Lime Yellow Cake Layers
By America's Test KitchenPublished on March 28, 2019
Time
1¾ hours, plus 1½ hours cooling
Yield
Makes two 9-inch cake layers
Ingredients
3 ¾ cups (15 ounces/425 grams) cake flour 2 ⅔ cups (18⅔ ounces) sugar, divided1 ¾ teaspoons baking powder ½ teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon table salt 1 ½ cups buttermilk, room temperature15 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly9 large egg yolks plus 5 large whites, room temperature, divided¼ cup vegetable oil 3 tablespoons lime zest plus 6 tablespoons juice (3 limes)1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Before You Begin
You will need cake pans that are at least 2 inches tall for this recipe.
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two 9-inch round cake pans, line with parchment paper, grease parchment, and flour pans. Whisk flour, 2⅓ cups sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in large bowl. Whisk buttermilk, melted butter, egg yolks, oil, lime zest and juice, and vanilla together in 4-cup liquid measuring cup or medium bowl.
- Using stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment, whip egg whites on medium-high speed until foamy, about 45 seconds. Gradually add remaining ⅓ cup sugar; continue to whip until stiff peaks just form, 2 to 3 minutes longer (whites should hold peaks, but mixture should appear moist). Transfer egg white mixture to bowl and set aside.
- Transfer flour mixture to clean, dry mixer bowl and fit mixer with clean, dry whisk attachment. With mixer running on low speed, gradually pour in buttermilk mixture and mix until almost incorporated and some streaks of dry flour remain, about 15 seconds. Stop mixer and scrape down bowl and whisk attachment. Mix on medium-low speed until smooth and fully combined, 10 to 15 seconds.
- Using rubber spatula, stir one-third of egg white mixture into batter to lighten, then gently fold in remaining egg white mixture until no white streaks remain. Divide batter evenly between prepared pans. Gently tap pans on counter several times to release air bubbles.
- Bake until cakes begin to pull away from sides of pans and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 40 to 44 minutes. Let cakes cool in pans on wire rack for 10 minutes. Loosen cakes from sides of pans with paring knife, then invert onto greased wire rack and discard parchment. Invert cakes again and let cool completely on rack, about 1½ hours.
Time
1¾ hours, plus 1½ hours coolingYield
Makes two 9-inch cake layersIngredients
3 ¾ cups (15 ounces/425 grams) cake flour
2 ⅔ cups (18⅔ ounces) sugar, divided
1 ¾ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon table salt
1 ½ cups buttermilk, room temperature
15 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
9 large egg yolks plus 5 large whites, room temperature, divided
¼ cup vegetable oil
3 tablespoons lime zest plus 6 tablespoons juice (3 limes)
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Ingredients
3 ¾ cups (15 ounces/425 grams) cake flour
2 ⅔ cups (18⅔ ounces) sugar, divided
1 ¾ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon table salt
1 ½ cups buttermilk, room temperature
15 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
9 large egg yolks plus 5 large whites, room temperature, divided
¼ cup vegetable oil
3 tablespoons lime zest plus 6 tablespoons juice (3 limes)
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Ingredients
3 ¾ cups (15 ounces/425 grams) cake flour
2 ⅔ cups (18⅔ ounces) sugar, divided
1 ¾ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon table salt
1 ½ cups buttermilk, room temperature
15 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
9 large egg yolks plus 5 large whites, room temperature, divided
¼ cup vegetable oil
3 tablespoons lime zest plus 6 tablespoons juice (3 limes)
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Why This Recipe Works
Soaking yellow cake layers with thawed limeade concentrate infused each layer with tangy lime flavor. For the filling, we used a homemade raspberry curd lightened with whipped cream and just enough gelatin to give it structure. Finishing with some reserved raspberry curd, fresh raspberries, and thin slices of lime made this cake a showstopper while adding an extra jolt of flavor.
Before You Begin
You will need cake pans that are at least 2 inches tall for this recipe.
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two 9-inch round cake pans, line with parchment paper, grease parchment, and flour pans. Whisk flour, 2⅓ cups sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in large bowl. Whisk buttermilk, melted butter, egg yolks, oil, lime zest and juice, and vanilla together in 4-cup liquid measuring cup or medium bowl.
- Using stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment, whip egg whites on medium-high speed until foamy, about 45 seconds. Gradually add remaining ⅓ cup sugar; continue to whip until stiff peaks just form, 2 to 3 minutes longer (whites should hold peaks, but mixture should appear moist). Transfer egg white mixture to bowl and set aside.
- Transfer flour mixture to clean, dry mixer bowl and fit mixer with clean, dry whisk attachment. With mixer running on low speed, gradually pour in buttermilk mixture and mix until almost incorporated and some streaks of dry flour remain, about 15 seconds. Stop mixer and scrape down bowl and whisk attachment. Mix on medium-low speed until smooth and fully combined, 10 to 15 seconds.
- Using rubber spatula, stir one-third of egg white mixture into batter to lighten, then gently fold in remaining egg white mixture until no white streaks remain. Divide batter evenly between prepared pans. Gently tap pans on counter several times to release air bubbles.
- Bake until cakes begin to pull away from sides of pans and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 40 to 44 minutes. Let cakes cool in pans on wire rack for 10 minutes. Loosen cakes from sides of pans with paring knife, then invert onto greased wire rack and discard parchment. Invert cakes again and let cool completely on rack, about 1½ hours.
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