Moist Whole Lemon Blender Cake with Lemon Icing Step-by-step instructions

Before you start

Before starting, boil the whole lemon for 6 minutes and let it cool slightly. Measure out all the ingredients. Line a 9x5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the long sides.

Preheat the oven to 320°F (160°C). Have the blender ready, and set out a large mixing bowl, a whisk, and a spatula. If using very dry dried fruit, soak it in warm water for 10 minutes, then drain and pat dry.

Instructions

Blend and Mix

1. 1Prepare the Lemon and Batter
   Place the whole lemon in a small saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil and cook for 6 minutes. Drain, let cool slightly, then cut the lemon into quarters and remove any seeds. Transfer the lemon quarters to a blender. Add the granulated sugar, vegetable oil, whole milk, and eggs. Blend on high until completely smooth and velvety, about 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides as needed.
   Look for The mixture should be a vibrant yellow, completely smooth, with no visible pieces of lemon.
   Safe temperature 160°F (71°C) internal temperature (egg dishes)
   Tip Boiling the lemon softens the peel and removes bitterness, so the entire fruit blends into a silky puree.
2. 2Mix Dry Ingredients
   In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Make sure there are no lumps. Set aside.
   Look for The dry mixture should be uniform and free of clumps.
   Tip Whisking the dry ingredients helps distribute the baking powder evenly.
3. 3Combine Wet and Dry
   Pour the blended lemon mixture into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Gently fold with a spatula until just combined. Add the dried fruits and fold a few more times to distribute them evenly. Do not overmix.
   Look for The batter should be thick but pourable, with no streaks of flour.
   Tip Overmixing can make the cake tough; fold just until the flour disappears.

The blended lemon mixture should be a bright, vibrant yellow and completely smooth, with no visible pieces. When you fold in the dry ingredients, the batter should be thick and cohesive, with dried fruit evenly distributed.

The batter should look glossy and smell intensely lemony. If the batter seems too thick, add a tablespoon of milk to loosen it slightly.

Bake to Golden

4. 4Bake the Cake
   Preheat the oven to 320°F (160°C). Line a 9x5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving some overhang for easy removal. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Dip a knife into the softened butter and draw a line down the center of the batter to create a crack for the iconic bloom. Bake for 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
   Look for The cake should be golden brown on top, and the center should spring back when lightly pressed.
   Safe temperature 160°F (71°C) internal temperature (egg dishes)
   Tip The butter line helps the cake crack evenly as it rises, giving it a bakery-style look.

The cake will rise and crack down the center, creating a beautiful artisan bloom. The top should be golden brown and the edges should be slightly darker. The kitchen will smell of toasted lemon and butter. When you press the center, it should spring back. A toothpick inserted should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs, not wet batter.

Glaze and Serve

5. 5Cool and Glaze
   Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Then lift it out using the parchment and transfer to a cooling rack. While the cake is still warm, prepare the lemon icing: whisk together the confectioners' sugar and fresh lemon juice until smooth. Drizzle the icing over the cake in thin zigzags. Let the icing set before slicing.
   Look for The icing should be thick but pourable, and it will harden slightly as it cools.
   Tip For a thicker glaze, add more sugar; for a thinner one, add a little more lemon juice.

The glaze should be thick but pourable, drizzling in thin zigzags over the warm cake. As it cools, the glaze will set into a shiny, crackly layer.

The cake should be completely cool before slicing to get clean pieces. When sliced, the crumb should be tender and yellow, studded with colorful dried fruit, and the glaze should be white and glossy.

Common mistakes

One common mistake is not boiling the lemon long enough, which leaves the peel tough and bitter. Another is overmixing the batter after adding the flour, which can make the cake dense.

Be sure to remove all seeds from the lemon before blending. Also, don't skip the parchment lining—it makes removing the cake much easier. Finally, let the cake cool completely before glazing, or the icing will melt and run off.

How to tell it’s done

The cake is done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs. The top should be deep golden brown and the edges should pull away slightly from the pan. The internal temperature should read 200°F (93°C) in the center. If the top is browning too quickly, tent loosely with foil for the last 10 minutes.

• Egg dishes: 160°F (71°C) in the thickest part