He was the "King" of golf, a Hall of Famer who is often accredited with changing the course of golf’s history. But Arnold Palmer won't be remembered just as a sports pioneer—his legacy will live on forever in the refreshing half-tea, half-lemonade drink that bears his name. Celebrate his life and legacy by baking this Arnold Palmer-inspired cake recipe from Momofuku's Milk Bar featured in the Lucky Peach:
Ingredients
LEMON TEA CAKE
115 g (8 T) butter (preferably Plugrà)
300 g (1 1/2 C) sugar
2 eggs
2 egg yolks
65 g (1/3 C) grapeseed oil
110 g (1/2 C) buttermilk
70 g (1/4 C) lemon juice
4 g (1 t) lemon extract
185 g (1 1/2 C) cake flour
20 g (9 bags) Lipton black tea leaves
4 g (1 t) baking powder
4 g (1 t) kosher salt
BITTER TEA SOAK AND TEA JELLY
475 g (2 1/4 C) water
8 Lipton black tea bags
350 g (1 3/4 C) sugar
50 g (1/4 C) instant Lipton unsweetened iced-tea powder
10 g (1/2 t) pectin NH (easily obtained online)
20 g (1 1/2 T) lemon juice
LEMON MASCARPONE
85 g (1/3 C) lemon juice (about 3 lemons, plus the zest)
100 g (1/2 C) sugar
4 eggs
1 gelatin sheet (1/2 t powdered)
115 g (8 T) butter
2 g (1/2 t) kosher salt
100 g (1/2 C) cold mascarpone
ALMOND TEA CRUNCH
50 g (1/4 C) instant Lipton lemon iced-tea powder
15 g (2 T) slivered almonds
55 g (1/4 C) almond butter
40 g (1/2 C) feuilletine
30 g (3 T) confectioners’ sugar
2 g (1/2 t) kosher salt
Cake steps
1 .Preheat the oven to 350°F. Cream the butter and granulated sugar in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. After 2 or 3 minutes on medium-high, scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the eggs and egg yolks one by one and mix until they disappear into the butter and sugar.
2. Scrape down the sides again and turn the mixer to low speed. Stream in the oil, buttermilk, lemon juice, and lemon extract. Mix on medium until everything is homogenous and fluffy—about 5 or 6 minutes.
3. Combine the flour, tea leaves, baking powder, and salt in a separate mixing bowl. With the mixer running on low, incorporate the dry ingredients into your main bowl. You don’t want to overmix the cake; just mix until the dry ingredients disappear (45 seconds or so).
4. Line a quarter sheet pan with parchment or a Silpat. Spread the cake batter on the pan, and give it a little jiggle to even things out. Bake for about 30 minutes. Give it a gentle poke around the 30-minute mark to test it. You’re looking for it to bounce back, and for the cake to have pulled back from the edges a bit.
For the in-depths steps to the to Tea Jelly, Almond Crunch and Lemon Mascarpone, visit the Lucky Peach.
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