Yellow Lemon Cake With Candied Lemons and Pistachios

By vealam

Ingredients

• FOR CAKE:
• 1 cup  (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for the pans
• 2 1/2 cups  all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled, plus more for the pans
• 1 1/2 teaspoons  baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon  baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon  kosher salt
• 1 1/2 cups  sugar
• 2 teaspoons  pure vanilla extract
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 cup  whole milk
• 1 recipe  Lemon Curd
• 1 recipe  Lemon Frosting
• 2 cups  chopped pistachios
• 1 recipe  Candied Lemons
• FOR LEMON CURD:
• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
• 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
• pinch kosher salt
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• FOR LEMON FROSTING:
• 2 cups (4 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2 tablespoons finely grated lemon zest
• 1 pound confectioners’ sugar (about 3 3/4 cups), sifted
• pinch kosher salt
• FOR CANDIED LEMONS:
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 lemon, thinly sliced

Details

Servings 12
Adapted from realsimple.com

Preparation

Step 1

FOR CAKE:
Heat oven to 350°F. Butter two 8- or 9-inch round cake pans, line the bottoms with parchment, butter again, and dust with
flour, tapping out the excess. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar on medium-high until fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Beat in the vanilla, then the eggs one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.

Reduce mixer speed to low. Add the flour mixture in 3 additions and the milk in 2 additions, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Mix just until combined (do not overmix).

Transfer the batter to the prepared pans and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes for 8-inch pans and 22 to 25 minutes for 9-inch pans. Cool the cakes in the pans for 15 minutes, then turn out onto racks to cool completely.

Transfer one of the cooled cakes to a plate and spread with 1 cup of the lemon curd. Top with the remaining cake and refrigerate to set, 30 minutes. Spread the top and sides with the frosting. Using the palm of your hand, gently press the pistachios into the sides of the cake and top with the candied lemon slices.


FOR LEMON CURD:
In a heatproof bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, lemon zest and juice, and salt. Add the butter. Set the bowl over (not in) a saucepan of simmering water and cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture has thickened to the consistency of mayonnaise, 12 to 15 minutes.
Pour the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a medium bowl. Place a piece of parchment or wax paper directly on the surface of the lemon curd and refrigerate until completely cool, at least 2 hours and up to 2 days.


FOR LEMON FROSTING:
Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and lemon zest on high until light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Reduce mixer speed to low. Gradually add the sugar, then the salt, and beat until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.


FOR CANDIED LEMONS:
In a small saucepan, combine the sugar with ¾ cup water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the lemon slices and simmer until tender and translucent, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain and let cool completely on a rack before placing on the cake.