Ingredients
1 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 cup brown sugar, packed firmly
1 1/2 cups cake flour, sifted before measuring
2 tbsp fresh lemon zest, grated with microplane
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease 13×9-inch baking dish.
Combine melted butter and brown sugar in a large bowl. Whisk until smooth and glossy.
Add eggs, one at a time with constant mixing. Blend in 1 tsp vanilla extract.
Sift flour, 1/2 tsp baking powder, and 1/4 tsp salt. Fold into wet ingredients until just combined.
Stir in fresh lemon zest, retaining small citrus flecks.
Let batter rest 10 minutes for emulsification. Pour into prepared dish.
Bake 30-35 minutes until edges are golden and center shows slight doneness.
Notes
Sift dry ingredients first to prevent clumps
Use room-temperature eggs for better emulsion
Avoid overmixing to prevent gluten development
Cool completely (1 hour) before cutting
Sharpen knife and dip in hot water between slices for clean cuts
Under-rotate tray during final 5 minutes to prevent overbaking
- Prep Time: 25
- Cook Time: 35
- Category: Chocolate Dessert Recipes
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 15g
- Sodium: 120mg
- Fat: 9g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Carbohydrates: 24g
- Fiber: 0.5g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 25mg