The Friday list (and a lemon cake)

We have just arrived in Sydney for the Pyrmont Growers Market tomorrow and a trip to the zoo for the kids. Whoot whoo. Happy weekend everyone.

Online magazines to read
The new Australian e-mag Artisan  looks fantastic…
Kinfolk Vol 4 came out this week. To mark it’s release the editors released this video, it’s so lovely, I watched it twice and then felt I’d had my fix of sunshine for the day.

Recipes to make
This chocolate mint ice cream pie might be the go for Alice’s upcoming birthday.
Cardamom twists and coffee for breakfast on Sunday please
Pickled cauliflower from White on Rice Couple
These pretty watercolour biscuits would be a great school holiday project.
Tiger in a Jar makes breadsticks and films the process. Like all their work the results are so beautiful.

Beautiful food blogs
Nordljus is a blog about Scandinavian food and living by a Japanese woman living in the UK.
This great Australian blog is full of healthy and delicious recipes from the clever Lisa Taylor…
Thank you JustB for introducing me to the lovely Freutcake 

My writing elsewhere this week
Beetroot chocolate whoopie pies on Village Voices
Swedish meatballs with dill potatoes and sour cream sauce over on JustB
Venison chilli with cheesy polenta topping on Village Voices

Lemon and almond tea cake

A friend down the road has the hugest lemon tree, and this year you can barely see the leaves for the fruit so I didn’t think they’d notice if I took a few for this cake.

200g softened butter
200g caster sugar
zest of 2 lemons
90g plain flour
90g almond meal
1 tsp baking powder
4 eggs

for the syrup
2 tbsp caster sugar
juice and zest of one more lemon

Preheat the oven to 180C and grease and line a loaf tin. Rub the caster sugar and zest of the first two lemons between your fingers until you have a fragrant, yellow mixture. Cream the butter and lemon sugar together until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well between each addition. In a separate bowl, mix the flour, baking powder and almond meal together. Fold this into the creamed egg and sugar, add the juice of the two lemons and mix gently. Spoon batter into prepared cake tin and smooth the top. Bake for 35 minutes or until the cake is golden and a skewer comes out clean. To make the syrup, place the zest of the extra lemon, plus its juice in a small saucepan and bring to a gentle boil. Once the cake is done, remove from the oven and pierce it all over with a skewer, pour over the syrup so it seeps in through all those holes. Let cool a little and then cut yourself a slice to have with a pot of earl grey tea.

Note – this cake keeps well for up to a week if wrapped in foil so I’d recommend making two while you’re at it as it also makes a great school morning tea, work snack or even pudding if served with some thick yogurt or cream and raspberries.