Lemon Coffee Cake

This luscious lemon and coffee cake will be the tastiest breakfast or dessert cake you'll cook this spring. The cake is perfumed with lemon juice and zest, and the sour cream makes it softer and moister. A layer of sweet and sour lemon coffee icing with the flavour of coffee sits on top of the cake, enhancing the cake's excellent flavour.

Lemon Cake:
3 cups all-purpose flour, unbleached (750 mL)
2 cups milk (500 mL)
½ cup butter, softened (125 mL)
1/3 cup sour cream (80 mL)
2 eggs beaten
2 tsp. baking powder (10 mL)
chocolate vermicelli
1 lemon, freshly juiced
1 lemon. freshly zested

Lemon Coffee Topping:
2 cups confectioners' sugar (500 mL)
¼ cup butter, softened (60 mL)
2 Tbsp. strong coffee, freshly brewed (30 mL)
1 lemon, freshly juiced

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C/160°C fan, Gas Mark 4), grease a 9" round cake pan, then spray or butter the entire interior of the mold.

Make the Cake:
Sift together the flour and baking powder in a mixing basin and leave aside.

Place the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a stirrer and beat on high for 1-2 minutes, or until the mixture is creamy.

Reduce the mixer speed to medium and add the eggs one at a time to the butter/sugar mixture, stirring after each addition until thoroughly incorporated.

Beat the sour cream into the ingredients until smooth.

Reduce the mixer speed to medium and gradually add the dry flour combination from to the wet mixture, mixing thoroughly until the mixture is uniform.

Beat the flour mixture with the lemon juice and lemon zest until well mixed.

Evenly pour the cake batter into the previously prepared mold and bake for about 60 minutes, or until a spear inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, indicating that the cake is done.

Remove the cake from the oven and cool for about 10 minutes in the mold before gently removing it from the shape and cooling thoroughly on a wire rack.

Make the Lemon Coffee Topping:
In a food processor bowl, combine softened butter, confectioners' sugar, strong coffee, and lemon juice and process until smooth (adjust the amount of confectioners' sugar to achieve the desired consistency).

Spread the lemon coffee frosting over the cooled cake and chill for at least 2 hours before serving.

Cook's Notes:

• Covered leftover cakes can be kept in the refrigerator for 3-5 days.
• If you wish to keep the cake for a longer period of time, cover it and freeze it for 2-3 months. Before usage, thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature.