The Iginio Massari lemon cake is an extremely soft and aromatic dessert that comes together very quickly. This time I propose a very easy recipe with a procedure similar to my 5-minute cakes; to make it you’ll only need a hand whisk and a large bowl.
I make lots of breakfast cakes, I don’t like buying packaged products — I believe a good homemade cake is a true treat to start the day. If you want to try other simple and quick desserts, try the soft ricotta cakes — you won’t give them up.
The lemon cake was taken from a video in which Maestro Massari prepared two 7-inch cakes for a TV program; since that size isn’t common for everyone I adapted the quantities to a classic 9-inch pan.
I already know you’ll point out the amount of sugar; indeed it’s notable, but its purpose is to be a fundamental ingredient that gives softness and moistness to the cake. However, I admit I reduced it by about 20% — I leave the amounts in the ingredient list.
Even if it may seem like a simple cake, it really isn’t — it’s a cloud, very aromatic, perfect to enjoy as is and ideal to fill as you like. It pairs very well with pastry cream and strawberries, the quintessential spring fruit.
Here are other breakfast cakes to try:
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Inexpensive
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Cooking time: 40 Minutes
- Portions: 8 Servings
- Cooking methods: Conventional oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients
The batter Maestro Massari made was for two 7-inch cakes; since that size isn’t common I adapted the recipe for a 9-inch pan.
- 3 pcs eggs (whole, about 3 medium eggs)
- 1 cup granulated sugar (I reduced the amount to 200 g (about 1 cup) — it's the only change I made)
- 2 small lemons (small, zest only (avoid the white pith which is very bitter))
- 2/3 cup milk
- 1 cup + 2 tbsp all-purpose flour (00) (about 5 oz)
- 1 cup potato starch (about 4.8 oz)
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 cup butter (melted (about 3.9 oz))
- 3/4 pod vanilla bean
- 2 tsp butter
- 1 tbsp all-purpose flour (00)
- 2 tbsp powdered sugar ((about 20 g) for dusting)
- 1 2/3 cup powdered sugar (for the glaze (about 200 g))
- 2 tbsp water (about 35 g (roughly 1.2 fl oz) — adjust as needed for glaze consistency)
- as needed yellow gel food coloring
Tools
- 1 Bowl large
- 1 Hand whisk
- 1 Small bowl
- 1 Glass
- 1 Zester/Grater
- 1 Scale
Method
Pour the milk into a glass and heat it in the microwave; it must not exceed 140°F.
Cut the butter into cubes and melt it in the microwave; if you don’t have one, use a small saucepan.
Sift the all-purpose flour with the potato starch and baking powder, add the granulated sugar and set aside.
In the large bowl add the seeds scraped from the vanilla pod and the grated lemon zest (be careful not to include the white part, which is very bitter) and the eggs at room temperature. Mix well with the hand whisk and add the melted butter, then mix again.
Add half of the dry ingredients, once incorporated add half of the milk, then add the remaining dry ingredients and finally the rest of the milk; mix quickly — the batter is ready.
Pour the batter into a 9-inch pan buttered and floured.
Bake the cake in a preheated conventional oven at 338°F for about 40 minutes.
Do the skewer test to check doneness; if necessary extend the time by a few minutes.
If the surface is browning too much cover it with a sheet of aluminum foil.The Iginio Massari lemon cake is ready — let it cool completely, dust with powdered sugar and serve.
If you want to use the dripping glaze you should use a caprese-style cake pan and invert the cake so you have a flat surface to glaze — the result will be perfect.
Put the yellow gel food coloring in a bowl with the water and mix well, then add the sifted powdered sugar and whisk the mixture. The glaze is ready.
When the cake is baked remove it from the oven and sprinkle the top with fine granulated sugar; this will help it stick to the base when inverted. Turn the cake out onto a cardboard cake round.
Pour the glaze over the surface, use a spatula to bring it toward the outer edges and let it drip down the sides so the cake is completely covered.
Place it in a preheated oven at 428°F for 2 minutes. The glazed cake is ready — let it cool and enjoy.
Tips
Storage
The Iginio Massari lemon cake keeps at room temperature for 3-4 days in an appropriate cake keeper.
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