I adore a sweet bite in the afternoon with my cup of tea, not that I indulge in these types of things every day, of course - wink wink! I found these delightful and tart mini-cakes in a magazine (can't remember which one now!) a few years ago and kept it in my recipe file - it's full of flour and butter splatters, as every recipe that has been loved and made multiple times should be!

These cakes are great for picnics and tea parties, and each bite bursts in your mouth with lemony tartness. The cream cheese makes for a rich and dense texture, but with such a smooth bitey-ness. And yes, bitey-ness is a word.

   

Lemon Tea cakes
Makes 28
Note: when I make my icing I like substituting the milk and the lemon extract for all real lemon juice and freshly grated lemon zest.

1-1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
250g cream cheese, softened
2-1/4 cups caster sugar
5 eggs
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons lemon extract
1-1/2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
2-1/2 cups flour
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
Glaze:
2-1/2 cups pure icing sugar (not icing mixture!)
1/3 cup milk
1-3/4 teaspoons lemon extract

Heat oven to 160 degrees C. Coat three 12-cup small muffin pans (not mini-muffin size, just patty cake is fine) with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.

With mixer on medium speed, beat butter, cream cheese and sugar in bowl until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Mix in lemon juice, extract and lemon peel. On low speed, beat in flour, baking powder and salt. Fill each muffin cup with about 1/3 cup of batter for a total of 28. Bake at 160 degrees C for 23 to 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.