Lemon Cake with Lemon Curd
If you have a lemon lover in your life, this is the cake to make for them!
Ingredients
Cake
- 2 c all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp. baking powder
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1/2 c butter room temperature
- 1 1/4 c granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 tsp. lemon extract
- 1/2 c fresh lemon juice
- 1 c whole milk room temperature
Lemon Curd
- 3 lemons
- 1/4 c butter room temperature
- 1 c granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs room temperature
Instructions
Cake
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare two 8-inch round pans. (Spray with baking spray, grease with butter and flour, or use GOOP)
- Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl and set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
- With the mixer now on low, beat in the eggs one at a time, then add in the vanilla, lemon extract, and lemon juice.
- (With mixer still on low) Add in the flour mixture alternately with the milk, mixing just until incorporated. (about 30 seconds)
- Pour batter into prepared pans.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 24-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes then invert onto wire racks to cool completely.
Lemon Curd
- Grate zest from lemons to equal 1 tablespoon.
- Cut lemons in half; squeeze juice into a measuring cup to equal 1/2 cup.
- In the bowl of stand mixer (or using a hand-held mixer) beat butter and sugar at medium speed until blended. (about 2 minutes)
- Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating until just blended after each addition.
- Gradually add lemon juice to butter mixture, beating at low speed just until blended after each addition.
- Remove bowl from mixer and stir in zest by hand. Mixture will look curdled.
- Transfer mixture to a heavy 4-qt. saucepan.
- Cook over medium-low heat, whisking constantly, 14 to 16 minutes. Remove from heat and allow saucepan to cool for about five minutes.
- Set plastic wrap directly on warm curd (to prevent a film from forming), and chill 4 hours or until firm.
- Store in an airtight container in refrigerator up to 2 weeks.