LEMON AND SOUR CREAM CAKE

1. Preheat the oven to 350°f / 180°c. Grease a loaf pan, and line with a parchment paper sling. (9” x 4 ½” x 2 ¾” is what I used. Larger will work, but do not go smaller than this or it will spill in the oven - happened to me and it’s not ideal. haha)
2. Place the sugar into a large bowl, then zest the lemon directly into the bowl. Using your fingers, rub the lemon zest into the sugar until incorporated. Add the flour, almond meal, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, and whisk to combine.
3. In a medium bowl, combine the melted butter, lemon juice, eggs, sour cream, and vanilla bean paste, and mix to combine. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and whisk until completely incorporated. Finish with a rubber spatula if needed to ensure that there are no dry ingredients left on the bottom.
4. Transfer the mixture to the lined loaf pan, smoothing with an offset spatula or back of a spoon. Place onto a sheet pan (optional step but I like doing it just in case).
5. Bake the loaf cake for 60 to 70 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean, checking for doneness after 50 minutes and tenting with foil if needed to stop the top of the loaf from browning excessively. Remove from the oven and allow to stand in the pan for 5-10 minutes, before brushing with the lemon syrup (recipe follows). Leave to stand for a further 5 to 10 minutes, brushing additional syrup on if it seems to be absorbing, then remove from the pan and allow to cool completely on a wire rack.
6. Using a spoon or offset spatula, spread with the glaze (recipe follows). Allow 10-15 minutes for it to set slightly before serving. Garnish with additional zest if desired. Slice thickly using a sharp bread knife.
7. Leftovers can be wrapped or stored in an airtight container at room temperature.

LEMON SYRUP

1. Place the lemon juice and syrup in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir to combine, then heat until the sugar has dissolved. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then simmer for 2 minutes to allow it to reduce slightly. Allow to stand for 5-10 minutes to cool slightly.

LEMON GLAZE

1. In a small bowl, combine the powdered sugar and lemon juice. Stir until well combined, then add more lemon juice a small squeeze at a time until you have a thick glaze (you need it to be thicker than you think so it doesn’t run). Spread onto the cake.