Lemon Layer Cake with Lemon Cream Cheese Buttercream

     There are three birthdays in our family during the months of April and May.  When my girls were little, their birthday cakes were almost always chocolate, filled with sweet cherries, and frosted with whipped heavy cream.  But lately, I ask what I should bake them for their birthdays.  They never reply with a flavor or a type of cake.  They do research for days, if not weeks, for a recipe they like, never taking into consideration the complexity or the availability of certain ingredients.  I guess I should be flattered that my daughters have faith in my ability to pull off whatever it is they choose.

     The recipe for this lemon layer cake appeared in my inbox, sent to me by my lemon-loving daughter about a week before her birthday.  I made the lemon curd filling and the lemon cream cheese buttercream three days ahead and the cake layers the day before I planned to assemble it, making it seem less labor intensive.  If you love lemon, this cake's for you.  It really was fabulous and I liked it even more after a couple of days when the flavors merged and became more intense. 

     I received an Ateco 612 Revolving Cake Stand this year and it makes all the difference in frosting a cake.  If you bake a lot of cakes and don't have one of these... get one!

     The big candied violet on top was purchased by my sister on a recent trip to Germany.  Loved it!  I suppose I need to start growing organic violets, too...     
    

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Lemon Layer Cake

Recipe, slightly adapted, from the website, MyCakeSchool.com

Lemon Curd
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1 cup water
• 2 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest (preferably organic)
• 4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1.  Combine sugar, cornstarch and water in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir constantly, until mixture thickens and comes to a boil. Boil, stirring, for 1 minute more.. Remove the pan from the heat. Spoon about 1/2 cup of the hot mixture into a small bowl with egg yolks and stir quickly until combined. Continue stirring, while pouring the egg mixture back into the saucepan. Return pan to medium heat and cook, stirring, until the curd is thickened (1-2 minutes). Remove from heat and stir in the butter, lemon juice, and lemon zest.  Let the lemon curd cool, then press plastic wrap onto the surface, this will prevent a skin from forming on the top. Refrigerate.

Lemon Cream Cheese Buttercream
• 2 sticks (16 tablespoons) unsalted butter, slightly softened but still cool to touch
• 2  8oz packages full fat cream cheese, slightly softened
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 1  1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1  teaspoons lemon extract
• 6 to 6 1/2 cups powdered (confectioner's) sugar, adding more if necessary
1.  Cut butter into 1/2 inch slices and place in the bowl of your mixer.  Beat until smooth.
2.  Cut the cream cheese into pieces and add to the butter.  Beat until blended.
3.  Add the lemon juice, lemon zest, and lemon extract.
4.  Gradually add the powdered sugar and beat until well blended.
5.  Refrigerate frosting until needed.  Allow frosting to soften slightly and remix before using.  Do not microwave to soften.  There will be enough frosting for a 3 layer, 8 or 9-inch cake.

Lemon Cake Layers
• 1 1/2 sticks (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened, plus additional butter for greasing pans
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 4 large eggs, room temperature
• 3 cups cake flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup milk
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1/4 cup canola oil or vegetable oil (preferably expeller pressed)
• zest of 2 lemons
• 1 tablespoon lemon extract
1.  PREHEAT OVEN to 350 degrees.
2.  Grease three 8-inch cake pans.  Line the base of each pan with a round of waxed paper; grease the paper and dust the interior of the pans with flour, tapping out any excess flour.
3.  In a medium bowl add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and zest of 2 lemons.  Whisk to blend and set aside.
4.  In another bowl, add the milk, canola or vegetable oil, lemon juice, and lemon extract.  Whisk to blend and set aside.
5.  In the bowl of a mixer, beat the softened butter until smooth.  Gradually add the sugar and mix on medium speed 3 to 5 minutes until it is light in color and fluffy.
6.  Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing until the yellow of the yolk disappears.
7.  Add the flour mixture and the milk mixture alternately, beginning and ending with the flour (3 additions of flour and 2 of milk).  Mix on medium speed until combined and smooth.  Do not overmix.
8.  Pour the batter into the prepared pans, smoothing the tops.  Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes before turning out.

ASSEMBLY
1.  Pipe a dam of lemon cream cheese buttercream about 1/4-inch inside the edge of the first layer.  Spread a thin layer of lemon curd inside the buttercream, then pipe and spread a layer of buttercream on top of it.  Repeat with the second layer.  Top with the third layer cake.
2.  Crumb coat the entire cake with a thin layer of the buttercream frosting.  Refrigerate the cake for about 30 minutes, remove from refrigerator and finish frosting the cake with the lemon cream cheese buttercream.  Refrigerate the cake if not eating immediately.  Pull the cake from the refrigerator about 20 minutes before serving.  And as I said earlier, I really think it tastes even better the next day.

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