If you are a Game of Thrones fan and you haven’t watched the Season Finale of Season 7 yet, chances are that you still hate Sansa Stark, Lady of the North.
But if you, like me, has watched the Season 7 Finale (and doesn’t know what to do with your life until the next season comes), you will be loving every bit of this red haired Stark girl.
Sansa is one character that has seen quite a lot of character growth from the beginning of the series. From a whimsical, frivolous girl dreaming of clothes, boys and becoming a princess, Sansa today is a strong character who has fully come into the woman that she is. She is strategic minded and unlike the Sansa we knew at the beginning of the series, she is more strategically inclined now with a wisdom that she uses to her advantage. She has grown through a lot and this has changed her – made her stronger. Which is just what we wanted for her character.
Two seasons back, I wouldnt have boiled Sansa a pot of hot water let alone lemon cakes. But now that I have watched the Season 7 Finale, I am more than willing to give her what she likes. And if you have been following the series from the beginning, you would know that Sansa likes her lemon cakes very much.
The recipe I am presenting here is adapted from a medieval lemon cake recipe that I came across in “The good huswifes Iewell” by Thomas Dawson (funky book written in the old funky English). Now this recipe I found to be a bit too dry so I’ve tweaked and adjusted until I had something that I was sure Sansa would have appreciated. I’ve tried to be as faithful to the medieval recipe as much as possible but added a few of my own touches to it as well.
Winterfell is a cold and dreary place and as the Lady of Winterfell, Sansa needs to keep warm. Because of this, I have added a touch of warming spices like nutmeg and clove to infuse and fragrance the cakes. Sansa is a girl at heart and appreciates the finer things in life. Which is why I’ve added in a few strands of saffron for color and taste. Also, I like the fact that saffron strands is exactly the color of her hair :)
- Yield: 16 cakes
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Serving: Approx. 16
Lemon cakes
Ingredients
- Butter - 200g
- Sugar - 400g
- Eggs - 3
- Flour - 350g
- Milk - 1 cup
- Baking powder - 1 ½ tsps
- Lemon zest - 2 tblsps, grated
- Lemon juice - ½ cup
- Saffron - A pinch
- Nutmeg - 1 tsp, powdered
- Clove - 1 tsp, powdered
- Candied lemon slices (optional)
- Sugar - 1 cup
- Water - 1 cup
- Lemon slices - 16
Instructions
To make the cakes
- Heat the oven to 350F.
- Sift together the flour and the baking powder. Set aside.
- Beat together the butter and the sugar in a bowl. Gradually add the eggs, beating it in well until the sugar is mostly dissolved and the mixture becomes lighter.
- Add in the lemon zest and the spices. Add the flour gradually, taking care to incorporate it completely.
- Add in the lemon juice and mix until combined. Add in the milk and mi at a low speed. Any faster and you’ll have yourself covered in a limey sticky mess.
- Stir in the few strands of saffron. Let it diffuse its own color in the batter.
- Prepare a muffin tin with cupcake liners. Scoop in the mixture to the cup cake liners and bake for about 20 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the middle of a cup cake comes out clean.
Candied lemon slices
- Boil together the water and the sugar to a simmer. Place the slices of lemon in the mixture until semi translucent.
Assembly
- Fish out the slices and place each slice on top of a cake that has been stripped of its cupcake wrapper.
- Pour on some of the sugar syrup on top of each cake for added flavor.
Soft, moist cake scented with lemon, fragranced with spices. Each bite is a mouthful of sweet lemon flavor bursting with freshness with the warmth of nutmeg and clove lacing its heart with its perfumed presence. The saffron comes through at moments of lucidity, an all encompassing bell the rings in your head summoning forth the ancient Gods. The cakes are light and moist with a softness that comes from the light heartedness of the lemon and a well aired batter. It is a breezy cake, ideal for tea parties or simply indulging yourself on cold evenings.
I confess, lemon cakes aren’t really my cup of tea per say but this one hit all the spots and made the bells ring. Which is why I am posting it here. The recipe is simple enough, quite straightforward, but is impressive in its taste. Try it over the weekend. I guarantee that you will love it!
Tips
- Skip the candied lemon part if you so wish by all means. The cakes are lovely enough on its own!
