Triple-Layer Lemon Cake

Get excited for this delicious summertime cake: the triple-layer lemon cake. I don’t even like lemon cake and I was drooling over this one. This is cake is ment to be shared as it is rich and decadent. Lucky for me I have a hospital full of co-workers waiting to party and split this cake with me 🙂

Ingredients: 

A) Lemon Curd
– 1 cup sugar
-4 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
– 3 teaspoons finely shredded lemon peel
– 6 Tablespoons lemon juice
– 6 Tablespoons water
– 6 egg yolks, Beaten
– 1/2 cup butter, cut up

B) Lemon Cake
– 1 cup butter
– 4 eggs
– 2 1/3 cups all purpose flour
– 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
– 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
– 1/4 teaspoon salt
– 2 cups sugar
– 2 teaspoon finely shredded lemon peel
– 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
-1 cup buttermilk

C) Lemon-Cream Cheese Icing
– 1 teaspoon finely shredded lemon peel
– 6oz cream cheese, softened
– 1/2 cup butter, softened
– 1 teaspoon lemon juice

Directions

A) Lemon Curd
Prep: 5 mins Cook: 8 mins Chill: 1 hour Makes: 2 cups
1. In a saucepan stir together sugar and flour. Stir in lemon peel, lemon juice, and water. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly

2. Stir half of the lemon mixture into the egg yolks.

Egg yolks

Beaten Egg Yolks

3. Return egg mixture to the saucepan. Cook, stirring constantly, over medium health until mixture comes to a gentle boil.

4. Remove from heat. Add butter; stir until melted.

5. Remove from heat. Cover surface with plastic wrap and chill 1 hour.

B) Lemon Cake
Prep: 1 1/4 hours Bake: 28 mins Oven: 350F Cool: 1 hour Makes: 12-16 servings

1. Grease and lightly flour three 8×1 1/2-inch or 9×1 1/2-inch round cake pans (if you only have two like me, don’t sweat. Put 1/3 of your batter in the fridge while the other two pans bake. Then use one of those pans when they are finished baking the first two cakes); Set pans aside. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. In a medium bowl stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

3.  In a large mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar, lemon peel, and lemon juice; beating until well combined.

I got away with using one lemon for its peel (one lemon only yields about 2 T juice) but next time I will buy a larger lemon so I make sure to have enough lemon zest.

4. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Alternately add flour mixture and buttermilk to butter mixture, beating on low speed after each addition just until combined. Spread into prepared pans.

5. Bake for 28 to 32 minutes for the 8-inch pans, 25 to 28 minutes for the 9-inch pans or until a wooden toothpick inserted near the centers comes out clean. Cool layers in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes. Remove cake layers from pans. Cool thoroughly on wire racks.

6. To assemble, turn two layers bottom sides up; spread with Lemon Curd. Stack these layers on a cake plate. Place remaining cake layer on top, rounded (top) side up. Frost top and sides with Lemon-Cream Cheese Frosting.

C) Lemon-Cream Cheese Frosting
1. Finely shred 1 teaspoon lemon peel; set aside.

2. In a medium mixing bowl combine 6oz softened cream cheese, 1/2 cup butter, and 1 teaspoon lemon juice. Beat with an electric mixer on low to medium speed until light and fluffy.

3. Gradually add 4 1/2 to 4 3/4 cups powdered sugar, beating until frosting reaches spreading consistency. Stir in lemon peel