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Lemon Rosemary Coffee Cake

Sibby Barrett

This cake can be a simple coffee cake for a summer brunch or the star of the show dessert offering. Use homemade lemon curd or just buy a jar! I glazed the latest one I made and it was perfection!

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Prep Time 20

Cook Time 45

Course Breakfast, Brunch, Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 16

Ingredients

3 lemons, zest and juice
2 cups flour
1 ¼ cups sugar
½ teaspoon salt
1 stick butter (½ cup/8 tablespoons) cold, cut into cubes
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¾ cup greek yogurt, buttermilk or sour cream
1 egg
2 teaspoons fresh rosemary leaves finely diced, or 1 teaspoon dried
1 cup lemon curd see recipe in notes or buy a jar

Lemon Glaze

1 ½ cups powdered sugar, sifted
zest of 1-2 lemons
2-3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice from 1-2 lemons
2 tablespoons melted butter

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350º.  Lightly grease the bottom of a 9" cake pan, or 6 “baby cakes” muffin tins (jumbo cupcakes).  If using cake pan, line bottom and sides with parchment paper extending 1-2" above sides.  Spray parchment with cooking spray.   If using muffin tins, use paper liners.
Remove zest from lemon and mince.  Squeeze juice from lemons and set aside.
Combine flour, sugar and salt in the bowl of a food processor.  Pulse 3-4 times. Add butter; pulse 6-7 times or until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.  Reserve 1 cup of this flour mixture and set aside for topping.

  Transfer remaining flour mixture to bowl of stand mixer.  Add baking powder and baking soda; beat at low speed until blended.  Add buttermilk, egg and 1/4 cup lemon juice.  Beat at medium speed 1-2 minutes or until batter is well blended.  Stir in rosemary.  Spoon half of the batter into prepared pan or muffin tins.  Whisk lemon curd until smooth and carefully spread over batter in pan.  Top with remaining batter.  Stir together lemon zest, remaining 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and 1 cup reserved flour mixture.  Sprinkle over batter.

Bake for 45-50 minutes or until tester comes out clean when inserted in center of cake. Approximately 24 minutes for baby cakes. Let cool on rack for 10 minutes.  Run a sharp knife around edge to loosen and then remove  from pan.

Glaze

Whisk the powdered sugar, lemon juice and butter until smooth, adding more lemon juice if the mixture is too thick. Drizzle on warm cake.

Notes

Easy Lemon Curd

½ cup sugar

2 ½ teaspoons cornstarch

pinch of salt

½ cup fresh lemon juice

3 egg yolks, lightly beaten

2 tablespoons butter

zest of one lemon

Combine sugar, cornstarch and salt in a medium sized, heavy saucepan. Stir well with a whisk and add lemon juice and egg yolks. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly with a whisk. Reduce heat and simmer for 1 minute or until slightly thickened. Remove from heat and add 2 tablespoons of butter and zest and stir to blend.

Keyword coffee cake, Lemon