Lemon Tea Cakes

I made these Lemon Tea Cakes over Memorial Day weekend.  For something that looks simple, let me just say that frosting 72 Tea Cakes in different color glaze takes quite a while!

You'll want to find a way to get rid of them fast, because they are truly delicious…and bite size…and you know what that means, right? (smiles) Yes, I ate too many before sending them with Dave on Tuesday to his office.

If you'd like to make these yourself, the recipe follows!  Let me know how it goes.

I recommend a stand mixer as this makes the process ever so enjoyable. (Meaning you can drink wine and watch a flick on your tablet while loosely overseeing the process)  But don't go out and buy one.  Just say'in.

Lemon Tea Cakes

Keep in mind that the finished cakes are about 1.5 cubic inch, so they are quite small.  Look for a nonstick pan that has around 30 cake wells.

1 1/3 cups sifted cake flour

3/4 tsp baking powder

1 stick butter, room temperature (if you use unsalted butter, add a pinch of salt)

3/4 cup superfine sugar (NOT confectioners, see instructions below)

2 eggs, room temperature

1 1/2 tsp lemon extract

1/3 cup whole milk

1. Preheat oven to 350.  Prepare your tea cake pan with grease and flour. Set aside.
2. Combine the sifted cake flour with the baking powder.  Set that aside.
3. Beat the butter on medium speed until smooth.
4. Again, on medium speed, add the superfine sugar until fluffy and noticeably lighter.  Be sure to stop and scrape down the sides so that you get consistency.  This will take 3 minutes or more.  (Now you understand the reason for the stand mixer, eh?)
5. Add the eggs. Whip it. Whip it good. 
6. Beat in the lemon extract.
7. On low, in four additions, alternate the flour with the milk, stopping in between each addition to scrape down the mixer. At the end of this step, RESIST all temptations to finger taste. Okay, go ahead.  It's your batter (and it will be yummy)
8. Spoon a heaping teaspoon into each well.  The pan I used has a tendency for air bubbles, so tap the pan to eliminate (which is hard considering the consistency of the batter)
9. Bake until no longer sticky on top…approximately 9 minutes.   From the oven, wait a couple minutes.  Then, delicately transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely…at least an hour.
10. Okay, so you are not off the hook while everything cools.  You will need to clean, grease, flour the pan and make the glaze in a variety of colors, and finish baking the remaining batter.  I know….SIGH.

Superfine Sugar

Process raw sugar in a food processor until noticeably smoother and finer than granulated sugar. At least 5 minutes.  You will love the results.  I promise.

Glaze

8 cups confectioner's sugar

4 egg whites

1/2 cup whole milk

2 tbs lemon extract

liquid food coloring

1. Adding the confectioners sugar slowly in stages, mix with egg whites, milk, and lemon extract on low.  The glaze will be a delicious creamy white.
2. Transfer the desired amount to several bowls and mix with desired food coloring.  Don't overdo the color.  Add a drop at a time, mixing, until you get the color you desire.
3. With a teaspoon over the wire rack, drizzle on the tea cakes covering completely one a time.

Let the glaze dry completely.  One hour minimum, but I started eating after 30 minutes!