Meyer Lemon Cake

Ingredients for the cake:
8 T unsalted butter
4 large eggs, separated
1 1/4 cups sugar
2/3 cup buttermilk
1/3 cup Meyer lemon juice
Grate all the lemon peels - put 1/2 the amount into the cake and save the other half for the glaze
2 cups cake flour
1 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

Ingredients for the glaze:
1/2 cup Meyer lemon juice
1 2/3 cup confectioner's sugar
The rest of the grated lemon peel

Preheat oven to 325 degrees

Melt the butter in a saucepan. Cool and set aside. In a mixing bowl, beat together the egg yolks with 1 cup of the sugar until thick and light in color, about 2-3 minutes. Beat in the buttermilk, Meyer Lemon juice and zest. Sift together the cake flour, baking powder and the salt. Beat the egg whites until they hold soft peaks. Then add the remaining ¼ cup of sugar and continue beating until stiff peaks form. Alternately, fold one half of the flour mixture into the egg yolk mixture, followed by one half of the egg whites. Fold carefully so as not to deflate the batter. Repeat with the remaining flour and egg whites. Take about 1 cup of the batter and stir it into the melted butter. Gently fold the butter into the cake batter. Pour into a buttered and floured 9 inch cake pan or Bundt pan and bake for about 50-60 minutes.

While the cake is baking, make the glaze. Combine the 1/3 cup Meyer lemon juice and the confectioner’s sugar in a saucepan. Heat until the sugar is dissolved. Add the rest of the lemon peel. Set aside until the cake is done.

When the cake is finished, cool for 5 minutes in the pan. Turn the cake out of the pan and invert on to a cooling rack. With a long toothpick or skewer, poke the tip of the cake to make many small holes. Slowly spoon the warm glaze over the cake. Allow the glaze to sink into the cake before adding more. Poke more holes if necessary. Use all of the glaze. Cool the cake completely and serve with crème Chantilly, if desired.

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Creme Chantilly, one way:
1 cup creme fraiche, well chilled
1/3 cup confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Whip cream until doubled in volume and soft peaks have formed. Fold in the sugar and vanilla.

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Creme Chantilly, another way:
2 cups heavy cream
2 T granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a large mixing bowl, beat the heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla extract together on high speed until soft peaks form in the mixture. Chill any unused Chantilly cream.

Makes enough cream for one average-size cake or pastry recipe.