I’ve made lemon tea cakes two weekends in a row; so basically every Sunday in this New Year. I like them; they’re easy to whip up and goes splendidly with coffee or tea. It’s also given me a reason to go back to journaling.
I’ve kept diaries for as long as I can remember, but then a few years ago I stopped. I guess I was too busy or something. Last year, without meaning to, I started journaling again when I got a Traveler’s Notebook for Christmas.
Going back to writing felt familiar and comforting, so I took the concept further and built a few rituals around my journaling. I do Morning Pages on weekday mornings, and on weekends I usually bake something special, have a leisurely breakfast and take my time to pour out my heart on paper; it really is therapeutic.
I love citrusy cakes and quick breads in winter. It brings a little brightness to the cold months. This is more of a quick bread, there’s no creaming of butter required and it’s not too sweet. Instead, it uses coconut oil, which adds a subtle nuttiness to the overall essence of the cake. It’s delicate, truly cake-like and fragrant from the combination of lemon, vanilla and cardamom.
The ingredients are few and simple, nothing too elaborate for a weekend morning – it’s modest and special, and keeps well if you wanted to save some for the work week. The lemon flavour isn’t overpowering, it shines through bringing just the right punch. I don’t know if we’ll make these cakes again this weekend, I have some beer and leftover chocolate that is just begging to get together in some rich decadent experiment – we shall see…
- 1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup almond milk (or some other non-dairy milk)
- 1/2 cup coconut oil, melted and cooled
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon pure lemon extract, optional
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. grease a cakelet or muffin pan
- Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda and cardamom in a large bowl
- Add sugar and salt, and mix together to combine
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk almond milk, coconut oil, lemon juice, zest and extract together
- Make a well in the center of the flour mix and pour in the almond milk mixture
- Stir well to combine but do not overmix
- Spoon the batter into the prepared cakelet or muffin pan to about 3/4th full each
- Place in oven and bake for 18 – 25 minutes until tops are lightly golden and a toothpick inserted in the center just comes out clean
- Allow cakes to cool in the pan for about 5 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely
- Enjoy!
[Tweet “A wonderfully citrusy and aromatic #vegan #cake, great for breakfast or afternoon tea! “]
2 Comments
I agree your lemon tea cakes, which is simple, beautiful and (looks) delicious, will go so well with journaling. I love that you write, and I think you kind of inspire me to do the same. 🙂
21 January, 2017 at 8:13 amYou have such an old soul I truly admire, Elsa.
It’s funny because I think the same of you, a wildly creative old soul. 🙂 You should totally try journaling, it clears and calms the mind!
24 January, 2017 at 10:09 am