I’ve always had a strong affinity for citrus-flavored sweets, including lemon cake. Growing up in a Greek kitchen, most desserts were flavored with oranges and lemons since they’re so prolific in that hot Mediterranean sun. Syrups were boiled with orange peels, cakes were filled with juice, and everything was coated with a fine sprinkling of freshly grated zest. My favorite fruit of the citrus family, though, is the lemon. The contrast between their refreshingly sour tang and the delicate sweet flavors a little sugar brings out has always been what’s appealed to me most. I don’t know who thought to pair such an acidic and bitter fruit with cakes and custards, but it certainly worked out well. So when I was asked to host a giveaway of the kind and lovely Linda Lomelino‘s cookbook, Lomelino’s Cakes, I knew exactly which of the dazzling cakes I was going to try my hand at (hello, lemon cake!)
For those of you who aren’t familiar with Linda, she blogs at Call Me Cupcake, which was actually what turned me on to food photography. I took one look at her blog when I first started out in the blogging world and was beyond inspired. The images she creates are stunning in every manner of the word, and she is just the sweetest lady around. Not only that, but her recipes are so. ridiculously. good. I made her flourless Swedish chocolate cake this holiday season and it was hands down the best cake I’ve ever had, and Suzanne Fuoco of Pink Slip Jam (whose kitchen I happened to be borrowing) agreed! And then there’s this cake. A light and airy lemon cake with whipped eggs whites folded into the batter along lemon zest and juice, it’s stacked between layers of homemade lemon curd, and then completely coated with a whipped cream and lemon curd hybrid. So, soooo many tasty lemon components go into this cake to create its subtle, pleasant, and cream-tart-sweet flavor. It’s everything you could ever want in a lemon cake and then some.
Lemon Lover's Dream Cake
This recipe is from Lomelino's Cakes, and combines a delicious lemon curd filling inside of an airy cake made with lemon zest + juice. It's coated with a layer of lemon-y buttercream, for a perfectly sweet-yet-tart cake that's perfect for any lover of lemon.
Ingredients
Lemon Cake Layers
- 4 large eggs
- 3/4 cup flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- pinch salt
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons water
- 1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
- 1 teaspoon vanilla sugar
Lemon Curd
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- juice and peels from 2 lemons
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter at room temperature, cut into cubes
Lemon Cream
- 1 1/4 cups whipping cream
- 2-3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 6 tablespoons lemon curd see recipe above
Instructions
Lemon Cake Layers
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Separate the eggs and whites into separate bowls so you have 4 whites and 3 yolks (you can save the extra yolk for something else). Allow them to come to room temperature.
-
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, cornstarch, 1/2 cup sugar, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the vegetable oil, egg yolks, lemon juice water, lemon peel, and vanilla sugar. Sift the dry ingredients over the bowl with the wet ingredients and stir until the batter just comes together. Set aside.
-
In the clean and dry bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites at medium high speed until they hold soft peaks. Add the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar 1 tablespoon at a time, and continue beating until the meringue holds stiff peaks (you should be able to hold the bowl upside down without the meringue sliding out).
-
Fold 1/4 of the meringue mixture into the cake batter until incorporated, and continue carefully folding in the meringue, one quarter at a time, until all the meringue has been incorporated into the batter.
-
Evenly distribute the batter between 2 ungreased 6-inch cake pans. Place the pans in the oven and bake for 30-40 minutes or until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of ne of the cakes comes out with moist crumbs.
-
Remove the pans from the oven and immediately turn them upside down onto a wire rack to cool to prevent the layers from collapsing at the center.
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Allow the cake layers to rest upside down in the pan until they're completely cooled. Take a butter knife and gently loosen the cake around the edges of the pan. Hold each pan and shake gently to unmold the layers from the pan. Set the unmolded layers aside on the wire rack while you prepare the curd and lemon cream.
Lemon Curd
-
Mix the sugar, egg, lemon peel, and lemon juice into the top of a double boiler with simmering water in the bottom layer. Use a hand whisk to beat the mixture constantly so the curd doesn't harden and get chunky, you want to keep it nice and smooth. It should be the same consistency as hollandaise sauce when it is done.
