RECIPE INDEX & RESOURCES

Monday, April 2, 2018

Triple Lemon Layer Cake


When we bought our house a little more than eleven years ago we did a significant amount of work to it. My long galley kitchen had gorgeous cabinetry but everything else was a bit out-dated. Beyond removing the wallpaper, repainting and doing some electrical work, we replaced the almond appliances with stainless ones, switched out the electric stove top and oven for a gas Wolf range, and had granite installed to replace the corian. At the time we were looking at granite samples, I thought marble might be a better choice. Not just aesthetically, but for its' timelessness quality. However, the granite contractor, who also happened to be a marble installer, talked me out of it. As much as I love the color and design of the granite we ultimately selected, it's a surface someone someday might consider out-dated. To this day I still don't know why I listened to the granite guy. In retrospect, the only plausible reasons were there were too many other renovation decisions to be made, I was getting tired of sleeping on an air mattress while being surrounded by a constant state of renovation dust, and my professional life at the time was beyond time consuming. In other words, the granite/marble contractor caught me at a weak moment. I haven't even dared to think about replacing the eleven year old granite counter tops as there are still some other house projects needing to be done. Maybe if I win the lottery, I might be able to convince a certain someone this would be a good idea. 


If I didn't have this food blog, I wouldn't constantly wonder what a cake, cookies, or ingredients would look like photographed on marble surface. Convinced by a certain someone a decent sized piece of marble or porcelain would not only cost hundreds of dollars and be almost too heavy for me to pick up, I gave up trying to find one a couple of years ago. But late last week I decided to see if those assumptions still held true or if I was intentionally being misguided. I went online and found there was a marble/granite supply company less than five miles from where I live. It didn't matter this was a supplier who sold primarily to the trade. I was on a mission. Besides, what could be the worst thing to happen if I went there? They could tell me 'sorry, we can't help you'. Well, in the grand scheme of worse case scenarios, this wasn't enough to deter me. So off I went. And guess what? The worst thing didn't happen. After being shown some smaller leftover pieces of marble (too heavy to lift) and porcelain (lifted with relative ease), they cut a piece of porcelain to the size I wanted and even carried it out to my car! Turns out it was one of those the stars were aligned kind of days on so many levels.


So I now I have another surface on which to photograph food. Yippee! Learning curve, here I come! And hey, lucky you! You get to go on this journey of seeing how long it takes for me to capture the photos I have been seeing in my head for years! Let's hope some of the visual changes coming to the blog in the weeks and months ahead make us both happy and hungry!


As much as I love the flavor of lemon in desserts, I had never made a lemon cake before. Crazy, right? So while I am going to tell you this is the best lemon cake I have ever made, in full disclosure I have to tell you it's the ONLY one I ever made. However, if comparing the texture and crumb of this cake with the many other kinds of cakes I have made before, this one may rank up there as being one of the best cakes I have ever made. Being a Virgo with strong perfectionist tendencies I am more likely to render a bit of (self) criticism than to render effusive praise. Which means I don't throw the word 'best' around very often. 

There are three components to this Triple Lemon Layer Cake. The cake, the lemon curd, and the lemon buttercream icing. All of them are relatively easy to make. As with any new recipe, there are always lessons to be learned along the way. The biggest lesson was 'make the lemon curd hours, if not the night before making the cake' as it needs times to chill and further thicken. But if you too have someone in your house that could sit and eat an entire jar of lemon curd in one sitting, hide it the refrigerator, put a skull and crossbones on the jar, or come up with a threat they might take seriously. 


Instead of all-purpose flour, this cake is made with cake flour. And the lemon flavoring in the cake comes from lemon zest, not lemon juice. A total of 1 3/4 cups (350g) of granulated sugar is used in the cake. However, 1/4 of the sugar is combined with the lemon zest to create a lemon sugar. Ultimately all of the sugar is mixed into the cake batter, but it's done in two different additions.


After creaming the unsalted butter, the lemon sugar is beaten in until lightly fluffy. Then the remaining 1 1/2 cups (300g) are added. Again this mixture is beaten until it's light and fluffy. As with most cakes, dry and wet ingredients are alternately added in. This Triple Lemon Layer Cake is no exception. Beginning with the milk, the wet and dry ingredients (sifted cake flour, baking powder, and salt) are added in three additions. At this point you will have a thick, lush, creamy batter.

Whipped egg whites, carefully folded into the cake batter in four additions, help to give this cake an incredible lightness and texture. Instead of dividing the cake batter between two 8" cake pans (and cutting each layer in half), I divided the cake batter evenly between three 8" cake pans. Eliminating the need to attempt to evenly cut any of the layers in half.


In a preheated 350 degree (F) oven, the cake will bake in 25-28 minutes. After the baked cakes cool in their pans for 10 minutes, remove from the pans and carefully place on a cooling rack. It's important to let the cake layers cool completely or risk having your icing and/or lemon curd melt and/or weep. 


The amount of lemon curd the recipe below makes more than you need for the cake and the buttercream icing. So there is plenty to give to the lemon curd lover you guilted into refraining from indulging themselves in the lemony pot of gold calling their name.  


Instead of spreading the lemon curd directly on each cake layer, spread a thin layer of the lemon buttercream icing. It will make all the difference in the world to your finished cake. 


Almost all of the lemon buttercream icing recipes I had looked at called for using freshly squeezed lemon juice, lemon zest or a combination of both to give the icing its' lemon flavor. However, this icing gets it's mild lemony flavor from the lemon curd. Each part of the Triple Lemon Layer Cake has its' own deliciousness factor. But the Lemon Buttercream Frosting is in a flavor league of its' own. 


