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.

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.

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.

MEYER LEMON POUND CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Butter and flour two 9-by-5-by-3-inch (or larger) loaf pans and set aside.
• Sift the flour with the salt and baking powder two times and set aside.
• With an electric mixer, cream the butter until fluffy. Add the sugar gradually, beating until light and fluffy.
• Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, alternating with the milk and vanilla. Stir only until thoroughly blended. Gently fold in the zest.
• Pour batter into the prepared pans, making sure to divide the batter evenly between the two pans. Level tops with an offset spatula. Bake for about 1 1/2 hours, until a cake tester comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan about 10 minutes; then remove to a wire rack to cool thoroughly.
• Make the glaze: In a medium bowl, whisk all glaze ingredients to combine. If necessary, add additional confectioners' sugar to desired consistency.
• Pour glaze on top of cakes and serve.

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 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.

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.