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1. First prepare the base in the following manner: Preheat the oven to 350. With a pastry brush, spread 1 tablespoon of the softened butter evenly over the bottom of an 8-inch square cake pan. Set it aside.
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2. In a deep bowl, cream the remaining 8 tablespoons of butter and ¼ cup of the confectioners' sugar together by beating and mashing them against the sides of the bowl with the back of a large spoon until the mixture is light and fluffy.
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3. Beat in 1 cup of the flour ½ cup at a time. Place the mixture in the buttered pan and, with your fingers, pat it smooth. Bake in the middle of the oven for 15 minutes, or until the cookie base is delicately colored and firm to the touch.
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4. Meanwhile, combine the granulated sugar, the remaining 2 tablespoons of flour and the baking powder, and sift them into a bowl. Add the eggs and beat vigorously with a spoon until the mixture is smooth. Stir in 2 tablespoons of the lemon juice and the 2 teaspoons of lemon peel.
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5. When the cookie base has baked its allotted time, pour the egg batter over it and smooth the top with the back of the spoon. Continue baking for about 25 minutes longer, or until the top is golden brown and firm. Remove the pan from the oven and let cool to room temperature.
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6. To prepare the icing: Combine the remaining cup of confectioners' sugar and 2 tablespoons of lemon juice in a bowl and mix well. If the icing is stiff, stir in up to 1 tablespoon more lemon juice by the teaspoonful until the icing becomes creamy enough to spread.
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7. With a rubber spatula, scoop the icing onto the cooled lemon-bar cake and spread it evenly over the top. Set the lemon-bar cake aside for about 15 minutes,until the icing hardens, then cut the cake into 2-by-1-inch bars.
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8. Drape foil or wax paper over the pan and let the lemon bars rest at room temperature for about a day before serving them. The three layers-cookie base, lemon topping and icing-win blend with one another and give the lemon bars the chewy, somewhat sticky consistency of gumdrops.
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