Ultimate Lemon Layer Cake

"I love lemon cakes, pies, cookies, etc. This cake is the best! It comes from Cook's Illustrated Magazine, Mar/Apr 07 edition. As always, they area very precise with their directions, so they might be long, but don't be put off by that. The filling can be made a day ahead, it does get a little stiff, just stir it to loosen it up a bit. Chill leftovers."
 
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photo by appleydapply photo by appleydapply
photo by appleydapply
Ready In:
1hr 25mins
Ingredients:
20
Serves:
10
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ingredients

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directions

  • Filling: Measure 1 tablespoon lemon juice into a small bowl; sprinkle gelatin over the top.
  • Heat remaining lemon juice, sugar, and salt in medium non-reactive sauce pan over medium high heat, stirring occasionally until sugar dissolves and mixture is hot, but not boiling.
  • Whisk eggs and yolks in a large non-reactive bowl.
  • Whisking constantly, slowly pour hot lemon-sugar mixture into eggs, then return mixture to saucepan.
  • Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly until mixture reaches 170° and is thick enought to leave a trail when a spatula is scraped along the bottom of the pan, about 4-6 minutes.
  • Immediately remove pan from heat and stir in gelatin mixture until dissolved. Stir in frozen butter until incorporated.
  • Pour filling through a fine-meshed strainer into a bowl.
  • Cover surface with plastic wrap; refrigerate until firm enough to spread, about 4 hours.
  • Cake: Preheat oven to 350°.
  • Grease and flour two 9-inch cake pans and line with parchment paper.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together egg milk, egg whites and vanilla.
  • In a mixer bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt; mix at slow speed.
  • Add butter one piece at a time, continue to beat until mixture resembles moist crumbs and no visible butter chunks.
  • Add all but 1 cup of milk mixture to crumbs and beat at medium speed until mixture is pale and fluffy, about 1 1/2 minutes.
  • With mixer running, add remaining 1/2 cup milk mixture, beat 1 mintute more.
  • Divide batter evenly between cake pans.
  • Bake 23-25 minutes or until toothpick in center of cakes comes out clean.
  • Loosen cakes from side of pan with a small knife, cool in pan 10 minutes then remove from pan onto greased wire rack, remove parchment paper, invert again and cool completely.
  • Icing: Combine all ingredients in a mixer bowl or heatproof bowl.
  • Set over medium saucepan filled with 1-inch of simmering water.
  • Cook stirring constantly until mixture reaches 160°, 5-10 minutes.
  • Transfer mixture to mixer bowl (if needed) and beat on medium speed until soft peaks form, about 5 minutes.
  • Increase speed to medium-high and continue to beat until mixture has cooled to room temperature and stiff peaks form, about 5 minutes longer.
  • Assembly: Cut each layer in half horizontally.
  • Spread 1 cup of lemon filling evenly on each cake, (except the top layer) leaving 1/2-inch border around cake.
  • Place top layer on cakes, smooth out any filling that may have leaked from the layers.
  • Refrigerate while you make the icing.
  • Spread icing on cake.

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Reviews

  1. great cake- moist and very lemony. I used a stabilized whipped cream to frost cake because<br/>I hate marshmallow. Thanks for posting.
     
  2. Wow! Wow! Wow! This turned out so beautiful. Almost to pretty to eat. Almost. Took this to a dinner party, and got lots of requests for the recipe. Made this recipe for the Top Favorites of 2008 tag game ~ recommended by chef #284180. Thanks for sharing your great recipe
     
  3. This was wonderful and easy. It was my first time making a cooked meringue frosting, and it turned out great! The curd was also perfect. (But for the white cake, I didn't make it from scratch...I used Recipe #126396 ). Edited to say that it was even better the next day - the flavors melded in the fridge overnight, and the cake tasted great when cold.
     
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RECIPE SUBMITTED BY

I live in southeast Virginia and am an executive secretary for the Army. I love to cook and love food. I have a picky, picky 8-yr old, but he is a true blue chocoholic and budding cook! I have two beautiful granddaughters who visit often. I am teaching them to cook too. <br> <br> <br><img src=http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j166/ZaarNicksMom/Animation6.gif> <br> <br>I<img src=http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j166/ZaarNicksMom/PACsticker-Adopted.jpg>
 
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