-
Remove the curd from heat and stir in the butter until the mixture is completely smooth and the butter has melted. Pour into a jar and allow to cool before sealing with a lid and placing in the refrigerator. It will keep for about 1 week as long as it's refrigerated.
Lemon Cream
-
Beat the cream and sugar together until soft and fluffy. Fold in the lemon curd.
-
To assemble the cake, slice each layer in half horizontally so you have 4 thin layers for the cake. Place the first layer on the serving dish and spread an even layer of the lemon curd over the top of it. Repeat until you've covered 3 layers with the lemon curd. Place the last cake layer on top, cut side down. Cover the entire cake with an even layer of the lemon cream.
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For additional decorating, you can fit a pastry bag with a small star tip and fill it with lemon cream, then pipe small rosettes over just the top of the cake. You can also garnish with fresh fruits, greens, and/or flowers.
My favorite cake is anything chocolate based.
I love cupcakes! Cheesecake! Birthday cake! Pretty much any type of cake.
This time of year is when I go on citrus overload. Lemon however will be found in my kitchen every day of the week for both sweet and savoury dishes.
Your pics are so inspiring and you really inspire me. My favorite cake is carrot cake.
I love my Aunt Etta Lee's apple cake that has been passed down through the family for years. So good and just perfect!
I love love love fudge Brownies! š
– Anna
love carrot cake
My favorite cake is Red Velvet Cake.
Looks amazing!
I love white cake with caramel frosting.
Rosebud_96@msn.com
Oh my goodness, lemon-anything is my favorite and that cake looks absolutely divine.
I think my favorite cake would be an italian creme cake with toasted coconut.
Love lemon cake! And this one looks delish. Can't wait to make it.
This cake is absolutely gorgeous!
Sues
Looks absolutely delish!
This is one stunner I need to try! I just love all that lemon!
Someone once made me the salted caramel cake from the Baked cookbook and it may have been the most amazing thing I've ever eaten!
Leslie:
My favorite cake is tres leches cake.
leslieannstevenson@yahoo.com
Looks like the perfect cake to bring to dinner at my daughter's home on New Years
Kristin
Duddde this is seriously my dream cake!!! citrus cakes are also my favorites, and this one looks so wonderful. Thank you also for pointing us to Linda's blog! I just briefly checked it out and immediately fell in love….Also, happy 2015 and God bless you guys this year!
So gorgeous Eva! I'm wishing you a wonderful start to the new year!
It may just be this one! I love all things citrus, and this sounds perfect š
I totally agree with you about citrus cake (particularly lemon or blood orange). That slight tang perfectly balances the sweetness and I can eat a whole lot more before I make myself ill (on second thought, maybe it's not so good!).
I already follow Linda's lovely blog and you and she are two of my favourite bloggers!
I love any cake made by my mom š or my grandma's coconut cake
(melissa @ treatswithatwist. com )
I love lemon cake. This cake look so good. I would love to win this book.
I just came across Call Me Cupcake last night and was instantly won over. The desserts, the books, the videos. This lady's legit.
Beautiful as always. I'll take lemon over chocolate any day! Asante sana for cluing me in to Call Me Cupcake. I've added this site to my blog rounds. truly inspirational.
http://www.theroadtohoney.com
Rab cake,traditionally made on the island of Rab,on the Croatian coast, and the ingredients are kept secret. But I'll tell you something: It tastes like summer!
I was lucky enough to receive this book over the holidays, and it's an understatement to say that it's beautiful! You truly did her cake justice here. These photos are so dreamy! xo
Beautiful ā„ā„
Love a peanut butter chocolate torte
I follow Linda's blog too and always see so many resemblances between your pictures–always beautiful. š
I love a really good cheesecake! But this cake looks delish!!
I love citrus desserts too. And lemon curd is one of my favorite things ever! Looks delicious.
These cakes are so pretty! Excellent work!
I love lemon cakes as well as any cake with berries.
Chiffon cake with strawberries and whipped cream. Simple and heavenly.
