Lemon Lover's Cake
By America's Test KitchenPublished on August 21, 2007
Time
2½ hours, plus 2 hours cooling
Yield
Makes 1 (9-inch) cake
Ingredients
Yellow Cake
2 cups (8 ounces/227 grams) cake flour 1½ cups (10½ ounces/298 grams) granulated sugar, divided1 teaspoon baking powder ¼ teaspoon baking soda ¾ teaspoon salt ¾ cup buttermilk 5 large egg yolks plus 3 large egg whites8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled3 tablespoons vegetable oil 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract ⅛ teaspoon cream of tartar 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest 2 cups lemon curd Sugared lemon slices (optional)Buttercream
20 tablespoons (2½ sticks) unsalted butter, softened2½ cups (10 ounces/283 grams) confectioners' sugar ⅛ teaspoon table salt 2 tablespoons heavy cream 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest plus ¼ cup juice 2 teaspoons vanilla extractChocolate Curls
1 (4 ounces/113 grams) chunk white chocolateBefore You Begin
A lemon layer cake is an elegant way to greet spring. Like the season, lemon cake can resemble either a lion or a lamb. With potent citrus punches in the cake, frosting, lemon curd topping, and candied lemon garnish, our cake positively roars.
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two 9-inch cake pans, line with parchment paper, grease parchment, and flour pans. Whisk flour, 1¼ cups sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in large bowl. Whisk buttermilk, egg yolks, melted butter, oil, and vanilla together in separate bowl. Add buttermilk mixture to flour mixture and whisk until just combined.
- Using stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment, whip egg whites and cream of tartar on medium-low speed until foamy, about 1 minute. Increase speed to medium-high and whip whites to soft, billowy mounds, about 1 minute. Gradually add remaining ¼ cup sugar and whip until glossy, stiff peaks form, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Whisk one-third of whites into batter. Using rubber spatula, gently fold remaining whites into batter until no white streaks remain. Gently fold in lemon zest until just combined. Divide batter evenly among prepared pans, smooth tops, and gently tap pans on counter to release air bubbles.
- Bake until tops are light golden and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes, rotating pans halfway through baking. Let cakes cool in pans for 15 minutes. Remove cakes from pans, discard parchment, and let cool completely on wire rack, about 2 hours.
- Using stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment, whip butter on medium-high speed until smooth, about 20 seconds. Add sugar and salt and mix on medium-low speed until most of sugar is moistened, about 45 seconds. Scrape down bowl; add cream, lemon zest and juice, and vanilla and whip on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes, scraping down bowl as needed.
- Heat chocolate in microwave on lowest power until exterior just begins to feel sticky, 10 to 20 seconds. Run vegetable peeler along one side of chocolate to create curls. (Don’t worry if some curls break—they’ll still look attractive piled on cake.)
- lice cake layers in half, creating 4 layers. Place 1 cake round on serving platter. Spread ½ cup frosting over cake. Repeat twice more with 2 cake rounds and ½ cup frosting per layer. Top with final cake round. Spread 1¼ cups frosting on sides of cake, then spread remaining frosting in 2-inch band on top of cake, leaving center of cake bare. Spread lemon curd on center of cake, using spoon to bring curd to edge of frosting. Arrange chocolate curls in frosting on top of cake and press lemon slices, if using, around bottom edge of cake. Serve.
