Lemon Cake

By cooksalot

This moist & delicious scratch lemon cake recipe has become one of our family favorites! Lemon pairs wonderfully with so many flavors for filling (raspberry, blueberry, coconut…) but we’ve included a lemon cream cheese and lemon curd filling which we think are just perfect! {Cake recipe holds up to fondant also.}

Ingredients

• Cake
• 2 1/2 cups (285g) cake flour
• 1 1/2 cups (300g) granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon (3g) salt
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 sticks (12 T) (169g) unsalted butter, softened
• 4 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 1/4 cup (302g) milk
• 2 Tablespoons (18g) vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons (8g) lemon extract
• zest of 2 lemons
• Frosting
• 3 (8 ounces)(678g) cream cheese …..I used full fat cream cheese
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup (66g) lemon curd –see clarification below.
• 3 cups (345g) powdered sugar
• Lemon Curd
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1 cup water
• 2 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
• 2 Tablespoons butter
• 1 Tablespoon grated lemon zest
• 4 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Preparation

Step 1

*Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
Grease and flour two 8 x 2 inch round pans

*I use the reverse creaming method for this recipe.

In the bowl of your mixer combine:

2 1/2 cups (285g) cake flour
1 1/2 cups (300g) granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon (3g) salt
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
Whisk to blend

Added during the mixing process:

1 1/2 sticks (12 T) (169g) unsalted butter, softened ( do not soften in the microwave) you can cut into 1/4 inch slices onto waxed paper to soften more quickly

In a separate bowl combine:

4 large eggs, room temperature
1 1/4 cup (302g) milk
2 Tablespoons (18g) vegetable oil
2 teaspoons (8g) lemon extract
zest of 2 lemons – best done with a microplane, just the yellow of the lemon
Blend together with a fork

Whisk the dry ingredients for 30 seconds to combine. With your mixer on low to medium speed, slowly add the pieces of softened butter, a few piece at a time. Beat approximately 1 minute or until the dry ingredients are crumbly and moistened by the butter. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to make sure there is no dry flour. Gradually add approximately 1/2 of the egg mixture to the dry ingredients and beat at medium speed for 1 1/2 minutes, the batter will become thick and fluffy. Scrape the bowl and add the remaining egg mixture in 2 additions, scraping the bowl and beating for 20 seconds after each addition.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pans 10 minutes then turn out.

Make 6 1/2 cups batter

Works well for cupcakes. For cakes, we love the lemon cream cheese frosting and lemon curd recipes below.

Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

In a large mixing bowl, mix the cream cheese at low to medium speed just until smooth. (*Overmixing may cause the frosting to break & become overly soft.) Blend in the lemon curd and gradually add the powdered sugar and mix. Decorate your cake or refrigerate until ready to use. Cream cheese frosting is perishable.

Makes 4 1/2 cups

** I’ve adjusted the amount of lemon curd listed above after posting this recipe as some have said that the frosting came out softer than they wanted. Start by adding 1/4 cup lemon curd and add more based on desired flavor & consistency.

Lemon Curd

Combine sugar and cornstarch in a saucepan over medium heat. Pour in water. Stir constantly, until mixture thickens and comes to a boil (3-4 minutes). 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 turning the egg mixture into the saucepan. Return pan to medium heat and cook, stirring, until the curd is thickened and lemon colored (1-2 min). Remove from heat and stir in the butter, lemon juice, and lemon zest.– Cool.



To assemble:

The lemon cake layers will have a layer of lemon cream cheese frosting & lemon curd between them. Starting with the bottom layer of cake, pipe a dam of cream cheese frosting about 1/4 inch from the edge of the layer before filling it with a thin layer of lemon curd, and follow with another layer of lemon cream cheese frosting before adding the next layer of cake. (Repeat for as many layers as you’ve made. We only made 2 layers.). Frost with lemon cream cheese frosting and refrigerate any leftovers. Enjoy!