LEMON LAYER CAKE WITH LEMON CREAM FROSTING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375*F.
• Butter 2 8-inch round cake pans and line with parchment paper.
• Butter paper, dust with flour, knocking out the excess.
• Sift together flour, baking soda, and salt.
• Stir together milk and lemon juice (mixture will curdle)> Beat butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer until creamy.
• Gradually add sugar, beating until pale and fluffy.
• Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.
• Alternately add flour and milk mixtures in batches, beginning and ending with flour, mixing at low speed until just combined.
• Divide batter between pans, smoothing tops.
• Bake in middle of oven for about 20 minutes.
• Cool in pans on racks 10 minutes, then invert onto racks, remove paper, and cool completely.
• To make Lemon Curd; whisk together juice, zest, sugar, and eggs in a 2 quart heavy saucepan.
• Stir in butter and cook over moderately low heat, whisking frequently, until curd is thick enough to hold marks of whisk and first bubble appears on surface, about 6 minutes.
• Transfer to a bowl and chill, it's surface covered with plastic wrap until cold, at least 1 hour.
• To make frosting, beat cream and confectioners sugar with cleaned beaters until it just holds stiff peaks.
• Fold one third of whipped cream into lemon curd to lighten, then fold in remaining whipped cream.
• To assemble cake; put 1 cake layer, rounded side up, on a cake plate and spread with one fourth of frosting.
• Top with second layer, rounded side up and spread top and sides with remaining frosting.
• Decorate with Candied Violets if desired.
• Note: Cake can be assembled 1 day ahead and chilled in a cake keeper or loosely covered with plastic wrap (use toothpicks to hold wrap away from frosting).
• Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes before serving.