Meyer Lemon Layer Cake

One Girl Cookies is the best dessert recipe I've ever read.

Every single recipe makes you want to get baking!

Especially, this Meyer Lemon Layer Cake! 

And I didn't even add the flaked coconut!

Even Herbie wanted to eat this cake!

Or rather he is so excited over his new/repurposed Build-A-Bear house :D

Mmmmm... Look at that lemon curd!

Frosting!

Sean Kelly- "Could It Be Another Change?"

Ingredients:

Cake:

• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 2 cups sugar
• 5 largge eggs
• Grated zest of 2 lemons
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup dried coconut flakes

Curd:

• 4 large egg yolks
• 1/2 cup sugar
• grated zest of 1 lemon
• 1/4 cup plus 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 5 tbsp unsalted butter
• pinch of salt

Frosting:

•  8 tbsp. unsalted butter
• 6 cups confectioners' sugar
• 3 tbsp whole milk, plus more if needed
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp salt
• grated zest of 2 lemons

Directions:

Cake:

     Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Prepare two 0 inch round cake pans by greasing them with cooking spray and then lining the botttoms with parchment paper.

     In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the butter and sugar on medium speed until the mixture is light yellow and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Reduce the speed to low and add the eggs one at a time. Then add the lemon zest. Mix for 2 to 3 minutes, until fully combined.

    

     In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, slat, and baking soda, In a separate bowl, mix the sour cream and the vanilla.

     With the mixer running on low speed, mix in a third of the flour mixture and half of the sour cream mixture and half of the sour cream mixture. Scrape down the bowl. Add another third of the flour mixture and all the remaining flour mixture until all of the ingredients are fully incorporated. Divide the batter between the prepared pans.

      Bake for 15 minutes. Rotate the pans and bake for 15 more minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Remove the cakes from the oven and let them cool in the pans for 20 minutes. Then turn each cake out onto a clean plate, remove the parchment paper, and then turn it back over onto a wire rack. et the cakes cool completely.

     To assemble, place a cake layer on a serving plate, and trim the top with a long serrated knife to make a level surface. Spread a thin layer of the lemon buttercream over the top. Using a pastry bag, pipe a ring of butter cream around the edge of the cake. THis makes a sort of bowl for the lemon curd so that it will not spill out. Fill the bowl with 1 cup of the lemon curd. Place the second cake layer on top, being careful not to disturb the lemon curd. Spread the remaining buttercream over the entire cake. Press the coconut flakes into the butter cream on the sides of the cake.

Curd:

    In a large metal bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, lemon zest, and lemon juice. In a medium saucepan, bring about 2 inches of water to a boil. Place the metal bowl on top of the saucepan, and whisk the egg mixture constantly until the mixture coats the back of a spoon, about 5 minutes. Do not let the mixture come to a boil. Remove the bowl from the heat. Stir in the butter and salt until the butter melts completely. Strain the curd through a fine-mesh strainer into a heat-resistant bowl. Press the plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the curd to prevent a skin from forming. Chill the curd in the refrigerator for about 1 hour, or until it has set. It can be stored in the fridge for about 5 days.

Frosting:

     In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and confectioners' sugar on medium speed until the mixture is light yellow and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Reduce the mixer to low and add the milk, vanilla, salt , and lemon zest. Scrape down the bowl and the paddle. Mix on low for 2 minutes, until the buttercream is thoroughly combined. If the buttercream is too stiff to spread, add an additional 1 to2 teaspoons milk until you reach the desired consistency. Extra buttercream can be stored in an airtight container, with plastic wrap pressed directly onto the surface of the buttercream, for up to 5 days in the fridge.