LEMON CAKE

LEMON CAKE image

Yield 12

Number Of Ingredients 39

Ingredients

Yellow Lemon Cake With Candied Lemons and Pistachios
Christopher Baker
Serves 12
Hands-On Time: 1hr 00m
Total Time: 3hr 00m
Ingredients
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
Lemon Curd
Christopher Baker
Makes 1 3/4 cups
Hands-On Time: 25m
Total Time: 2hr 25m
Ingredients
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
Directions
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.
Tip
Using this as a cake filling? After spreading the curd on the bottom cake layer, place the second layer on top and press gently. Step back and check that the cake is level and centered, then chill for 30 minutes before frosting.
Nutritional Information
Serving Size: 1/12 of recipe
Calories 158; Calories From Fat 82; Fat 9g; Sat Fat 5g; Cholesterol 91mg; Sodium 34mg; Protein 2g; Carbohydrate 18g; Sugar 17g; Fiber 0g; Iron 0mg; Calcium 13mg

Steps:

Directions 1. 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. 2. 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. 3. 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). 4. 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. 5. 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. Tip Dab some frosting on the plate before putting down the first layer of cake. This will prevent the cake from sliding around. Nutritional Information Calories 1077; Calories