Dorie Greenspan Cookbook Favorites
An exploration of beloved baking recipes from Dorie Greenspan's latest cookbook, featuring two standout desserts: a comforting Banana Cappuccino Cake and an exquisite Pierre Hermé's Lemon Cake.
Ingredients
- 250 g all-purpose flour sifted
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 0.5 tsp baking soda
- 0.5 tsp salt
- 200 g unsalted butter softened
- 300 g granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 240 ml buttermilk
- Zest from 2 lemons
- 2 tbsp instant espresso powder for cappuccino cake
- 1 tbsp lemon juice freshly squeezed for glaze
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and prepare two 9-inch round cake pans by greasing and flouring them.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In a large bowl, cream the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy.
- Beat in the eggs one at a time, ensuring each is fully incorporated before adding the next, then stir in the vanilla extract.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in three additions, alternating with the buttermilk, mixing until just combined after each addition.
- For Banana Cappuccino Cake, gently fold in mashed bananas and espresso powder. For Lemon Cake, fold in lemon zest.
- Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes before inverting them onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- Once cooled, frost the Banana Cappuccino Cake with coffee buttercream or glaze the Lemon Cake with a simple lemon glaze made from powdered sugar and lemon juice.
Notes
For the Banana Cappuccino Cake, adjust coffee strength to your preference. For the Lemon Cake, always use fresh lemon zest and juice for the best flavor. These cakes can be prepared a day in advance and stored in an airtight container.