Marthas Meyer Lemon Anniversary Cake Food

MARTHA'S MEYER LEMON ANNIVERSARY CAKE ASSEMBLY

Steps:

• Trim tops of cakes level. Cut each cake in half horizontally to create 2 layers.
• Frost layers and assemble tiers: Set one 10-inch cake layer on corresponding-size square foam board. Brush top of cake with a generous amount of lemon syrup, soaking layer. Pipe a buttercream border around top edge using a plain round tip (such as Ateco #11). Spread a 1/4-inch-thick layer of lemon curd over soaked cake. Repeat for second and third cake layers. For final cake layer, brush top with syrup. Spread a thin layer of buttercream over top and sides of tier. Refrigerate until buttercream is set, about 30 minutes. Spread another thin layer of buttercream on top and sides; refrigerate until set, at least 1 hour. Repeat with 6- and 8-inch cake layers.
• Reinforce tiers: Insert a plastic straw vertically through center of 10-inch tier. Mark top of cake on straw; remove, and trim to mark. Trim 4 more straws to this length. With a toothpick, trace a circle, 8 inches in diameter, on top of tier, holding an empty cake pan above cake as a guide. Insert straws into tier, arranging 1 in center and the rest evenly spaced around circle. In the same way, insert 4 straws into 8-inch tier, using a 6-inch cake pan as a guide for the circle.
• Stack tiers: Center 10-inch tier on a cake stand. Center and carefully set 8-inch tier on top of 10-inch tier, and then 6-inch tier on top of 8-inch tier. Use a star tip (such as Ateco #20) to pipe a decorative ruffled border around bottom of each tier. Place lemon toppers on top tier. Serve cake with lemon slices.

SWISS MERINGUE BUTTERCREAM FOR MEYER LEMON ANNIVERSARY CAKE

Steps:

• Whisk egg whites, sugar, and salt in the heatproof bowl of an electric mixer set over a pan of simmering water until sugar has dissolved and mixture registers 160 degrees, about 4 minutes. Attach bowl to mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on high speed until cool and stiff (but not dry) peaks form, about 6 minutes.
• Fit mixer with the paddle attachment. With mixer on medium-low speed, add butter, several pieces at a time, mixing well after each addition (meringue will deflate slightly as butter is added). Mix until frosting comes together but is still smooth and glossy, 3 to 5 minutes. Tint with food coloring; stir until smooth.

MEYER LEMON CURD FOR MARTHA'S ANNIVERSARY CAKE

Steps:

• Whisk egg yolks, zest, lemon juices, and sugar in a medium-size, heavy saucepan. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until mixture is thick enough to coat back of spoon, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Remove from heat. Add salt and butter, whisking until smooth. Pour through a fine sieve into a medium bowl; discard solids. Press plastic wrap directly onto surface of curd to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until firm and cold, at least 1 hour and up to 1 day.

MEYER LEMON CAKE

Steps:

• For the Cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream together the butter, sugar, and lemon zest until smooth and creamy. Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside. Combine the milk, vanilla extract and lemon juice. Alternately combine the dry ingredients and the milk mixture with the butter mixture. Beat well until smooth. Add the eggs 1 at a time and mix well. Divide the batter between the 2 cake pans. Bake the cake for about 20 minutes until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool before unmolding.
• For the Lemon Curd: Whisk together the egg yolks and the sugar. Add the lemon juice. Place the mixture in a heavy bottomed sauce pot. Cook over medium low heat, stirring constantly until thickened. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the butter. Strain the curd. Stir in the lemon zest. Place the curd in a bowl and cover the surface of the curd with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until cold.
• For the Easy Buttercream Frosting: Combine powdered sugar with the other ingredients and beat until smooth.
• Assembly: Cut each cake in half, giving you 4 layers. Layer 1 cake piece with 1/3 of the lemon curd. Gently spread about 1/3 cup of the frosting over the curd. Repeat with 2 more layers of cake, curd and frosting. Place the forth cake piece on top and frost the sides and top with the remaining frosting.

CANDIED MEYER LEMON SLICES AND TOPPERS

Steps:

• Cut 1/4 inch off lemon ends; reserve 5. Cut each lemon into 12 paper-thin slices.
• Bring sugar and 2 cups water to a rolling boil in a medium-size, heavy skillet, swirling skillet to dissolve sugar. When liquid is clear and bubbly, reduce heat to medium-low. Add lemon slices and reserved ends in a single layer. Simmer until rinds are translucent, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer to baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Let cool completely.
• Fill a pastry bag fitted with a 1/4-inch round tip (such as Ateco #10) with buttercream. Pipe buttercream into center of 5 slices of varying size. Stack, starting with smaller slices, increasing to larger ones, and then decreasing to smaller ones again. Top with an end piece. Make a hole in top of end piece with a skewer; insert stem of a lemon leaf. Repeat to make 4 more toppers. Candied lemons can be refrigerated up to 2 days.

MEYER LEMON COFFEE CAKE

Steps:

• Streusel: Mix together flour, brown sugar, and salt. Using a pastry cutter or your fingers, cut butter into the flour mixture until small to medium clumps form. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use, up to 3 days.
• Cake: In a large skillet of simmering water, cook lemon slices 1 minute. Drain and repeat. Arrange lemon slices in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-inch angel-food-cake pan. Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together butter, granulated sugar, and lemon zest on medium speed in a large bowl until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in eggs, one at a time, then vanilla. Reduce speed to low. Beat in flour mixture in three additions, alternating with sour cream, beginning and ending with flour mixture and beating until combined after each addition.
• Spoon half of batter evenly into pan. Arrange half of lemon slices in a single layer over batter. Spread remaining batter evenly over top. Cover with remaining lemon slices in a single layer. Sprinkle chilled streusel evenly over batter.
• Bake until cake is golden brown and a tester inserted in center comes out clean, about 55 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack set over a baking sheet; let cool in pan 15 minutes. Run a knife around edges of pan and remove outer ring. Let cool on rack 15 minutes more. Run a knife around center tube. Slide two wide spatulas between bottom of cake and pan, and lift cake to remove from center tube. Let cool completely on rack.
• Glaze: Just before serving, stir together confectioners' sugar and lemon juice in a medium bowl. Drizzle over cooled cake, letting excess drip down sides. Let glaze set before slicing, about 5 minutes.

MARTHA'S MEYER LEMON ANNIVERSARY CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter cake pans. Line bottoms with parchment paper. Butter parchment, and dust with flour, tapping out excess; set aside. Sift together flour, baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt into a medium bowl; set aside.
• Put butter and 2 cups sugar into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; mix on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Mix in egg yolks, 1 at a time, and zest. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture in 3 batches, alternating with milk. Transfer batter to a large bowl.
• Put egg whites into the clean bowl of the electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment; beat on medium-high speed until foamy. Add a pinch of salt; beat until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining 1/4 cup sugar; beat until stiff peaks form.
• Fold one-third of the egg-white mixture into batter with a rubber spatula. Gently fold in remaining egg-white mixture until just combined; do not overmix.
• Divide batter among prepared pans. Bake until cake is golden and a cake tester inserted into center comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack; let cool slightly, about 20 minutes. Invert onto rack. Remove parchment; reinvert. Let cool completely. Cakes can be refrigerated, wrapped in plastic, up to 1 day.