This week’s Tuesdays with Dorie recipe comes from Baking with Dorie. Breakfast in Rome Lemon Cake is based on a cake that Dorie discovered when she was in Rome and:
scanned the bar and was stopped by a cake as yellow as a child’s drawing of the sun. It was tall and simple and made in a tube pan, the kind that grandmothers around the world always had. Set under a glass dome on the highest part of the counter, it kept watch over the cafe’s fancier cakes, crostatas, cannoli and everything with whipped cream.
The cake was as plain inside as it was out and, as [she] discovered on first bite, lemon. It wasn’t any sweeter than it had to be, nor was it rich. It would have been right at any time of day, but for me, having it early in the morning, in a foreign country, with the hiss of the espresso machine, the light clatter of cups and saucers and so many snippets of lyrical Italian conversations ricocheting up and down the busy bar, it tasted like vacation.
Well then – this really set the bar and my expectations high!
The original recipe makes enough for 12 people – called a ciambella in Italian (ring/tube cakes like donuts or Bundts) and Dorie bakes this in a ring pan. I don’t have a small Bundt or tube pan, so halved the recipe and made it in a loaf pan. As I was leaving the next day, I didn’t want to leave a huge amount for Neil to eat on his own and even with the loaf, I managed to share a lot with neighbours. I used berries though the original recipe didn’t include but they work so well with the lemon. I used Meyer lemons and they did pack a lemony punch!
It’s an unassuming-looking loaf, even with a dusting of icing sugar…
But when you cut into it, it’s light and fluffy with a satisfying crumb.
This was absolutely delicious – lighter than a pound cake or a lemon-poppyseed loaf – it had a crunchy exterior which I loved. the blueberries didn’t all sink to the bottom which I liked too! A winner that I’ll remember when I want a little something more special than muffins for breakfast!
Get the recipe for Breakfast in Rome Lemon Cake on p 76 of Baking with Dorie or get a version of it here.
Buy Baking with Dorie and join us baking through the book!
Buy Baking with Dorie on Amazon (this link should bring you to the Amazon store geographically closest to you). For free worldwide shipping, buy it on Blackwell’s. To support your local Indie bookstore, purchase on Bookshop.org.
Then join us over on Tuesdays with Dorie and bake your way through the book!
_________
Please note: I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. This post also contains affiliate links from Blackwell’s and Bookshop.org. This means that if you click over and purchase something, I will receive a very small percentage of the purchase price (at no extra cost to you). Thank you in advance!
_________
Disclosure: I was provided with a copy of “Baking with Dorie” for review purposes. I was not asked to write about the book, nor am I being compensated for doing so. All opinions are 100% my own.
_________
Buy my books! In the French kitchen with kids and French Food for Everyone: le goûter (after school snacks), le dîner (dinner) and le petit déjeuner (breakfast) are out now!
Click here for details and how to order!
_________
Like this post? Get blog posts delivered to your inbox! Sign up here!
Great to know it works as a loaf as well!!
Oh, it worked out great in a loaf pan, didn’t it? I noted that in my book as an option, I always appreciate the info you provide on those things in your posts. It’s really a beautiful cake, and yours with the berries makes it so luscious looking. I’m sure everyone who had a share in it counted themselves very lucky.
I like the quote on “it tasted like a vacation.” Me too was expecting a spectacular cake and it delivered. It’s good to hear about the loaf pan approach. Nice post!
So sorry to hear about your mom, thanks for sharing. Hopefully baking will provide some solace. Berries and lemon seem to be the theme of the week. Your cake looks great.
My berries sank! Oh well, still was good. I like the loaf format- sometimes I do wonder if a tube pan is totally necessary (I can’t stand the fussy pan prep on those things… haha)
This cake is so good! I probably should have halved it too – I didn’t for the reason that I also don’t have a small bundt tin. Your loaf tin version looks terrific. My huge cake will be going into work.