Lemons are well loved at our house. The great thing about lemons is that you can get them any time of year, and lemons always taste great no matter what time of year you are in. They bring a refreshing and light favor in the heat of summer, and they bring you a taste of warm summer days in the dead of winter. I found this Lemon recipe at a great baking blog, Sally's Baking Addiction, and I married it with a lush and creamy white chocolate frosting to smooth out the tartness of the lemon. The result is a keeper cake! I made this for my mom's birthday (another lemon lover!) and she is tough cake critic-and she gave it a big thumbs up!
Cake adapted from Sally's Baking Addiction
Ingredients:
Cake:
3 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup butter, softened
1 3/4 cups sugar
4 large eggs, at room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk
Zest of 2 lemons
Juice of 2 lemons
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup butter, softened
1 3/4 cups sugar
4 large eggs, at room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk
Zest of 2 lemons
Juice of 2 lemons
3 9" cake pans, lined with parchment and sprayed with nonstick cooking spray
Frosting:
2 sticks butter, softened
12 oz. white chocolate
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350˚. Sift the flour with the baking powder and salt, then set aside.
Using a stand mixer, whip the butter until smooth, then add the sugar and whip until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs until light, creamy and a light lemon color, then add the vanilla. Scrape down the sides as you go. Add the flour mixture and alternate it with the buttermilk, mixing on low until just combined then add the lemon juice and zest, and mix until just combined.
Divide the batter among the 3 pans, and spread the batter to even the tops. Bake for about 20-25 minutes, until the cake springs back to the tough and toothpick at the center, comes out clean. When ready, run a dull knife along the edge, and cool in the pans for about 10 minutes, then invert to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Meanwhile, make the frosting. Whip the butter until fluffy, then add the slightly cooled white chocolate and whip until combined. Then add the powdered sugar and vanilla, and whip until smooth and creamy.
Fill the layers with about 3/4 cup of frosting, leaving enough for frosting the sides and top. Enjoy!
