Try this Game of Thrones recipe for Sansa's favorite lemon cakes

Ruth Kinane
Updated
Throw the sweetest of finale viewing parties

Throwing a Game of Thrones finale fete this Sunday? Ascend the party-planning throne with this recipe for lemon cakes, Sansa’s King’s Landing fave, from official GoT cookbook A Feast of Ice and Fire. “They’re so iconic in the book and show,” says coauthor Chelsea Monroe-Cassel of lemon cakes. “Plus, they’re small and snackable, and you can decorate them to your taste!”

INGREDIENTS

For the cake batter:
2 1?2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting pan
1?2 tsp. baking powder
1?4 tsp. baking soda
1?2 tsp. table salt
1?2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup unsalted butter, softened, more for pan
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
3 large eggs, room temperature
2 tbsp. lemon zest
2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 cup whole milk

For the icing:
6 cups powdered sugar, sifted
2?3 cup fresh lemon juice, plus more if needed
2?3 tsp. unsalted butter, softened
Optional: Yellow liquid food coloring and candied orange peel, pomegranate seeds, or decorative candy sprinkles

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease bottom of 13×9-inch baking pan, and line with parchment paper. Grease parchment with butter, and dust with flour.

2. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. Beat granulated sugar and butter in a separate bowl on medium speed until fluffy. Beat in vanilla. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating just until combined after each addition. Beat in lemon zest and juice just until combined. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture to sugar mixture alternately with milk in 3 batches, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Pour batter into pan, and bake until golden and a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, 27 to 30 minutes.

3. Cool in pan on a wire rack 15 minutes. Invert cake onto rack, and cool 15 minutes. Chill cake in refrigerator 1 hour.

4. Cut chilled cake into 2-inch cubes.

5. Stir together powdered sugar and lemon juice until well combined. Scrape mixture into a double boiler over medium. Add butter and cook, stirring constantly until completely incorporated. Continue to cook and stir until icing is smooth and pourable, 3 to 4 minutes. If necessary, stir in additional lemon juice, 1 tablespoon at a time, until icing reaches desired consistency. Add food coloring if desired.

6. Drizzle icing over each cube, coating sides. If desired, garnish immediately with candied orange peel, pomegranate seeds, or sprinkles.

Makes: 24
Active Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours, 55 minutes