Can I substitute lemon juice for grated lemon peel in a recipe? (cake recipe, butter)

[no kudzu]

I have a Ricotta Lemon Pancake recipe which calls for 1 Tbl of grated lemon peel. I grated 2 lemons for another recipe and don't want to buy another one just for this recipe, especially since I now have 2 "naked" lemons sitting around.


there are several Ricotta Lemon pancake recipes I've seen with only juice and then some with only peel. Are the two interchangeable?

Thank you.

[oregonwoodsmoke]

Yes, you can. You might have to adjust the amount of liquid.

[jay5835]

Originally Posted by no kudzu

I have a Ricotta Lemon Pancake recipe which calls for 1 Tbl of grated lemon peel. I grated 2 lemons for another recipe and don't want to buy another one just for this recipe, especially since I now have 2 "naked" lemons sitting around.


there are several Ricotta Lemon pancake recipes I've seen with only juice and then some with only peel. Are the two interchangeable?

Thank you.

It won't taste as lemony without the zest, but I think you already know that. So, while you can make the pancakes without the zest, that doesn't mean you should.

If you're looking for something to use all that lemon juice in, make a simple syrup to pour on top of the pancakes.

[TerraDown]

Do you have any lemon extract? Much stronger essence of lemon.

[no kudzu]

Originally Posted by TerraDown

Do you have any lemon extract? Much stronger essence of lemon.

yes- can it be used in lieu of zest?

Also I use vinegar in whole milk to make buttermilk for recipes. Would lemon juice work just as well? Would that give any lemon flavor to my recipe? I wouldn't use lemon juice unless lemon zest or extract was called for.

[TerraDown]

Hi Nokudzu,
Yes, I exchange lemon juice for vinegar to make 'buttermilk' all the time.
And I have used lemon extract in place of zest. The flavor of the extract has a stronger flavor,
as would the lemon zest.

[gentlearts]

I wonder if the lemon juice would curdle the milk in the pancakes?

[no kudzu]

Originally Posted by gentlearts

I wonder if the lemon juice would curdle the milk in the pancakes?

not any more than the vinegar, I would suppose. The point is to make buttermilk.

[Debsi]

Most of the flavor is in the peel.

[Cliffie]

Originally Posted by no kudzu

yes- can it be used in lieu of zest?

Also I use vinegar in whole milk to make buttermilk for recipes. Would lemon juice work just as well? Would that give any lemon flavor to my recipe? I wouldn't use lemon juice unless lemon zest or extract was called for.

The short answer is yes and yes. Lemon extract works and so does lemon juice. If it curdles the milk, OK, you have buttermilk lemon pancakes instead of the regular kind. It sounds really good to me!