lemon glazed teacakes with strawberries and mint

I will never understand the whimsy of baking. I was making tiny lemon cakes for the second time in two weeks, mostly to admire the ceramic cake mold my friend Mr. B brought me back from Italy. I thought I'd try out my new mini bundt pan while I was at it, and wouldn't you know? Half the cakes stuck, in spite of greasing them well, including the lovely ceramic one. I'm chalking it down to the humidity, which remains high after umpty ump weeks of rain.

I diced some strawberries, not being in the mood (highly unusual) for whipped cream, and macerated them in an orange juice, mint, and lemon verbena sauce I had reduced. Very cheery!

To make the lemon cake:

Preheat oven to 335F.

Grease mini bundt pan or small cake molds.

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter (12 T.) softened

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 T. fresh lemon zest ( microplaned)

3 extra large eggs

2 1/4 cups King Arthur flour

1/2 t. baking soda

pinch of salt

3/4 cup buttermilk

2 T. fresh lemon juice

1/4 t. nutmeg

Beat the butter, sugar and zest til fluffy-creamy.

Add the eggs and mix well.

Add the flour, baking soda, salt, buttermilk, nutmeg, and lemon juice and mix again til creamy and smooth.
Fill the cake tins a little over halfway and bake for approximately 40 minutes, or until the center is firm to a gentle touch. Remove from oven and place on cooling rack.

Make the lemon glaze:

1/2 cup lemon juice ( fresh)

1/2 cup sugar

Simmer briefly until sugar is completely dissolved.

Unmold cakes when cool and brush glaze on cakes several times.

Strawberries in orange juice, mint, and lemon verbena sauce:

Dice strawberries ( enough for 2 tablespoons berries per cake)

In small saucepan, mix:

1/2 cup fresh orange juice (Tropicana's fine)

2 leaves lemon verbena

4 large leaves mint

a few teaspoons sugar (optional)

Simmer gently for five or so minutes, remove from heat.

Let juice sit until cool.

Remove leaves from juice/glaze, and pour over diced strawberries.

Mound strawberries on top of glazed cakes and serve.

Enjoy!

Featured in Photograzing!