American Kitchen Classic Lemon Cake Food

LEMON CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour 2 (8 1/2 by 4 1/4 by 2 1/2-inch) loaf pans. You may also line the bottom with parchment paper, if desired.
• Cream the butter and 2 cups granulated sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. With the mixer on medium speed, add the eggs, 1 at a time, and the lemon zest.
• Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. In another bowl, combine 1/4 cup lemon juice, the buttermilk, and vanilla. Add the flour and buttermilk mixtures alternately to the batter, beginning and ending with the flour. Divide the batter evenly between the pans, smooth the tops, and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until a cake tester comes out clean.
• Combine 1/2 cup granulated sugar with 1/2 cup lemon juice in a small saucepan and cook over low heat until the sugar dissolves. When the cakes are done, allow to cool for 10 minutes. Remove the cakes from the pans and set them on a rack set over a tray or sheet pan; spoon the lemon syrup over them. Allow the cakes to cool completely.
• For the glaze, combine the confectioners' sugar and the lemon juice in a bowl, mixing with a wire whisk until smooth. Pour over the tops of the cakes and allow the glaze to drizzle down the sides.

LEMON CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9 by 13-inch pan, or 2 (6-inch) round pans.
• In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar together, about 5 minutes. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, then add the lemon zest.
• In separate bowl, sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In another bowl, combine lemon juice, buttermilk, and vanilla. Slowly add the flour mixture and wet ingredients, simultaneously, into the egg mixture and combine well. Divide batter between the prepared round pans, or sheet pan. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or when toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pans. Slice, as desired, and serve.

LEMON CAKE FROM SCRATCH

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Butter and flour two 8-inch cake pans, tapping out excess flour.
• Whisk flour, lemon zest, salt, baking powder, and baking soda together in a bowl.
• Beat butter and sugar in a large bowl using an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat eggs and egg yolks, 1 at a time, into creamed butter mixture on low speed, beating well after each addition before adding the next. Beat lemon juice into butter mixture. Beat flour mixture, alternating with buttermilk, into butter mixture until batter is just combined. Divide batter between the prepared cake pans.
• Bake in the preheated oven until cake pulls away from sides of pan, 32 to 35 minutes. Cool cakes in pans for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edges of pan and invert cake onto a wire rack to cool.

LEMON BUNDT CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees, and butter and flour a 12- to 15-cup Bundt pan. Make sure to apply a thin layer of butter and flour on every nook and cranny of the pan to ensure that the cake doesn't stick.
• In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder and baking soda.
• Zest the lemons into the bowl of a stand mixer or large mixing bowl.
• Remove the remaining peel and pith from 3 of the lemons by cutting off the top and bottom tip of each lemon. Stand each lemon up on one end, and use a sharp paring knife to follow the curve of the fruit and cut the peel and white pith away; discard it. Chop the lemon flesh into small pieces and remove the seeds and any large pieces of membrane. Transfer the chopped lemons to a bowl if the juice is running off of the board. (You should have about ⅓ cup.) Set aside.
• Add the granulated sugar to the bowl with the zest and rub the mixture together with your fingers to release the oils in the zest. Add the softened butter and oil to the mixture, and mix on medium speed with the paddle attachment or using an electric hand mixer until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl occasionally to ensure even mixing.
• Add the sour cream and salt, and mix on medium speed until homogeneous. Add the lemon flesh and juices, and mix until well combined; the mixture may separate a bit, but don't worry.
• Add the flour mixture and mix on low speed until just combined. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula to make sure everything is well mixed and no pockets of flour remain.
• Spoon the batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top and tap the pan on the counter a few times to release any large air bubbles. Bake the cake for 50 to 60 minutes or until the cake is golden and puffed, and a toothpick inserted comes out with a few moist crumbs.
• Let the cake cool on a rack for 10 minutes. Then carefully turn it out onto a rack or serving plate to glaze and finish cooling.
• While the cake cools, make the glaze: Juice the remaining lemon. (You should have about 4 tablespoons.) Add the confectioners' sugar, a pinch of salt and about three-quarters of the lemon juice to a bowl. Whisk until smooth, adding more lemon juice as necessary to make a thin but opaque glaze.
• Immediately brush a thin layer of glaze over the warm cake, and let the glaze set until the cake has cooled to almost room temperature. When the cake is mostly cool, brush the remaining glaze over the top. Cool, slice and serve. Store any leftovers covered at room temperature for up to 4 days; the glaze may get a bit sticky as it sits.

LEMON DRIZZLE CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 325 degrees and place a rack in the center. Grease a 9-by-12-inch baking pan and line with parchment paper, allowing a 2-inch overhang on the long sides.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt and lemon zest.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat together butter and half of the sugar (225 grams/1 cup plus 2 tablespoons) until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until incorporated, then beat in milk, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary (mixture will look curdled, and that's O.K.). Mix in flour mixture until combined, then scrape into prepared baking pan, smoothing the top.
• Bake until golden brown and springy, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes, then use the paper overhang to lift the cake out of the pan; transfer to wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet and carefully remove paper.
• While cake bakes, in a small bowl mix together remaining half of the sugar (225 grams/1 cup plus 2 tablespoons) and enough lemon juice to make a runny mixture. While cake is still warm, spoon the sugar mixture evenly over the top. (The cake has to be cooled slightly to prevent topping from melting, but warm enough that it soaks into the cake, leaving a crunchy sugar coat on top.) Let cool, then cut into squares.

AMERICAN KITCHEN CLASSIC LEMON CAKE

Steps:

• Premake the lemon curd - Whisk together sugar, cornstarch, zest, and salt in a 4-qt. saucepan. Add yolks, and whisk until smooth; stir in juice.
• Stirring often, bring to a boil over medium heat; cook, stirring constantly, until very thick, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat, let cool, and transfer to a bowl; chill the lemon curd.
• When ready to bake - Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Butter and flour two 9″ cake pans, and set aside.
• Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl; set aside. Whisk together milk and vanilla in a bowl; set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle, cream butter, 1 1/2 cups sugar, and zest on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
• On low speed, alternately add dry ingredients in 3 batches and wet ingredients in 2 batches. Increase speed to high and beat until batter is smooth, about 5 seconds.
• Divide batter between prepared pans, and smooth top with a rubber spatula; drop pans lightly on a counter to expel any large air bubbles.
• Bake cakes until a toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Let cakes cool for 20 minutes in pans; invert onto wire racks, and let cool.
• Using a serrated knife, halve each cake horizontally to produce four layers; set aside.
• Bring remaining sugar and juice to a boil in a small saucepan over high heat. Remove from heat, and set syrup aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle, beat butter and 1/4 of the chilled lemon curd on medium-high speed until fluffy and smooth, about 1 minute. Add half the remaining curd, beating until smooth, and then add remaining curd and vanilla. Increase speed to high; beat frosting until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
• When ready to assemble - Place one cake layer on a cake stand, drizzle with 2 tablespoons syrup, and spread with 3/4 cup frosting; top with another cake, drizzle with 2 tablespoons syrup, and spread with 3/4 cup frosting.
• Place another cake over the frosting, drizzle with 2 tablespoons syrup, and spread with 3/4 cup frosting; top with remaining cake, and drizzle with remaining syrup.
• Cover top and sides with remaining frosting; chill cake to firm frosting. Serve at room temperature.