East 62nd Street Lemon Cake

Recipe from Maida Heatter

Adapted by Craig Claiborne

Updated March 19, 2018

  • Craig Lee for The New York Times
Media 1 of 1
Total Time
About 2 hours
Rating
4(1,417)
Comments
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Maida Heatter’s famous lemon cake first appeared in The Times in a 1970s feature highlighting a few of her best-loved cake recipes. This one was actually found by her daughter, Toni Evins Marks, who lived on East 62nd Street at the time. Ms. Marks, who went on to illustrate a number of Ms. Heatter's cookbooks, sent it to her mother. She tinkered with it and renamed it. The cake, which is tender, moist and scented with lemon zest, is brushed with a simple glaze of lemon juice and sugar when it's still warm so it soaks into the cake. It's a timeless dessert that's perfect for practically any celebration. (Note: Some readers have mentioned in the notes below the recipe that "Maida Heatter's Book of Great Desserts" instructs you to bake this cake at 350 degrees. Our recipe, the one that Craig Claiborne ran in 1970, before Ms. Heatter's book was published, indicates 325. Either will work, but if you bake at 350, start checking for doneness just before the hour mark.) —Craig Claiborne

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Ingredients

Yield:10 to 12 servings

FOR THE CAKE

  • Fine dry bread crumbs or flour for dusting the pan

  • 3 cups flour

  • 2 teaspoons baking powder

  • ½ teaspoon salt

  • 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks), at room temperature

  • 2 cups sugar

  • 4 eggs

  • 1 cup milk

  • 2 tablespoons lemon zest

FOR THE GLAZE

  • ⅓ cup lemon juice

  • ¾ cup sugar

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (10 to 12 servings)

72 grams carbs; 96 milligrams cholesterol; 461 calories; 5 grams monosaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 10 grams saturated fat; 18 grams fat; 1 gram fiber; 190 milligrams sodium; 6 grams protein; 47 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat oven to 325 degrees. Butter a 9‐inch tube pan. Coat it with the bread crumbs.

  2. Step 2

    Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt and set aside.

  3. Step 3

    Cream the butter and sugar together. Beat in the eggs one at a time.

  4. Step 4

    Fold in the dry ingredients alternately with the milk. Stir in the lemon zest. Pour the batter into the pan and smooth the top of the batter. Bake 1¼ hours, or until the cake tests done.

  5. Step 5

    While the cake bakes, make the glaze. Warm the juice and sugar in a small saucepan over medium-low heat until all of the sugar is dissolved. Cover and remove from heat.

  6. Step 6

    When the cake is done, immediately unmold the cake onto a cake rack and apply the glaze with a pastry brush to the top and sides of the cake until it is all absorbed.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
1,417 user ratings
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Comments

Nancy Bonetti

Instead of bread crumbs I have always used ground pecans to dust the pan. Looks beautiful out of the pan and adds a nice crunch and flavor to the cake. My mother always did this with her lemon cake. I am looking forward to making this recipe.

Edie

Your recipe calls for 325 degree oven. This should be 350 degree oven. I have her recipe in her cookbook. Please let bakers know or it will not be done in time.

FRITZ

Personally I would use 325 due to the density of a tube-style cake. Tube cakes can take 15-20 minutes, or longer, than a standard round cake to completely bake through. When I convert a 350 temp layer cake recipe to tube-style pan, I lower temp to 325 and check it after about 45 minutes or when I see the cake has stopped rising. The lower temp allows the outside to set slower and keeps it from over-baking and drying out as the deeper inner batter catches up, allowing entire cake to bake evenly.

Mimi Pond

After reading the comments I tried to chop roasted pecans into a powder to coat the Bundt pan with but wound up with pecan butter which is delicious but wouldn’t work. I used almond flour instead but am intrigued by the idea of panko instead. I doubled the lemon/granulated sugar glaze, poked holes in the top of the upright unmolded Bundt and poured it, in 3 or 4 additions, on the cake which soaked it up like a sponge. Absolutely delicious and the crunchiness of the granulated sugar is a great touch but next time might also consider vanilla in the cake as well.

Janine

Nice cake- a classic bundt, so closer to a fine poundcake texture. I took the time to brush the glaze on as directed, slowly. Nearly all absorbed, and the sweet/tangy add is much appreciated. I did rub the zest into the sugar when making the cake. It does boost the flavor. Also added 1/4 tsp orange oil (wanted a little more citrus, and didn't have lemon oil). Served with whipped cream and raspberries - the berries were a good addition.

Chris Santoro

For a more sumptuous icing, squeeze half a lemon with its zest into a mixing cup. Mix constantly and slowly add as much confectionary sugar as it will absorb until it's thickened and just barely pourable.

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Credits

Maida Heatter

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