Lemon Layer Cake with Lemon Curd Filling

Start by making the lemon curd - it'll need time to cool and set.
Fill a small saucepan with about 2 inches of water. Place onto the stove over low heat and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to low heat.
Add egg yolks, sugar, and lemon juice to a medium heat safe bowl. Whisk together and place on top of the saucepan, whisking constantly so as to not cook the eggs. Continue to whisk until the consistency becomes pudding-like (or reached 170-180 degrees F), about 10-15 minutes. Once this consistency is reached, remove from head and add in butter. Whisk until melted, then cover with plastic wrap and place into the refrigerator set. 4 Egg Yolks 1/2 cup Sugar 1/3 cup Lemon Juice 4 tbsp Salted Butter
Now let's bake the lemon cake. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Grease and flour 3 8-inch cake pans. Set aside.
Whisk together the dry ingredients in a large bowl - cake flour, milk powder (if using), baking powder, baking soda, and kosher salt. Set aside. 4 cups Cake Flour 2 tbsp Milk Powder 1 tbsp Baking Powder 1/4 tsp Baking Soda 1 1/4 tsp Kosher Salt
Add lemon zest and sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer. Pinch the lemon zest into the sugar for about 2-3 minutes, until the sugar takes on a pale yellow color and the sugar becomes fragrant and lemony. Add in room temperature butter and vegetable oil and attach the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed for 4 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl halfway through. 4 tbsp Lemon Zest 2 1/2 cups Sugar 1 cup Salted Butter 2/3 cup Vegetable Oil
In a small bowl, whisk together eggs, egg whites, lemon emulsion (or extract), butter vanilla emulsion (or extract), and almond extract. Reduce mixer speed to low speed and begin slowly pouring in the eggs, adding about 1/3 of the egg mixture at a time, ensuring each addition of eggs are fully incorporated prior to adding more. 4 large Eggs 2 Egg Whites 1 tbsp Lemon Emulsion 1/2 tbsp Butter Vanilla Emulsion 1/2 tsp Almond Extract
Add half of the dry ingredients and mix until just combined, about 15 seconds. Then add buttermilk, lemon juice, and sour cream and mix until combined, about 20-25 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, ensuring everything is smooth and incorporated. Then add the remainder of the dry ingredients and mix until a thick batter forms. 1 cup Buttermilk 1/3 cup Lemon Juice 2/3 cup Sour Cream
Divide batter equally among the three pans and bake for 40-45 minutes, until a wooden skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out with just a few moist crumbs. Allow the cakes to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn over onto a wire rack to cool completely.
While the cakes are baking, prepare the lemon simple syrup. Add water and sugar to a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook for about 5-7 minutes, until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat and add in lemon juice. Stir together and set aside. 1/2 cup Water 1/2 cup Sugar 2 tbsp Lemon Juice
Lastly, make the lemon cream cheese frosting. Clean out the bowl of the stand mixer and attach the paddle attachment. Add the butter and powdered sugar and beat on low speed for about 1-2 minutes, until the mixture begins to come together (it'll look chalky at first but it will come together) and then increase speed to medium-high. Mix for 3 minutes, until smooth and fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl halfway through. Add in the lemon juice and lemon emulsion and continue to mix on medium-high speed until smooth and incorporated, about 20 seconds. 1 cup Salted Butter 4 cups Powdered Sugar 2 tbsp Lemon Juice 1 tsp Lemon Emulsion
Add cream cheese and mix for 2-4 minutes, until combined and smooth. 16 oz Cream Cheese
Now let's assemble everything. Use a bread knife or long sharp knife to cut the cake in half, lengthwise.
Remove the lemon curd from the refrigerator and whisk together for about 1 minute just to fluff it up, until it's smooth.
Place one cake half onto a cake stand and use a pastry brush to coat the top of the cake with the lemon simple syrup. Add about 1/3 of the lemon curd on top. Then place the second cake layer on top and brush with lemon simple syrup, then add a thin layer of the lemon cream cheese frosting. Repeat with remaining layers.
Once the cake is assembled, wrap with cake collar (this is an optional step that helps to keep the cake stable while icing. You can just go straight to adding the frosting - just be careful) and allow the cake to set in the refrigerator for about 1 hour. Remove the cake collar from the refrigerator and aoat with a thin layer of the lemon cream cheese frosting. Place back into the refrigerator for an additional 30 minutes, then coat the cake with the remaining frosting.
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Before serving, let it sit at room temperature for about 1 hour for best texture.

Lemon Layer Cake with Lemon Curd Filling

Equipment

Ingredients

Lemon Curd

Lemon Cake

Lemon Simple Syrup

Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

Instructions

Nutrition

Lemon Layer Cake with Lemon Curd Filling

Equipment

Ingredients 1x2x3x

Lemon Curd

Lemon Cake

Lemon Simple Syrup

Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

Instructions

Nutrition

Ingredients