Meyer Lemon Cake

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup butter, softened, divided
• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• Zest of 2 large Meyer lemons
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 cup flour
• 1 cup almonds, processed finely (optional)
• 3/4 cup fine cornmeal
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup milk, room temperature
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp almond extract (optional)
• 1/2 cup Meyer lemon juice*

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 350°.
2. Spray inside of a 9-in. springform pan or regular single layer cake pan with cooking-oil spray. Snugly line pan with a 12-in. circle of parchment paper, pressing pleats flat. Spray parchment with oil. Set aside.
3. Bring 1/4 cup butter and the brown sugar to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly. Pour into lined pan and spread evenly.
4. *I used juice instead of making it like an upside down cake. If you want lemon slices on the top, when the cake is done, thinly slice 2 lemons, remove and discard seeds. Set one lemon slice in center of butter mixture in pan. Arrange more slices in overlapping circles to fill pan.
5. Beat remaining 1/2 cup butter, granulated sugar, and lemon zest in a large bowl with a mixer until pale and fluffy. Add 1 egg at a time, beating well, after each addition.
6. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, processed almonds, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt.
7. Combine milk, baking soda, vanilla, almond extract, and lemon juice.
8. Add about a third of flour mixture to butter mixture and blend on low speed; scrape inside of bowl. Blend in half of milk mixture. Repeat to mix in remaining ingredients, ending with flour mixture. Pour batter into pan. Spread evenly.
9. Bake until cake springs back in center when lightly pressed, 50 to 55 minutes. Let cool in pan on a rack at least 2 hours. Run a knife around the edge, between parchment and pan. Invert cake onto a plate. Remove parchment.
10. I used a regular single layer cake pan, and didn't line it with parchment (of course). When I inverted the pan, the brown sugar butter stayed in the pan - no problem, I scraped it out and it looks like streusel topping!