I Love Lemon Cake
Submitted by Camber Adams
About the cook: I am a stay at home mom of two who started baking for friends and family. I'm usually in the kitchen whipping up my next delicious creation
About the dish: A tart and moist lemon cake with a tangy cream cheese frosting. I wrote this recipe because all the lemon cake recipes I found online didn't have enough lemon flavor for me.
National Origin: American
Serves: 4
Estimated Time: 1 to 2 Hours
Ingredients:
21/2 cups Cake Flour
11/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
4 egg yolks
4 egg whites
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
Zest of 4 lemons
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 Tbsp lemon extract
3/4 cup whole milk
12 oz. Cream cheese, softened
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
41/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
11/2 tsp. Vanilla extract
1 tsp salt
Preparation:
Prepare three 8″ cake pans with nonstick cooking spray and parchment paper circles. Preheat oven to 350° F. In a large mixing bowl sift together flour, salt and baking soda. In a large measuring cup or bowl with a lip combine milk, lemon extract, and lemon juice. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine half of the sugar (3/4 cup) and lemon zest on low until well incorporated. On medium low speed add egg yolks on at a time until no yellow streaks are visible. Cream on high until fluffy. Next add the oil on medium low speed. Alternate adding flour mixture and milk/lemon juice on low-medium speed making sure to begin and end with the flour. In a separate bowl, whip egg whites with an electric mixer or stand mixer fitted with a whip attachment until whites are slightly frothy and with mixer on add cream of tartar. Continue whipping on high until medium-stiff peaks form but whites don’t look dry. Fold the whites quickly but gently into the batter using a silicone spatula in thirds using a counter-clockwise motion. Fold in until no white is showing but be sure to not overmix. Divide batter evenly between prepared pans. Bake in 350° oven 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. To make the frosting, cream together cream cheese and softened butter. Add the powdered sugar a little at a time on low. Mix on high speed until fully incorporated. Add salt and extract. When cakes are completely cooled turn them out of the cake pans, remove the parchment circles frost with cream cheese frosting and try not to eat the whole thing in one sitting.