I’ve been lucky enough to have an amazing mom who has baked me a homemade cake every year for my birthday. Not only that, but she has never made me the same cake twice. I get something new every single year, and it’s a tradition I love. So for her recent milestone birthday, I wanted to bake her something extra special. I let her choose a flavor — lemon — but then the rest was up to me. As soon as I found this recipe for Triple-Lemon Layer Cake, I was sold. I made a few changes, including substituting a block of cream cheese for one of the sticks of butter in the icing and adding a layer of icing in addition to the lemon curd in between the layers. It turned out perfect, and my mom loved it.
Lemon Layer Cake
2014-06-09 06:48:47
For the Cake
- 9 1/4 oz. (2-1/3 cups) cake flour; more for the pans
- 2 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon table salt
- 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons lightly packed finely grated lemon zest
- 6 oz. (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, completely softened at room temperature; more for the pans
- 1 cup whole milk, at room temperature
- 5 large egg whites, at room temperature
- 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
For the Lemon Curd Filling
- 4 oz. (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons lightly packed finely grated lemon zest
- Pinch salt
- 6 large egg yolks
For the Frosting
- 1 stick (1/2 cup) of unsalted butter, completely softened at room temperature
- 1 oz. package of cream cheese, softened at room temperature
- 2 tablespoons lightly packed finely grated lemon zest
- 3 1/2 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Making the Lemon Curd
- Melt the butter in a heavy medium saucepan over medium heat.
- Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the sugar, lemon juice, zest, and salt. Whisk in the yolks until smooth.
- Return the pan to medium-low heat and cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens, 5 to 6 minutes. (To check if the curd is thick enough, dip a wooden spoon into it and draw a your finger across the the back of the spoon; your finger should leave a path.) Don't let the mixture boil.
- Immediately force the curd through a fine sieve into a bowl, using a rubber spatula.
- Let cool at room temperature, whisking occasionally.
- Refrigerate, covered, until ready to use.
Making the Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350 F.
- Generously butter and flour two 8 x 2-inch round cake pans.
- Sift the cake flour, baking powder, and salt together into a medium bowl.
- Pulse 1/4 cup of the sugar with the zest in a food processor until well combined.
- In a large bowl, beat the butter and lemon sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy (about 1 1/2 minutes).
- Add the remaining 1 1/2 cups sugar and beat until smooth (about 1 1/2 minutes).
- Beat in a quarter of the milk just until blended. On low speed, add the flour mixture alternately with the milk in three batches, scraping the bowl with a rubber spatula; beat just until blended.
- In another large bowl, beat the egg whites with an electric mixer (with clean beaters or the whip attachment) on medium speed just until foamy.
- Add the cream of tartar, increase the speed to medium high, and beat just until the whites form stiff peaks when the beaters are lifted.
- Add a quarter of the whites to the batter and gently fold them in with a whisk or a rubber spatula; continue to gently fold in the whites, a quarter at a time, being careful not to deflate the mixture.
- Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans. Smooth the tops with the spatula.
- Bake until a pick inserted in the centers comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes.
- Let cool in the pans on a rack for 10 minutes. Run a table knife around the inside of the pans and carefully invert each cake out onto the rack. Flip them right side up and let cool completely.
Making the Icing
- In a medium bowl, beat the butter, cream cheese, and lemon zest with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy.
- Add the confectioners’ sugar in batches and beat until light and fluffy.
- Add the lemon juice and beat for 1 minute. (You can make the icing a couple of hours ahead and keep it, covered, at cool room temperature.)
Assembling the Cake
- With the palm of one hand pressed on top of a cake layer, cut each in half horizontally, using a long serrated knife.
- Put one of the four cake layers on a serving plate, cut side up.
- With an offset spatula or a table knife, spread the cake layer with a thin layer of the icing and then spread about 1/3 cup of chilled lemon curd on top of the icing.
- Lay another cake layer on top, spread it with another thin layer of icing and a 1/3 cup lemon curd, and repeat with the third cake layer, using the last 1/3 cup lemon curd.
- Top with the fourth cake layer, and then spread the remaining icing on the top and sides of cake.
- Store in refrigerator.
Adapted from Fine Cooking
Adapted from Fine Cooking
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