Golden Lemon Mini Tea Cakes

Each season has its own special treats and for me the springtime says lemon! If you’re a lemon fan you’ll definitely want to make these light and delicious mini tea cakes. I’ve taken our farmer’s market recipe for vanilla cupcakes and turned them into lemony spring-tea-cakes infused with fresh lemon instead. Topped with a sweet citrusy glaze they’re moist, lemony, and absolutely irresistible! Keep the decorations simple or fill the centers with luscious lemon curd for the ultimate lemony dessert. These tea cakes are wonderful paired with a cup of English Breakfast or Lavender Earl Grey!

Golden Lemon Mini Tea Cakes

Makes 6 Large or 12 Medium Bundt Cakes

INGREDIENTS
• 1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest
• ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
• 4 large eggs at room temperature
• 2 ¾ all-purpose flour
• ¾ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¾ cup buttermilk at room temperature
• Optional: ½ teaspoon lemon extract
• Lemony Glaze (recipe follows)

HOW TO
1. Pre-heat oven to 350 °F
2. Spray or grease and flour a 6 or 12-well mini bundt pan
3. In a large bowl, sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and set aside
4. In a separate bowl mix buttermilk lemon zest, lemon juice, and lemon extract if using, and set aside
5. In a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment cream butter until light and fluffy. Add sugar and continue to beat until colour changes to pale yellow
6. Beat in eggs, one at a time, blending well after each addition
7. Now add flour, ½ cup at a time, mixing at low speed and alternating with buttermilk mixture until batter is smooth. Do not overbeat.
8. Spoon batter evenly into prepared pans. Tap pan on counter to release any air bubbles.
9. Bake on center rack of the oven for 20 – 25 minutes (depending on the size of bundt pans) or until a toothpick comes out clean.
10. Cool cakes for 20 minutes, then turn out on a wire rack to cool completely.

LEMONY GLAZE RECIPE
INGREDIENTS:
• 2 cups sifted confectioners sugar
• 1 – 2 tablespoons cream or whole milk
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• Zest of 1 lemon
• Pinch of salt

HOW TO
1. In a medium bowl whisk together confectioners’ sugar, 1 tablespoon of cream, 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, and lemon zest, until smooth. Adjust consistency with additional cream or sugar until desired spooning consistency is achieved. The glaze should be thick yet pourable.
2. Spoon glaze over cooled cakes and garnish as desired.
GARNISH OPTIONS:
• Lemon zest
• Mint leaves
* Edible flowers
• Fresh raspberries
• Fill the center of the cakes with lemon curd

TIPS
• The lemon in this recipe can be substituted with fresh orange instead of lemon. Simple use orange juice and zest instead of lemon and orange extract if using the optional extract in the recipe.