LEMON CAKE WITH LEMON MERINGUE BUTTERCREAM

Lemon Cake with Lemon Meringue Buttercream image

Provided by Food Network

Categories dessert

Time 3h

Yield 10 servings

Number Of Ingredients 17

Ingredients

3 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups sugar
5 extra-large eggs, room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting the pans
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
1 1/4 cups sugar
5 large egg yolks
3 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
Pinch fine salt
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into small pieces
1 (1/2 pint) raspberries

Steps:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 2 (9-inch) round cake pans. Line bottoms with buttered parchment paper and dust with flour.
In the bowl of an electric mixer cream the butter and sugar for 3 to 5 minutes, until light and fluffy. Add the eggs 1 at a time, scraping down the bowl as needed. Add the lemon juice and zest and mix well.
In another large bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Alternately beat in the dry ingredients and the milk to the batter in 3 parts, with dry ingredients at the beginning and the end. Mix until just combined.
Pour the batter equally into the 2 pans. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, until the tops are browned and a toothpick comes out clean. Cool on a baking rack for 30 minutes, then turn the cakes out onto a rack to cool completely.
Buttercream: Bring a few inches of water to a boil in a saucepan that can hold an electric mixer bowl above the water. Whisk the sugar, the yolks, lemon juice, cream of tartar, and salt in the bowl by hand. Set the bowl above the boiling water and continue whisking until the mixture is hot to the touch and the sugar dissolves, about 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer the bowl to a standing mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat the yolks at medium-high speed until light in texture and cool, about 10 minutes. Beat in the butter, a little at a time, until the icing is smooth and spreadable.
To assemble: place 1 layer on a cake plate, browned side down, and spread with approximately 1/4 of the frosting. Top with the second layer, browned side up, and frost the top and sides. Decorate with raspberries.
Click here to view Food Network Kitchen's healthier version of this recipe.