Is it safe to eat a cake with semi spoiled lemon rind?
I made a lemon cake and used a little bit of lemon rind. I had the lemon in my fruit basket for around a month, it still had it's shape and colour so I thought it was alright and decided to bake a lemon cake so I grated some lemon rind. Once I cut the lemon in half, a little section of it turned to a light brown colour so I discarded it. The cake has come out of the oven and tastes fine, although a little bitter from the lemon rind. Is it safe to eat? The lemon was only a little bit spoiled.
Best Answer
Of course if an item is spoiled this means you should throw out anything that contains the spoiled item. However, based on your description, I have an alternative hypothesis. Brown discoloration in fruit does not mean the fruit is spoiled. Discoloration can be normal, especially if there was no unusual smells or changes in texture in the lemon. You said the lemon still appeared fresh on the outside.
The more likely scenario is that the bitterness is from the lemon rind itself. The white pith underneath the outer bright yellow layer of the lemon rind is very bitter. If you go too deep while zesting a lemon your dish can easily be ruined by nasty bitterness. Only scrape the outer yellow surface when zesting a lemon. This can be quite challenging and takes some practice before you start zesting like an expert.
Without a further description of the lemon, it is impossible to say whether it is spoiled or not (it very well could be), but even if it was I doubt the spoiled lemon is causing bitterness (it would probably cause a different but equally undesirable flavor).
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Quick Answer about "Is it safe to eat a cake with semi spoiled lemon rind?"
Spoiled means that some sort of bacteria has started growing to the point where it is noticeable in the fruit. There is no way (short of a lab test) to determine if the bacteria will make you sick or not. You might be fine, and you might get really sick. I would not eat the cake.Is lemon zest a preservative for cake?
It works by lowering the pH of the preserved foods to create an acidic environment that is not hospitable to bacterial growth. You can use bottled lemon juice, or cut open a fresh lemon and use the juice in canning or dehydrating your food. Zest works too but not as potent and reliable as lemon juice its self.Does one moldy lemon ruin the rest?
In a Nutshell. Throw out moldy or rotten lemons. If the fruit is shriveled or squishy, it's probably best to squeeze its juice and discard the rest. Whole lemons last 1 to 2 week at room temperature, and up to 6 weeks in the fridge.How long do lemon rinds last?
Lemon peel stores beautifully in small jars in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Because lemon zest is so compact, I recommend using a tiny jar to preserve space in the fridge.Can lemon preserve cake?
Can Lemon be Used To Preserve Cakes and Baked Goods? Since lemons contain citric acid, in theory, this means that they may serve to keep cakes and other baked goods fresher for a little longer. Citric acid is commonly used commercially as a preservative in baked goods.Can Eating A Lemon Per Day Sky Rocket My Energy?
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Answer 2
Spoiled means that some sort of bacteria has started growing to the point where it is noticeable in the fruit. There is no way (short of a lab test) to determine if the bacteria will make you sick or not. You might be fine, and you might get really sick. I would not eat the cake.
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