Personally, when I go to look at recipes online and I see an entire backstory, I tend to skip it. It’s not meant to be rude or shady, but I came here for the recipe, ya know? So, I’ll spare you the details and let you know that this is a cake recipe that is fresh, almost florally undertoned, light and fluffy. To me, it feels like the perfect Spring/Summer cake but can definitely be enjoyed year-round. There’s also an optional simple syrup recipe used in this. Please don’t let unfamiliarity sway you. Simple syrups are extremely easy to make and really can enhance a recipe! Make sure to read through the entire recipe first as some parts can take a bit of time. I really hope you enjoy this cake recipe as much as my family and I did! Leave me some comments if you really do care about what inspired this and I’ll respond there! LOL.
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LEMON CAKE RECIPE
Pro Tip: Wipe the inside of your mixing bowl with vinegar to remove excess oils.
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 C of all-purpose flour
- 2 C of granulated white sugar
- 2 1/2 tsp of baking powder
- 1/2 tsp of salt
- 1 C( 2 sticks) of unsalted butter at room temperature
- 4 large eggs at room temperature
- 1 C of milk
- 1 tbsp of lemon zest
Directions
- Sift into a bowl your flour, salt, and baking powder and set aside
- Mix together butter and sugar until fluffy and well mixed.
- Add eggs to butter mixture, two at a time, mixing only enough to incorporate them. Do Not over mix.
- Add in lemon zest and mix.
- Alternate adding in your dry ingredients and milk. I usually do this in 3 or 4 parts each. Mixing only enough to incorporate everything.
- Scrape sides and give one final quick mix, making sure everything is incorporated
- I personally line my cake pans with butter then flour on the sides, then a layer of parchment paper on the bottom.
- Bake at 350 degrees for about 30-45 mins. The cake should have a light brown crust and a toothpick or thin dowel should come out clean.
Pro Tip: If using a stand mixer, when you go to push your batter with your spatula, go all the way down into the crevice of the bowl and scoop the bottom of your bowl to grab
ingredients that aren’t getting mixed in.
LEMON ROSEMARY SIMPLE SYRUP
Pro Tip: Leftover Simple Syrup can be used to make flavored lemonades and mixed drinks.
The simple syrup is optional but I like the extra flavor it provides and moisture. Both flavors are impactful but simultaneously subtle so I like ramping them up a bit with simple syrup.
Ingredients
- 1/2 C of white granulated sugar
- 1/2 C of water
- juice of 1 lemon
- 2 sprigs of rosemary
Directions
Combine all ingredients in a sauce pot over medium heat and stir until the sugar is completely dissolved. Once the mixture begins to boil, immediately remove it from the heat and allow it to sit for about 30 minutes to infuse and cool. Once cool, remove the rosemary. You can brush this onto your layers or use a soaker bottle to saturate your layers after leveling and cutting them. You don’t need to soak them, just quickly go over the layers so that each part is sprinkled with the simple syrup.
ROSEMARY BUTTERCREAM RECIPE
Ingredients
- 2 C of unsalted butter
- 4 sprigs of rosemary
- 4 C of sifted powdered sugar
Directions
- Place 1 C of butter and 4 sprigs of Rosemary in a small pot.
- Over medium heat, stir the butter until it’s mostly melted.
- Take it off the heat, continue stirring until all the butter is melted, and allow the rosemary to sit and soak in the butter for at least 30 mins but I recommend an hour or two.
- Once your butter is cooled down and your rosemary has had time to soak, remove the rosemary. If the butter has rehardened, just pull the full sprig of rosemary out and wipe the excess butter down the stem, back into the pan, using clean fingers. I prefer this over reheating the butter because the more your liquify, the less it will stiffen back up when you’re making your buttercream.
- Once you have your infused butter, you want to blend the rest of the butter and gradually, the powdered sugar into it, until its smooth.
- I suggest adding the powdered sugar a cup at a time and tasting as you go, everyone has a preference for sweetness and this way you can gage it and add more or less, based on your personal preference.
After everything is made, simply assemble your cake and decorate. I decorated with lemon and leftover rosemary, but be aware that these can leave a taste so if you want to maintain your balance, put them on last thing before presenting and remove them when it’s time to serve.
You can find all food-related blog posts by searching “good eats” on the homepage or clicking the tag “good eats”. For a new take on appetizers check out our Pepper Jelly review and uses here.