Lemon Cake in a Microwave- a Kitchen Experiment

Have you tried to bake a Lemon Cake in a Microwave? Ok, hold on. Why Lemon cake and why Microwave?

A Lemon Cake is a simple fresh and light teacake. I remember making a lot of lemon blueberry cakes and muffins when I used to be a prolific baker. Muffin or cupcakes are great to start with if you haven’t tried baking before.

Microwave because I don’t have a regular oven and half the equipment anymore. I’m also baking this with a basic recipe- trying to cut out the frosting here.

Well, isn’t that the most delicious and best part about a cake?

It is and then it may not be.

As many people say, let’s start from the very beginning.

A simple vanilla loaf which is being lifted here with a slightly tart and tangy lemony flavour and the fresh whiff of lemon zest to give a new lease of life this coming Spring.

I’m pushing myself to bake this for a dear friend’s milestone birthday. I know she would have enjoyed it over a nice cup of tea. But she’s far away and I have other promises to keep.

Sometimes, you store away a few memories to help you along in your journey towards sharing your good wishes remotely.

Lemon Cake for a Birthday Wish

I have other friends and family who have their birthdays this month too.

Choices, choices- where should I be?

My mother’s 76th birthday and (I am trying to forget) my late father’s as well. They had the same birthday. Imagine! My late aunt’s death anniversary too, I believe.

It’s ok- life’s a mixed bag. We celebrate those who are with us and the lives of those who are no more with us. Doesn’t that sound absolutely complicated?

Well, adulting sucks as I may have stated earlier. Let’s move along. We love cakes.

Lemon Cake memories- it sucks

Full disclaimer- this is not a particularly healthy snack. Contains, gluten and dairy.

After the brave declaration of a healthier start to the year- are you at odds with social engagements?

This is where we need some interventions. Sometimes, it’s ok to break your own rules.

If you are human and you wish to live and work with other humans (not just machines), an occasional celebratory indulgence is fine.

Gifting this memory from 2020 instead of actual gifts this year. I’m sorry I can’t be there, but I know we’ll all be fine.

Lemon Cake- helpful suggestions

We are just making sure, you have a slightly healthier choice– like, hey, skip the extra calories of the frosting. Whoa- what was that- multiple layers of cream! 🙂

He he- was my own fanciful creations. But we had several kids to help us finish these.

Or make a lighter drizzle of a frosting. Don’t go into a downward spiral cursing or killing yourself over a slice of cake here or there.

If you are a diabetic and are avoiding sugar, my sympathies.

And well, if you are already 50+ I guess it’s ok. You don’t owe an explanation to others for eating a slice of cake.

I know many of my friends hate me for this- they may be trying to avoid birthday parties and cakes.

Lemon Cake with a few silent curses

May I remind them- that having no kids, I never got invited to any birthday parties and never got bored of cakes.

In fact, there was a disdain and slight sneering about this “excessive greed” for cakes. Then I finally teamed up with baker friends who understood my passion for cakes.

Perhaps, they wish to be in my shoes instead. Living alone, cooking or baking for others and being cursed in return. A measly slice bought here and there, eaten guiltily under the accusing eyes of my husband or others.

Can you imagine how guilty I feel for having just 1 slice of cake?

Lemon Cake with an unrecognised trauma

Would you accuse me of dramatisation if I confessed that my marriage fell apart due to my baking?

Well, I don’t know. Maybe that’s how I felt and I was made to feel by others.

It’s taken me a very long time to get over the trauma. Of allowing myself the pleasure to bake and to eat a slice of cake baked by me for no other reason than to enjoy a homemade cake.

How childish can you be! Well, a birthday is a celebration of the child in you anyways. So, I don’t understand this drama or trauma.

After this long-winded preamble to our constitutional rights to eat cake, we shall proceed with the ingredients first.

Lemon Cake Wider choices

Here’s a year full of wishes for you to recreate these now. I won’t be there but I share my blessings and good wishes.

These were all eaten and forgotten. The recipes are lost and that labour of love was seen only as a useless excess cost.

For all those bookkeepers- here’s my gift for 2026.

Read this – it is the 3rd book in a series. I don’t have the 1st or the 2nd one. I don’t intend to buy them either.

Just get the job done

Hearts galore, and heartless folks all around- here’s my learning which I pass on.

I bought everything, I worked on everything, I invested time, energy and money on people. I don’t leave back anything for others except for a few memories.

You wish to reframe my work, my intents or memories- be my guest. The address is written on top as a signpost from children.

After much conversation and trepidation, the work started. We got all the ingredients in hand. Beautifully arranged and perfect prep work.

Lemon Cake Spectacular failure

What! Why are you sharing this here? After all our reading, you are giving us a failed recipe!

No, hang on. Let’s see what happened.

1. Didn’t understand the microwave setting, couldn’t figure out the temperature change buttons so put the cake inside at 110 C for almost 1 hour before I figured out the rest.
2. Then I put it on 160 C for 20mins. Now, the top is cooked while the inside is still gooey and undercooked
3. I still tried to cut it- cooking it longer would have burnt it further. Now, we have an unholy lemon cake halwa (which I stored for experimenting with later).

I’ve shared the video below of my kitchen experiment below for those who like to learn.

Absolutely authentic failure which you won’t find in any shop. Nothing wrong with the recipe.

The kitchen is a warzone right now. (Do not disturb!)

*Try it a couple of times more if you don’t get it right the first time. I got a better one in my second attempt. 🙂

Here’s the link to the recipe that I found- which was the inspiration and a more precise combination. Some of you who are regular bakers may want to try that instead.

And don’t be disheartened. Do check this new fun poster by our creative collaborator who has proudly trained a few people who couldn’t cook/bake either. That’s how I started anyways! 😀

Footnote

A Lemon Cake Bake Fail

Here’s a tragicomic tale

I mistook my passion for a career

And a career for my passion

My happy place is not always happy!

The truth is it’s always a balance of the right mix

The right people, the right place and sometimes

The right tools.

Yes, we are fools who try

But isn’t it better to try rather than just

Sit and cry?

I’ve got over my big hurdle this Sunday

What’s your story for next Monday?

If I’m in the present and hardly bothered

About the past or the future

I must be a very fortunate deluded child

Or an adult rearing someone very wild.

Firefighters around the world

Take a look again at your unopened books

I’m getting many awkward and guilty looks

The year has just started for some

And towards the ending for others

I’m being attacked or ignored again

By self-righteous mothers.

Melting Lemon Drop 11. 01. 2026