It’s summer, and I love to treat myself to a little tasty snack on a hot day. Enjoy this lemony, flourless goodness for a mid-day treat or even to end your evening with loved ones. I love this easy-to-make recipe; it’s simple and easy on the sweeteners. You can make it as individual serving sizes or as a full cake; that is completely up to you!

Serves 8 to 10

Ingredients:

Butter or cooking spray for greasing the pan
4 large eggs (separate yolk and egg white)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon zest
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
½ cup of granulated sugar (or coconut sugar)
1 ½ cups Pamela’s Baking and Pancake Mix (which is almond meal)
½ tsp kosher salt

Optional: if you are using regular almond flour, you will need to add 1 tablespoon of baking powder.

Lemon glaze:

2 tablespoons lemon juice
¾ cup confectioners’ sugar
1 dash lemon extract

For serving: you can use powdered sugar and fresh berries (optional), pistachios, edible roses, lavender, etc.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 F. Arrange rack in the middle of the oven.
Line the bottom of an 8-inch or 9-inch springform or round cake pan with parchment paper. Coat paper and sides of the pan with butter or cooking spray; set aside.
Placing the egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (alternatively, place in a medium bowl and use an electric hand mixer or a sturdy whisk) and the yolks in a large bowl.
Finely grate the zest of two medium lemons with a micro-plane and place it in the bowl with the egg yolks. Add in granulated sugar and stir with a wooden spoon or sturdy rubber spatula until well combined and no streaks of egg yolk remain.
Add the almond flour and kosher salt. Stir until the almond flour is moistened and the mixture is just combined (some lumps are OK).
Beat the egg whites at medium-high speed until stiff peaks form, two to three minutes (about five minutes by hand). Stir 1/3 of the beaten egg whites into the batter to lighten it. Then, gently fold the remaining egg whites in the mixer until just combined.
Add in lemon juice and mix into batter. The batter should be evenly moistened with no streak of egg whites remaining but will not be completely smooth; do not overmix. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and gently spread out to an even layer.
Bake for about 25 to 30 minutes, until the edges of the cake have begun to pull away from the sides of the pan, the top is golden brown, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
While the cake is baking, in a separate small bowl, mix the lemon glaze together. There is no right way to do this; it all depends on your desired consistency. I love it lemony, so sometimes I will add a little more lemon juice to it. Set aside until the cake is done.
Take the cake out of the oven and place the pan on a wire rack.
Pierce cake with a toothpick several times all over the cake and pour over the lemon glaze so that the mixture can be soaked into the cake while it is warm and then let it cool for 15 minutes.
To serve: run a knife around the cake to loosen it. Release the sides of the pan if using a springform pan. If using a cake pan, flip the cake onto a plate, peel away the parchment, then flip it again onto a serving plate. Serve warm or at room temperature, dusting with powdered sugar and served with fresh berries, a compote of your choice, crushed pistachios, edible roses or lavender. Whipped coconut cream or good, old-fashioned vanilla ice cream if desired.

Note: If you and your company have not finished this cake, it can be stored tightly and wrapped at room temperature for up to three days (keep it in a cool place and out of direct sunlight). This cake can also be frozen for up to one month; I personally double layer wrap it in plastic wrap, then wrap in aluminum foil to preserve the cake. I wrap individual serving sizes, so when I want that little treat, its ready to go.

Dipika is a holistic health and lifestyle coach who empowers clients to activate a balanced lifestyle of mind, body and soul. She can be reached at [email protected] or www.loveyourlifehealthy.com.