Lemon Cake Squared

I have a new favorite.

At least for now. These things go through cycles, and I'm sure I will change my mind again and again, but for now I'm sure of it. I have a new favorite.

 A new favorite cake, that is.

 Did you think I meant a favorite child? Try as my children might to find out who my favorite really is, I'm not talking. Would you believe me if I said that I didn't have a favorite? I really don't. I find that at any one point in time, one of the three is going through a trying phase and one is going through a particularly easy phase. The other is the wild card.

But those roles are constantly changing. On any one day, one may be driving me crazy and another may be particularly charming. But at the end of the day, when I tiptoe into their bedrooms to peek at them while they sleep (or I think they are asleep!), my heart is incredibly full. All of the joys that each has brought to me come flooding into my mind and I am overwhelmed with gratitude that they are a part of my life.

Really. I do not have a favorite.

Cake is another matter.

Olivia, who loves the tartness of lemons enough to eat them raw, asked for a lemon cake with lemon frosting for her birthday. And in the shape of Mickey Mouse, too, please. If it's not too hard. Ah, yes, I love a good challenge.

To make the cake, I tarted up the basic yellow cake recipe from Cooks Illustrated's The New Best Recipes by adding fresh lemon zest and juice. The cake was moist, with a tender crumb. There was nothing heavy or dense about it. Just light, lemony goodness.

I loved, loved, loved this cake. And I wasn't the only one. Of the 12 children at her party, not one left a bite behind.

 

I gave the Mickey my best shot. My black never gets black enough and my cake decorating skills are not refined, but Olivia was happy. Phew.

2009: Vanilla Bean Pudding
2010: Chocolate Sheet Cake with Brown Sugar Buttercream (still Oscar's favorite birthday cake)
2011: Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies

Lemon Cake Squared

Adapted from Cooks Illustrated's The New Best Recipes
Serves 12-14
45 minutes preparation time, plus time for frosting and decorating
20 to 25 minutes baking time

I have written the recipe as a round layer cake. But to make Mickey I only baked one of the layers in a 9-inch round pan. The remaining batter, I put into smaller round pans (I ended up using 3) so that I could make the ears. The cooking time for the smaller pans was 5 or 10 minutes less than for the larger pans.

Whatever shape you make the cake, I find it helpful to freeze the cake for a short time (15 to 30 minutes) before frosting it. The cake will be firmer and fewer crumbs will end up in the frosting.

For the cake:
4 large eggs
1/4 cup freshly grated lemon zest (about 4 lemons)
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (2-3 lemons)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups cake flour
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
16 tablespoons (2 sticks) butter at room temperature, cut into tablespoons

For the frosting:
4 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
8 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
3 cups confectioners' sugar

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour 2 9-inch round cake pans.

In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs, lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla. Take out one cup of the egg mixture and set it aside.

Measure the cake flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt into a mixing bowl. Mix on low for just a few seconds until the ingredients combine. With the mixer running on low, add the butter one tablespoon at a time, waiting about 10 seconds after each addition. Mix until the butter and flour form small clumps.

Add the cup of egg mixture that you set aside and mix just to incorporate. Turn the speed to medium-high and beat until the mixture turns lighter in color and becomes fluffy, about a minute. Add the remaining egg mixture and mix to combine. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, and mix until the mixture is fully combined. The batter will look slightly curdled.

Pour the batter into the cake pans and smooth the tops with a spatula.

Bake until the cakes are golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool on a rack in the pans for about 10 minutes. Remove from the pans and continue to cool on a rack until completely cool to the touch before frosting.

To make the frosting, use a mixer to beat the cream cheese and butter together on medium speed. Add the confectioner's sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Add the lemon juice and mix again to combine. 

To assemble the cake, place the first layer on a serving tray. If it is not flat across the top, trim a bit of the center off the top with a large knife. Frost the entire cake. Add the second layer and frost again. Garnish with lemon slices.

Print Recipe

Comments

[Carey]

I make the lemon pound cake from CI-- very yummy. Sam loves to zest lemons so we will have to try this!

[Andrea]

If you want to increase your taste testing, just let us know and we'd be happy to help out!

[Beth]

Best cookbook-a staple in this house!
And lemons are my favorite:)

[Mary O'Herron]

A masterpiece -- both the recipe and the artistry are superb!!
Mary

[Leticia- Tech Savvy Mama]

The New Best Recipe is one of my standards! I just made the cake part of the recipe tonight for an early Easter dinner with my inlaws tomorrow! It's really hard to wait until tomorrow to try it but I know it's going to be a huge hit! Thanks again for an awesome recipe and the inspiration! :)

[Margy]

Nice to see so many CI fans. Enjoy!