Lemon-Rosemary Coffee Cake

Lemon-Rosemary Coffee Cake is a wonderful blend of lemony-  sweet-and-tart. Moist, with a hint of rosemary to complement the lemon flavor, and perfect to enjoy for brunch or tea!

After a couple of weeks of cooking with lavender, I’m enjoying another culinary first~ cooking with preserved lemons, for The Mystery Ingredient Club and Foodie Friday at Rattlebridge Farm!

A jar of preserved lemons, Meyer Lemon in olive oil, and Lemon Flake Sea Salt arrived to tantalize my taste buds and send me searching for recipes. . .

I have plans for all three after I rouse myself

from my lavender-induced stupor :)

Thank you, Michael Lee!

Most of the recipes I found were for savory recipes like Moroccan Chicken. I noticed the jar of Bella Cucina Preserved Lemons had a recipe on the tag for Lemon Pound Cake, so I decided to substitute preserved lemons for the lemon zest and juice in Lemon-Rosemary Coffee Cake.

Since we’re fans of rosemary, I also mixed rosemary with the sugar called for in the recipe, to stand overnight so it would impart a little additional rosemary flavor.

Lemon-Rosemary Coffee Cake,

recipe adapted from Southern Living

 Ingredients

Parchment paper

3 large lemons* (I substituted 2 wedges of preserved lemons rinsed and diced, with the pulp removed before dicing)

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups sugar* (I used rosemary sugar)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup very cold butter, cubed
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup buttermilk* (I substituted Greek yogurt)
1 large egg
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
1 (10-oz.) jar lemon curd
Powdered sugar
Garnishes: fresh rosemary sprigs, lemon slices

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°. Lightly grease bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan. Line bottom of pan with parchment paper.

 *Grate zest from lemons to equal 1 Tbsp. Cut lemons in half; squeeze juice from lemons into a bowl to equal 5 Tbsp. Reserve zest and 1 Tbsp. lemon juice.

* Instead, I used 2 preserved lemon quarters, rinsed well. Remove pulp and save for another use. Dice fine and reserve 1 – 2 teaspoons.

 Combine flour, sugar, and salt in bowl of a food processor; pulse 3 to 4 times or until blended. Add butter; pulse 6 to 7 times or until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Reserve 1 cup flour mixture.

Transfer remaining flour mixture to bowl of mixer. Add baking powder and baking soda; beat at low speed until well blended. Add buttermilk (I used Greek yogurt), egg, and 1/4 cup lemon juice (I added my diced preserved lemons instead) ; beat at medium speed 1 1/2 to 2 minutes or until batter is thoroughly blended, stopping to scrape bowl as needed. Stir in rosemary. Spoon half of batter into prepared pan.

Whisk lemon curd in a small bowl about 1 minute or until loosened and smooth; carefully spread over batter in pan. Top with remaining half of batter.

* Stir together reserved lemon zest, 1 Tbsp. lemon juice, and 1 cup flour mixture; sprinkle lemon zest mixture over batter in pan.

 *I stirred in the reserved diced preserved lemon with the flour mixture.

Bake at 350° for 45 to 50 minutes or until a long wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.

Let cool in pan on a wire rack 10 minutes. Gently run a sharp knife around edge of cake to loosen; remove sides of pan. Cool cake completely on wire rack (about 1 hour).

Dust with powdered sugar

just before serving.

Grab a fork and and a slice . . .

Of course you can make this without preserved lemons, but they were a wonderful addition to this recipe adding a depth of lemon flavor! This coffee cake is even better and more moist the next day.

You can find the original and printable

recipe from Southern Living here.

Thank you Michael Lee for providing the

 preserved lemons as the mystery ingredient!

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