Ingredients
[CAKE]
All purpose flour - 1 and 1/2 cups
Baking powder - 2 tsp
Salt - 1/2 tsp
Unsalted butter - 1/2 cup, softened to room temperature
Granulated sugar - 1 cup
Citrus zest - 1 and 1/2 TBSP (combination of lemon, orange, and lime or other)
Eggs - 2 large, at room temperature (I used egg replacer)
Pure vanilla extract - 1 and 1/2 tsp
Whole milk- 1/2 cup, at room temperature
Freshly squeezed citrus juice - 1/3 cup, (combination of lemon, orange, and lime or other)
Baking powder - 2 tsp
Salt - 1/2 tsp
Unsalted butter - 1/2 cup, softened to room temperature
Granulated sugar - 1 cup
Citrus zest - 1 and 1/2 TBSP (combination of lemon, orange, and lime or other)
Eggs - 2 large, at room temperature (I used egg replacer)
Pure vanilla extract - 1 and 1/2 tsp
Whole milk- 1/2 cup, at room temperature
Freshly squeezed citrus juice - 1/3 cup, (combination of lemon, orange, and lime or other)
[WHIPPED FROSTING]
Cream cheese - 6 ounces block, softened to room temperature
Confectioners’ sugar - 3/4 cup
Pure vanilla extract - 1 and 1/2 tsp
Heavy whipping cream - 1 and 1/2 cups, cold
optional: sliced citrus fruits or citrus twists to garnish
[LEMON CURD]
Confectioners’ sugar - 3/4 cup
Pure vanilla extract - 1 and 1/2 tsp
Heavy whipping cream - 1 and 1/2 cups, cold
optional: sliced citrus fruits or citrus twists to garnish
[LEMON CURD]
Steps
Make the cake
1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Grease three 6" cake pans, line with parchment paper, then grease the parchment paper. Parchment paper helps the small cakes seamlessly release from the pans.
3. Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl. Set aside.
3. Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl. Set aside.
4. Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, beat the butter and sugar together on medium-high speed until combined, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula and then add the citrus zest. Beat on medium-high speed until combined and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs and vanilla extract. Beat on medium-high speed until combined. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl and beat again as needed to combine. Add half of the flour mixture, half of the milk, and half of the citrus juice. Beat on low speed until mostly combined, and then add the remaining flour mixture, milk, and citrus juice. Beat on low speed until combined. Do not over-mix. You may need to whisk it all by hand to make sure there are no large lumps at the bottom of the bowl. The batter will be slightly thick with some small lumps. You will have between 3.5 – 4 cups of batter.
5. Divide and pour batter evenly into cake pans. If batter appears to have bubbles, give the pans a light tap on the counter to pop them. Bake cakes for 18-21 minutes or until baked through. To test for doneness, insert a toothpick into the center of the cake. If it comes out clean, it’s done.
5. Divide and pour batter evenly into cake pans. If batter appears to have bubbles, give the pans a light tap on the counter to pop them. Bake cakes for 18-21 minutes or until baked through. To test for doneness, insert a toothpick into the center of the cake. If it comes out clean, it’s done.
6. Allow cakes to cool completely in the pans set on a wire rack for 30 minutes. Remove cakes from the pans and set them on a wire rack to cool completely. The cakes must be completely cool before frosting and assembling.
Make the whipped frosting
1. In stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the cream cheese on medium-high speed until creamy, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl and beat again as needed until creamy.
2. Add the confectioners’ sugar and vanilla extract, and then beat on medium speed until combined and completely smooth (absolutely no lumps), at least 2 full minutes. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl and beat again as needed to smooth out.
3. Turn the mixer to low speed and with the mixer running, carefully pour in the cream in a slow and steady stream. After all of the cream has been added, turn the mixer up to high speed and whip until thick and stiff peaks form, about 1-2 minutes. Do not walk away during this time and do not be concerned if your frosting takes longer to whip. You’re looking for a thick, airy consistency with stiff peaks. If your frosting appears soupy now or at any point you are working with it, it needs more whipping to introduce more air. If your frosting appears chunky or curdled, it’s over-whipped. To fix, stir 1 Tablespoon of heavy cream into the frosting by hand to smooth out again. You will have about 3.5 cups of frosting.
4. To make lemon curd frosting filling, spoon 1 cup of frosting into a separate bowl. Stir in 3 heaping Tablespoons of cooled lemon curd. This will be your filling for the cake. Enjoy remaining lemon curd drizzled on the cake slices or as a topping on other baked goods.
Assemble
1. If the cake layers aren’t flat on top, carefully and slowly level them off using a large serrated knife.
2. Place 1 cake layer on your cake board. Evenly cover the top with 1/2 of the lemon curd frosting. Top with 2nd cake layer and evenly cover the top with remaining lemon curd frosting (if you have extras, just use it on the exterior of the cake). Top with the third cake layer. Spread a very thin layer of regular whipped frosting on top and all around the sides of the cake to create a crumb coat. Refrigerate uncovered for 30 minutes.
3. Add remaining frosting on chilled crumb-coated cake. Refrigerate the decorated cake uncovered for at least 30 minutes to help set the frosting.
4. After 30 minutes in the refrigerator, the decorated cake is fine to slice and serve or sit out at room temperature for a few hours. Cover leftover cake tightly and store in the refrigerator for 5 days.
3. Add remaining frosting on chilled crumb-coated cake. Refrigerate the decorated cake uncovered for at least 30 minutes to help set the frosting.
4. After 30 minutes in the refrigerator, the decorated cake is fine to slice and serve or sit out at room temperature for a few hours. Cover leftover cake tightly and store in the refrigerator for 5 days.
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