Oh that cake was so very delicious! Beautiful post here- just lovely
What a stunning cake!! Happy New Year Eva! All the best for 2015.
Thanks for a lovely giveaway!
I love chocolate cake with berries and any type of lemon cake š Yum!
I"m so crazy about all things lemon, that this cake would probably become my new favorite. But my all time favorite is a pineapple cake that my mother's cousin used to make. Sadly, she passed away and I'll never get to enjoy her company, nor a slice of her cake, ever again.
Beautiful post and gorgeous photos, as always. Linda's blog has inspired me to get into food photography as well <3 I have this book and adore it. This cake looks amazing! Being married to a Greek.. I can relate to the lemon-fest that is a Greek kitchen! š
My favorite is Red Velvet Cake
Digicats {at} Sbcglobal {dot} Net
Lovely cake that I'm definitely trying for my birthday this month!! I adore Linda Lomelino's work and would love to have her book! I'm particiating in your giveaway, finger crossed!!! Hope being in Spain is not a problem for participating!!!!
Hugs xxx
Ahhhh and my fav cake is definetly a citrus-flavoured cake like this one for example, adore lime, lemon and oranges in my baking!!!
Lemon cake is my favorite! Can't wait to try it!
Looks amazing and perfect for the hot summer days š
This looks utterly delicious and beautiful!
chocolate!
strawberry meringue cake.
This lemon lovers dream cake looks incredible and so beautifully captured too. My favourite cake has to be anyone that contains some sort of citrus.. and almond meal too – it makes baking so much more moist and dense!
My favorite is carrot cake.
My favorite cake is chocolate layer cake with whipped cream frosting.
I love your photos and this cake is definitely my favourite. Gorgeous give away!
My favorite cake is Black Russian cake. It is so delicious! sbcashortie at hotmail dot com
my absolute favorite cake is raspberry lemonade.
chocolate cake with chocolate frosting – regnod(at)yahoo(d0t)com
Vanilla Bean!
I love red velvet cake. Thank you
candieluster(at)gmail(dot)com
double chocolate cake
I like a german chocolate cake.
My favorite cake that my mother still makes for me on my birthday every year is German Chocolate Cake! Deana
This cake is gorgeous, Eva!! I've been thinking about what my favorite cake is all month and I still haven't decided…I wonder how many I'll have to bake before I figure that one out!! Congrats on making First We Eat a thing!! You and Carey are amazing and if we had the budget for it, I'd be signed up to be in North Carolina in a heartbeat. One of these workshops I'll figure it out!
I love chocolate chip cake with chocolate icing, its so good and my very favorite!
vikki.billings@yahoo.com
My favorite cake is anything chocolate
Hello Eva,
You make this cake look incredible! I have Linda Lomelino's cake book (and LOVE her blog as well), however I have the french version of her book as I am living in France and her recipe for this cake in the french book is completely different. My husband loves lemon meringue pie, it is probably his favorite of all time. Last year I wanted to make him this cake for his birthday, 3 tries, the cake would rise beautifully and then halfway through baking it fell flat every time! I am a pastry chef, so I was completely stumped as to why the cake was not working out. I read and re-read the instructions in the book. I never figured it out?! My husband's birthday was yesterday and I would like to retry to this cake for when his family comes over to celebrate this weekend. I might try this version of the cake because at least I know that you were able to make it with no problem.
Here is the recipe in the french version of her book, so you can see what I mean:
{for the cake:
3 large eggs
255g sugar
100ml water
160g flour
1/2 tsp vanilla sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
zest of half a lemon
Heat oven to 350F (175C), then line a 6 inch cake pan with high collar of parchment paper. Mix the eggs and sugar together for 5 minutes. Bring the water to a boil then add to the egg-sugar mixture. Sift together the flour, vanilla sugar and baking powder, add the zest and stir together. Pour the batter in the mould. Bake 50-55 minutes. }
I was thinking that perhaps the recipe was modified to make it more "french" but it seems like it should work the same as in the English version of the book.
Anyway…thank you for having posted this version, I can't wait to try it!
xx
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