meal, baking powder and salt.
  • Separate eggs with yolks in small bowl and egg whites into large bowl.
  • Beat egg whites on medium speed until soft peaks form and it's firm and glossy (see Notes).
  • In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar together until light and creamy.
  • Add the yolks to the butter and sugar mixture and beat well to combine.
  • Add the vanilla bean paste, lemon zest and juice and beat well to combine.
  • Add half the almond meal mixture to the butter, sugar and egg mixture and lightly fold through until just combined.
  • Add the other half of the almond meal mixture and repeat.
  • Add a third of the egg whites to the almond meal mixture and fold through lightly until just combined (see Notes).
  • Repeat this two more times until all the egg white is incorporated through.
  • Pour mixture into lined baking tin and bake for 38-42min.
  • Check at the 38min mark to see if it is cooked correctly. It should be golden on top and a skewer comes out mostly clean.
  • Remove from oven and allow to cool for 30min before removing from the cake tin. Place on cooling rack to cool completely.

Lemon Icing

  • Mix together the icing sugar and about 30ml of the lemon juice. Add more lemon juice if it is too thick.
  • Pour over the cake and let it drip down the sides.

Notes

  • You will know when the egg whites are ready when you can turn the bowl upside down and the egg whites remain in place. The soft peaks that form should hold shape.
  • When folding through the egg whites, you will need to fold through the center as well as the edges so that the egg white lumps get mixed through.
  • Folding lightly is required so you don’t knock out the air in the whipped egg whites.
  • This cake will store for up to 3 days in an air tight container in the fridge.
  • If you intend to store it, leave icing off and add when serving.