Game of Thrones: Lemon Cakes

[Ellyn]

I've read A Song of Ice and Fire, and enjoy the television series based on it on HBO, Game of Thrones. This 10-episode season is over, but I was glad to see more mention of Sansa Stark's favorite lemon cakes in the show.

Gearing up for the next season--yeah, I'm starting early--I'm collecting possible recipes.

True, HBO provided its own sort of... pudding-topped lemon cakes in a ramkin and water bath, recipe.

But, it's not medieval! The Inn At The Crossroads, a food blog dedicated to food mentioned in the books (and now the TV show) went medieval on it and the first time came out with a sad little biscuit because...that was medieval cooking, apparently. Their latest attempt was an Elizabethan-era pound cake, that's really just supposed to be for poppies and has lemon flavoring added...which I think is rather a cheat!

I've written up adaptations of The Barefoot Contessa's Orange Pound Cake (with glaze), and Oprah Winfrey's 2004 favorite Key Lime Pound Cake (with key lime juice drizzle) -- with lemons used as the main ingredient, of course, instead of orange juice or key lime juice.

Another common change is that I've swapped out baking powder and baking soda (which weren't invented until right before or during the Victorian era--unless, if I recall correct, ground hooves were sometimes used as some sort of baking powder, yuck!) with yeast and warm ale, and prep time added for the yeast to activate of course--to keep it medieval.


Any suggestions for my continued quest for the perfect lemon cake recipe?


Thank you forum posters for these threads, by the by:
https://www.baking-forums.com/threads/lemon-cake-slices.1427/#post-12663
https://www.baking-forums.com/threads/whole-lemon-cake.1376/#post-12075

 

[Tina Nord]

I think I remember the exact episode you are mentioning and I thought the cakes looked so good. I have no clue about a recipe, but I would think you are looking for something dense and soft. I would imagine that they did not have light and fluffy cakes during that time period.

 

[evelynmcgregor]

The lemon cakes sound so good. I am going to have to do some experimenting to see what I can come up with. I love lemon anything so it will definitly be a challange.

 

[Becky]

I made these for a recent Game of Thrones party - not particularly medieval, but they are wholesome and very tasty. I put them in gold foil cases to help the medieval look!

https://www.baking-forums.com/threads/vegan-lemon-poppy-seed-muffins.1669/