In addition to letting the lemon curd have a longer cooling time, I would have made a bit more icing. The recipe below will give you enough icing for thin layers on each of the layers, a thin naked look on the side of the cake and for all of the pastry bag created swirls on top. Next time I make this cake, I will definitely make more of the lemon buttercream icing.


The Triple Lemon Layer Cake is and was beautiful before the addition of the fresh blackberries and lemon curd droplets. As with most cakes, there are a multitude of finishing options. Including but not limited to, fresh berries (raspberries, blackberries, blueberries), edible flowers, candied lemon slices, etc. So whether you choose an unadorned or adorned look for this cake, you can't go wrong.


As a chocolate lover, I don't think I understood why so many were lemon cake fans. Then I tasted this Triple Lemon Layer Cake. Almost instantly I felt as if I joined the club I didn't even know I should have belonged to, let alone existed. Every element of this cake is swoonworthy. If like me, you haven't ever made or undervalued a lemon cake, make this one. For the lemon cake lovers in your family or circle of friends, make them this cake for their birthday. Or make it for them for no reason. But just make it. Because it really will be the BEST lemon cake you will ever taste!

Recipe
Triple Lemon Layer Cake (Cake only recipe is a slightly altered version of cake portion of Fine Cooking's Triple Lemon Layer Cake recipe)

Ingredients
Lemon Curd
4 large eggs, room temperature
1 1/2 cups (300g) granulated sugar
2/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (from approximately 4 medium sized lemons)
Zest from four lemons
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter), room temperature soft
pinch of sea salt

Cake
2 1/3 cups (303g) cake flour
2 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 3/4 cups (350g) granulated sugar, divided
2 Tablespoons finely grated lemon zest
12 Tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup whole milk
5 large egg whites
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

Lemon Buttercream Icing
1 1/2 cups (12 ounces) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 pound confectionary sugar, sifted
4 Tablespoons lemon curd
4 Tablespoons heavy whipping cream

Directions
Lemon Curd
1. In a heavy bottom medium sized saucepan, beat eggs and sugar together.
2. Add lemon juice, lemon zest, butter, and sea salt. Stir until all ingredients are combined.
3. On medium-high heat, bring mixture to a boil (stir constantly).
4. Remove from heat, transfer to a heat proof bowl or jars. Place a piece of plastic wrap on top to prevent a crust from forming. Allow to cool before chilling in the refrigerator. (Note: Mixture will need to be well chilled before proceeding. Can make lemon curd early in the morning or the day before. Recommend giving the lemon curd at least four hours of chilling time before using.)

Cake
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F). Prepare three 8" cake pans with butter and parchment paper. Set aside.
2. Sift the cake flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium sized bowl. Set aside.
3. Put 1/4 cup of the granulated sugar and the lemon zest in a small food processor. Pulse until well combined to create lemon sugar.
4. In a large bowl, beat the butter and lemon sugar with a hand held mixer until light and fluffy (approximately 2 minutes).
5. Add in the remaining 1 1/2 cups of sugar and beat until smooth (approximately 2 minutes).
6. In a separate bowl or in a standing mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat egg whites on medium speed just until foamy. Add the cream of tartar, increase the speed to high, and beat until the white form stiff but not dry peaks. 
7. Add a quarter of the whipped egg whites into the batter. Gently fold in with a spatula. Continue to fold in whites, one quarter at a time until incorporated. Be careful not to over fold or completely deflate the egg whites.
8. Divide the batter evenly between the three prepared pans. Smooth tops with an offset spatula. Bake for 25-28 minutes or until a toothpick in the center comes out clean. Let cakes cool in pans for 10 minutes.
9. Run a knife along the inside edge of the cake pan, and carefully invert cakes onto a cooling rack. Allow to cool completely before assembling.

Lemon Buttercream Icing
1. In a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat butter until light and fluffy (approximately 3-4 minutes).
2. Add in half of the sifted confectionary sugar. Beat until partially incorporated. Add in remaining confectionary sugar and beat until fully incorporated.
3. Add in lemon curd and whipping cream. Beat until light and fluffy. Approximately 4-5 minutes. Note: If icing is too thick, add in additional whipping cream, one tablespoon at a time.

Cake Assembly
1. Place one of the cake layers (top baked side down) on a cake platter or cake stand. Spread a thin layer of the lemon buttercream icing over the cake. Spread a generous 1/3 cup of the lemon curd over the icing spreading to at least 1/2" from the edge. 
2. Add second cake layer (top baked side down) and repeat icing and lemon curd spreading.
3. Add final cake layer (top baked side down). Spread a thin layer of icing over the top and along the sides of the cake (for a naked cake finished look).
4. Put remaining lemon buttercream icing into a pastry tube, fitted with the tip of your choice and pipe on top of the cake.
5. Serve and enjoy. But if not serving immediately, store the cake lightly covered in the refrigerator. Remove at least 1 hour before serving.

Notes: (1) Can finish the iced cake with fresh berries (e.g., blackberries, raspberries, or blueberries), edible flowers, or candied lemon slices or not. The choice is yours! (2) If you would like the sides of your cake finished with a thicker layer of the lemon buttercream icing, increase the amount of icing made. Would recommend increasing the recipe by a quarter to a third to achieve that finish. (3) The recipe for the lemon curd makes more than you will need for the cake and the icing. Store in sealed jar in the refrigerator. It will last for a couple of weeks. It is great served on cheese platter, spread on ginger cookies or graham crackers, on a Dutch Baby, or simply eaten with a spoon.


Whidbey Island, Washington (June 2017)