Lemon and Caraway Seed Cake

this one was decorated with fresh lilac flowers

Due to the abundance of lemons from the tree at the backyard, I had to find ways of using this beautiful citrus. This recipe was based on an entry in the The Baking Bible, but I find that from the initial mixing of the dough, it was too heavy. I tweaked the recipe on the fly (and had further changes the second time around) and came up with this wonderful cake.

1 1/3 cups plain flour
3 tablespoons corn flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
175g softened butter
3/4 cups caster sugar
grated zest of 1 lemon
3 eggs
1 tablespoon water
2 teaspoons caraway seeds
1/3 cup buttermilk

Icing:
1 1/2 cups icing sugar
juice and zest of half a lemon
Preheat oven to 150C. Lightly grease and flour a bundt tin.
Sift together flour, corn flour and baking powder.
Cream butter and sugar until very light and fluffy. Beat in zest, add one egg at a time, ensuring the egg is well incorporated before adding the next one. Add 2 tablespoons of the flour mixture after the second egg. Fold in remaining flour after the 3rd egg and buttermilk.

Mix water with caraway seeds and briefly microwave (1 min on high) then add to mixture. Stir well but do not overmix.

Pour onto tin and bake for around 45 min or until well risen and golden. Let cool in tin for around 10 minutes before turning on to a serving plate.

Meanwhile, make the frosting : beat icing sugar with zest and lemon juice, until mixture is thick. Drizzle on to cooled cake and serve. This cake is best served one day after it's made as the caraway and lemon flavors develop overnight.