for the cake
for the buttercream
for the chocolate curls
Time
2½ hours, plus 2 hours coolingYield
Makes 1 (9-inch) cakeIngredients
Yellow Cake
2 cups (8 ounces/227 grams) cake flour
1½ cups (10½ ounces/298 grams) granulated sugar, divided
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon salt
¾ cup buttermilk
5 large egg yolks plus 3 large egg whites
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
⅛ teaspoon cream of tartar
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
2 cups lemon curd
Sugared lemon slices (optional)
Buttercream
20 tablespoons (2½ sticks) unsalted butter, softened
2½ cups (10 ounces/283 grams) confectioners' sugar
⅛ teaspoon table salt
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest plus ¼ cup juice
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Chocolate Curls
1 (4 ounces/113 grams) chunk white chocolate
Ingredients
Yellow Cake
2 cups (8 ounces/227 grams) cake flour
1½ cups (10½ ounces/298 grams) granulated sugar, divided
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon salt
¾ cup buttermilk
5 large egg yolks plus 3 large egg whites
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
⅛ teaspoon cream of tartar
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
2 cups lemon curd
Sugared lemon slices (optional)
Buttercream
20 tablespoons (2½ sticks) unsalted butter, softened
2½ cups (10 ounces/283 grams) confectioners' sugar
⅛ teaspoon table salt
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest plus ¼ cup juice
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Chocolate Curls
1 (4 ounces/113 grams) chunk white chocolate
Ingredients
Yellow Cake
2 cups (8 ounces/227 grams) cake flour
1½ cups (10½ ounces/298 grams) granulated sugar, divided
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon salt
¾ cup buttermilk
5 large egg yolks plus 3 large egg whites
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
⅛ teaspoon cream of tartar
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
2 cups lemon curd
Sugared lemon slices (optional)
Buttercream
20 tablespoons (2½ sticks) unsalted butter, softened
2½ cups (10 ounces/283 grams) confectioners' sugar
⅛ teaspoon table salt
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest plus ¼ cup juice
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Chocolate Curls
1 (4 ounces/113 grams) chunk white chocolate
Why This Recipe Works
Although our Lemon Lover's Cake looks elegant and dainty, there's nothing delicate about its bold citrus flavor, which packs a punch in the cake, frosting, lemon curd topping, and candied lemon garnish. Our Lemon Lover's Cake recipe calls for lemon curd, which is easy to make. But if you're going to convenience, jarred lemon curd works just as well. Zesting only the bright yellow outer peel of the lemon brightened our Lemon Lover's Cake recipe by avoiding the white pith underneath the peel, which can impart a bitter flavor.
Before You Begin
A lemon layer cake is an elegant way to greet spring. Like the season, lemon cake can resemble either a lion or a lamb. With potent citrus punches in the cake, frosting, lemon curd topping, and candied lemon garnish, our cake positively roars.
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two 9-inch cake pans, line with parchment paper, grease parchment, and flour pans. Whisk flour, 1¼ cups sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in large bowl. Whisk buttermilk, egg yolks, melted butter, oil, and vanilla together in separate bowl. Add buttermilk mixture to flour mixture and whisk until just combined.
- Using stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment, whip egg whites and cream of tartar on medium-low speed until foamy, about 1 minute. Increase speed to medium-high and whip whites to soft, billowy mounds, about 1 minute. Gradually add remaining ¼ cup sugar and whip until glossy, stiff peaks form, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Whisk one-third of whites into batter. Using rubber spatula, gently fold remaining whites into batter until no white streaks remain. Gently fold in lemon zest until just combined. Divide batter evenly among prepared pans, smooth tops, and gently tap pans on counter to release air bubbles.
- Bake until tops are light golden and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes, rotating pans halfway through baking. Let cakes cool in pans for 15 minutes. Remove cakes from pans, discard parchment, and let cool completely on wire rack, about 2 hours.
- Using stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment, whip butter on medium-high speed until smooth, about 20 seconds. Add sugar and salt and mix on medium-low speed until most of sugar is moistened, about 45 seconds. Scrape down bowl; add cream, lemon zest and juice, and vanilla and whip on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes, scraping down bowl as needed.
- Heat chocolate in microwave on lowest power until exterior just begins to feel sticky, 10 to 20 seconds. Run vegetable peeler along one side of chocolate to create curls. (Don’t worry if some curls break—they’ll still look attractive piled on cake.)
- lice cake layers in half, creating 4 layers. Place 1 cake round on serving platter. Spread ½ cup frosting over cake. Repeat twice more with 2 cake rounds and ½ cup frosting per layer. Top with final cake round. Spread 1¼ cups frosting on sides of cake, then spread remaining frosting in 2-inch band on top of cake, leaving center of cake bare. Spread lemon curd on center of cake, using spoon to bring curd to edge of frosting. Arrange chocolate curls in frosting on top of cake and press lemon slices, if using, around bottom edge of cake. Serve.
for the cake
for the buttercream
for the chocolate curls
Gift This Recipe
Enjoyed this dish? Let others know by sharing it as a gift recipe.
Appears In
Key Equipment
Keep Exploring
My Rating
This is a members' feature.
0 Comments