Lemon Cardamom Cake

Ingredients
Cake
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
Grated zest of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 cup buttermilk, or milk
1 teaspoon ground cardamom (use nutmeg or cinnamon if cardamom not available)

Glaze
1 cup icing sugar
2 tablespoons milk
2 tablespoons lemon juice, perhaps more
Grated zest of one lemon

Instructions
Cake

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Coat a 9 X 5 loaf pan, preferably cast iron, but any will do, with nonstick cooking spray.

2. Sift flour, baking powder and salt into a bowl and set aside.

3. In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar using an electric mixer on medium speed until it becomes light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. I like to use a Kitchenaid mixer for this task. Add the eggs on low speed one at a time and blend for 1 minute each. On low speed blend in the flour mixture until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.

4. Spoon batter into pan and smooth the surface. Bake in the centre of the oven for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out almost clean with a few moist crumbs attached. Transfer the cake to a wire rack and let cool 10 minutes while you make the glaze.

Glaze

1. Stir together the glaze ingredients in a medium bowl until well blended. If you want a thinner glaze, add more lemon juice, or if you like it thicker add more sugar.

2. Remove cake from the pan and spread the glaze on top!

It goes well with a glass of cold milk.