Lemon Cake

I made this delicious cake from Martha Stewart for Easter, and now I've finally gotten around to posting it!  It was a big hit among friends and family, and despite its complications, it was totally worth it.

It also looks very pretty.

Lemon Cake
REQUIRES SOFTENED BUTTER
REQUIRES CHILLING TIME
DON'T THROW EGG WHITES AWAY (use in frosting/other recipes)
(It also takes 3 lemons.)

Lemon Cake:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon lemon zest
2 sticks unsalted butter, SOFTENED
2 cups sugar, divided
2 large eggs
3 large egg yolks
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup water
1 lemon, thinly sliced and seeded

Lemon Curd Filling:
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon lemon zest
2/3 cup lemon juice
8 large egg yolks
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
1 1/4 sticks unsalted butter, cut into pieces

Whipped Frosting:

3 large egg whites

3/4 cup sugar

Pinch of salt

1/3 cup water

2 tablespoons lemon juice (if you like really lemony frosting - I used 1 1/2 and it worked just fine)

For the Lemon Cake:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Butter and flour (Pam probably works fine) two 8-inch round cake pans.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and lemon zest.
3. In a large bowl, beat butter and 1 1/2 cups sugar until light and fluffy.  Beat in eggs and yolks, one at a time.  Add 2 tablespoons lemon juice and combine.
4. Alternately beat in flour mixture and buttermilk, starting and ending with flour.
5. Divide batter between pans and smooth tops.  Bake 32 to 35 minutes, or until sides pull away from pan.
6. While cakes are baking, boil remaining 1/2 cup sugar and water in a saucepan.  Add lemon slices and simmer for 25 minutes.  
7. Using a slotted spoon, transfer candied lemon slices to a wax-paper-covered plate.  Stir in 1/4 cup lemon juice to sugar water to make lemon syrup.
8. Remove cakes from oven and let cool for 10 minutes in pans.  Run a plastic knife around sides of pans and turn out onto wire racks.
9. Using toothpick, poke holes in tops of warm cakes.  Brush with lemon syrup.  Let cool completely before frosting.

For the Lemon Curd:

1. In a saucepan off heat, whisk sugar, zest, and egg yolks.  Whisk in lemon juice and salt.
2. Add butter and cook, whisking constantly, over medium high, until butter has melted, the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, and small bubbles form around the edges of the saucepan, about 5 minutes.  Don't boil.
3. Continue to whisk and remove from heat.  Pour curd through fine-mesh sieve into a glass bowl.  Press plastic wrap against surface of curd and refrigerate until totally cool.

For the Whipped Frosting:

1. In a metal bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water, combine egg whites, sugar, salt, and water.  Cook over medium, stirring constantly, for 2-3 minutes or until sugar has dissolved.  Transfer to large bowl.
2. Using electric mixer, beat on medium-high until stiff, glossy peaks form.  Do not overbeat.  Reduce speed to low and add lemon juice, then beat until just combined.  Use immediately.

Assembly:

1. Spread lemon curd over the flat side of one of your cakes.  You'll have leftover curd.
2. Place the other layer, flat side down, on top.
3. Spread fresh whipped frosting over cake with a spatula or frosting knife.  It will easily spread over sides and top.
4. Garnish with candied lemon slices on top of cake.
5. Serve immediately or before you need to refrigerate it.  FROSTING DOES NOT KEEP IN FRIDGE.

Some tips before we dive in:

• The lemon syrup was... very lemony.  In my opinion, you can probably skip the syrup because the cake is already so dense and moist.  Just add some more lemon juice to the actual cake and you'll get away with a not-too-sour cake.
• You can try to eat the candied lemon slices.  I don't recommend it.
• If you plan on refrigerating the cake to keep until later, don't use the whipped frosting.  Find a nice vanilla that you can make lemon, or just wait to frost it until before serving.  It's a meringuey frosting, and will dissipate/melt in the fridge.  It won't look very good anymore. :/ Personal experience at ya.

Anyway, now with my tips/warnings in place, we can break it down:
Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and lemon zest...

In a separate bowl, beat SOFTENED butter...

...and sugar...

...until fluffy.

Beat in eggs and yolks, one at a time.

RESERVE THE WHITES FOR THE FROSTING.

Mix in lemon juice.

Add some flour mixture...

Then some buttermilk...

...and repeat until both are gone.

Pour into pans and smooth the tops.

Bake for 32 minutes.  Meanwhile, slice a lemon...

...and boil sugar and water.  Add lemon slices and simmer for 25 minutes.

Remove from saucepan with a slotted spoon...

...and place on a wax-lined plate.

Add lemon juice to your to-be syrup mixture.

Your cakes should be done by now, so remove them from the oven and let cool 10 minutes in pans...

Then run a plastic knife around the edges of the pans (so that you don't scrape them up too badly) and invert them onto wire racks.

Poke holes into the tops all over with a toothpick...

...and brush with lemon syrup (you will use all of it - the cake soaks it up really fast!).

Now, start on your lemon curd by whisking sugar, zest, and egg yolks...

Whisk in lemon juice and salt...

Add butter...

...and cook until it's thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.  It'll thicken even more in the fridge.  Transfer to a glass bowl...

...cover with plastic wrap like so...

...and refrigerate until thoroughly cool.  Once the curd is coolish, start making your whipped frosting.  Combine egg whites, salt, sugar, and water in a homemade double boiler...

...until the sugar has dissolved; transfer to a large bowl.

Beat until stiff peaks form and mix in lemon juice until just combined.

Insert strips of wax paper underneath your first layer on its serving platter to catch drips.  Spread your cooled lemon curd over the flat side of one cake...

You'll have a lot of leftover curd, I guarantee it.  Serve it in little cups with blueberries or shortbread cookies, plop it in some mini tarts, or do what I did: eat it with a spoon! :3  Anyways, place the other cake, flat side down, on top...

Spread whipped frosting on top and around the sides of your cake...

Remove wax strips and garnish with candied lemon slices.

Enjoy!

-JJ