LEMON VELVET CAKE

Lemon Velvet Cake image

Number Of Ingredients 18

1 1/4 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups sifted cake flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups sugar
2/3 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup vegetable shortening, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons pure lemon extract
3 large eggs
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1 lemon, zested
8 cups icing sugar
2 cups unsalted butter
1 teaspoon pure lemon extract
1 teaspoon minced lemon zest
4 tablespoons milk

Steps:

Grease and flour 2 nine inch round cake pans and line the bottom with 2 circles of parchment paper. Sift together both flours, baking soda. baking powder, salt and sugar and set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer beat together the vegetable oil, shortening, vanilla and lemon extract. Beat well at high speed with whisk attachment until light and fluffy.
Beat the eggs in one at a time.
Fold in the lemon zest.
Fold in the dry ingredients alternately with the buttermilk. Add dry ingredients in three divisions and liquid ingredients in 2 divisions. It is very important to begin and end the additions with the dry ingredients. Do not over mix the batter. As soon as it has no lumps in the batter, pour into the two prepared 9 inch cake pans.
Bake at 325 degrees F for 30-35 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool in the pans for 10 minutes before turning out onto wire racks to cool completely.
For the frosting, mix together the icing sugar, lemon zest and butter until it becomes sort of crumbly.
Add the lemon extract and a little of the milk.
Beat until smooth and fluffy, adding only enough milk to bring the frosting to a creamy spreadable consistency.
Fill and frost the cake.