little lemon cakes

I have been eating my Great-Grandma McNair’s lemon loaf as long as I can remember.

When I was a child, my Grandma made it. It would often be in that little wooden drawer along with the other goodies: chocolate cake, at least two kinds of cookies . . . Let’s just say I come by my sweet tooth honestly.

After my Grandma died ten years ago, my dear Great-Aunt Marjorie (her sister) sent me a fat envelope full of photos and family recipes.

I attempted the lemon loaf almost right away and it quickly became a staple. One of those recipes that don’t need exotic ingredients from the store, I could just whip it up whenever I felt like lemon loaf. It always worked and kept well – moist and lemony with a bit of butter spread on top.

But when I entered the strange, leaden world of gluten-free baking, I set the lemon loaf aside – I would conquer it when I had more confidence.

Last week, after three years of gluten-free flops and fanfare, I felt ready to take on my beloved lemon loaf.

I decided to make little cupcakes because gluten-free loaves can be tricky – burnt on the outside, mushy on the inside.

I swapped rice flour, tapioca starch and cornstarch for the wheat flour . . . held my breath while they baked . . . anxiously waited for them to cool . . . and rejoiced!

Lemon loaf is back in my house, just in a different form. These little cakes are chewy and last a few days, if you like to savour them. I brought these ones to Valentine’s parties, so I added icing and candied lemon to make them more festive.

I present to you:

Little lemon cakes for the gluten-free

The original lemon loaf for the gluten eaters

little lemon cakes

1/2 c. butter or margarine

1 c. white sugar

2 eggs

juice and rind from 1 lemon

2/3 c. rice flour

1/2 c. tapioca starch

1/3 c. cornstarch

3/4 tsp. xanthan or guar gum

pinch of salt

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 c. milk

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Grease or line cupcake tins.

Cream butter and sugar together. Mix in the eggs, lemon juice and lemon rind. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, blend the rice flour, tapioca starch, cornstarch, xanthan gum, salt and baking powder until they are mixed well.

Alternately add the milk and flour mixture to the butter mixture. Stir just until blended.

Fill the cupcake holders until they are almost full.

For mini-cupcakes, bake 12 to 14 minutes.

For regular-sized cupcakes, bake 17 to 19 minutes.

lemon icing for cupcakes

6 tbsp. butter

3 c. icing or powdered sugar

juice and rind from 1 lemon

Cream the butter, icing sugar and lemon rind together.

Add the lemon juice tablespoon by tablespoon until you have the consistency you like.

Spread on cooled cupcakes.

If you’d like to make candied lemon to go on top, as I did, I’d suggest this recipe.

the original lemon loaf

1/2 c. butter or margarine

1 c. white sugar

2 eggs

juice and rind from 1 lemon

1 1/2 c. all purpose wheat flour

1 tsp. baking powder

pinch of salt

1/2 c. milk

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Grease a loaf pan.

Cream butter and sugar together. Mix in the eggs, lemon juice and lemon rind. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, blend the flour, salt and baking powder.

Alternately add the milk and flour mixture to the butter mixture. Stir just until blended.

Pour into the loaf pan.

Bake for 45 minutes.

lemon loaf glaze

juice of 1 lemon

1/4 c. white sugar

Mix. Pour over loaf when it’s warm from the oven and the glaze will melt into it.