Classic Lemon-Cheese Layer Cake

Ingredients

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 6 egg whites
• 1½ tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 tsp. grated lemon zest (from 1 lemon)
• 3⅓ cups bleached cake flour
• 1 Tbsp. baking powder
• ¼ tsp. kosher salt
• 1 cup whole milk
• 12 egg yolks
• 2¼ cups granulated sugar
• 2 Tbsp. cornstarch
• 1 Tbsp. grated lemon zest plus ¾ cup fresh juice (from 5 large lemons)
• ¼ tsp. kosher salt
• ¾ cup cold unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch pieces
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 3½ cups powdered sugar
• 1 tsp. grated lemon zest (from 1 lemon)
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• ⅓ cup heavy whipping cream

Instructions

1. 1Preheat the oven to 375°F and arrange the racks in the middle and lower third positions. Coat four 8-inch round cake pans with cooking spray and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
2. 2Beat the softened butter in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on medium speed for about 1 minute until creamy. Gradually pour in the granulated sugar and beat for 3 to 4 minutes until light and fluffy. Stop the mixer to scrape down the sides of the bowl.
3. 3Turn the mixer to low speed and incorporate the egg whites one at a time, scraping the bowl as needed. Mix in the vanilla extract and lemon zest for about 30 seconds.
4. 4Whisk the cake flour, baking powder, and kosher salt together in a separate medium bowl. Alternate adding the dry flour mixture and the whole milk to the butter mixture, starting and ending with the flour. Mix on low speed just until combined. Overmixing here will make the cake tough.
5. 5Pour about 2/3 cup of the cake batter into each of the prepared pans. Bake for about 12 minutes until a wooden pick inserted into the center comes out clean.
6. 6Let the cakes cool in the pans on wire racks for 5 minutes, then turn them out directly onto the racks to cool completely for about 30 minutes. Clean, spray, and line the pans again with parchment paper.
7. 7Distribute the remaining batter evenly among the prepared pans, using about 2/3 cup per pan. Bake following the same instructions.
8. 8Whisk the egg yolks, granulated sugar, cornstarch, lemon zest, fresh lemon juice, and kosher salt together in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan.
9. 9Cook the mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon for 8 to 10 minutes until it thickens enough to coat the back of the spoon. Remove the pan from the heat. Stirring constantly prevents the eggs from scrambling.
10. 10Stir the cold, cubed butter into the hot lemon mixture until it melts completely and the curd is smooth. Pour the warm curd through a fine mesh strainer into a medium bowl to remove any lumps.
11. 11Set the bowl of strained curd inside a larger bowl filled with ice water. Stir frequently for about 20 minutes until it cools down.
12. 12Remove the bowl from the ice water and press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the lemon curd to stop a skin from forming. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours until firm.
13. 13Make the buttercream by beating the softened butter with an electric mixer on medium speed for 1 minute until smooth. Gradually add the powdered sugar on low speed for 1 minute, then mix in the lemon zest and vanilla extract for 10 seconds.
14. 14Increase the mixer speed to medium and slowly pour in the heavy whipping cream. Beat for 30 seconds until the frosting is fluffy and easy to spread.
15. 15Set one cake layer on a serving platter and spread 1/4 cup of the chilled lemon curd evenly to the edges using an offset spatula. Repeat the layering process with six more cake layers and lemon curd.
16. 16Top with the final plain cake layer. You'll have about 1 1/4 cups of filling leftover. Transfer the remaining lemon curd into a piping bag or a zip-top plastic bag and refrigerate it. Chill the assembled cake uncovered for 1 hour.
17. 17Frost the top and sides of the chilled cake with the lemon buttercream. Cut a 1/2-inch opening at the tip of your piping bag.
18. 18Squeeze quarter-sized dots of the reserved lemon curd in a ring around the top of the cake, keeping them about 1 inch away from the edge. Drag an offset spatula through the center of each lemon curd dot toward the middle of the cake to form a decorative flower pattern.

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